Her Heart, His obsession

90. It Hurts to Feel

Octavian was not prepared to spend any more time in presence of his father and his so called lover, Eclaire. Octavian could not undertand why his father was cheating on his blood match with another woman. Even though his mother and Augustus were divorced, still the ancient Arkansan traditions had shaped Octavian's beliefs. He saw this arrangement as an outrage. He believed that as long as one's blood match was alive, it was not allowed to love another. Octavian had to bite his tongue a few times and hold back his words while they were having the conversation. Octavian knew that his father was going to make him pay if he did speak his mind so he took a different approach.

Octavian cleared his throat, " Sorry to interrupt but father may I be excused from this feast? I am quite tired and wish to make my way to my chambers if you allow me to leave."

Augustus did not like what he heard at all " Careful son. I can feel your waves of deceit. You are feeling anything but tired. I know I told you that you can not defy me or challenege me in public but we are sitting on the throne and well away from public hearing. I allow you to be honest in presence of Eclaire. You can speak your mind. If you are not comfortable in presence of Eclaire, I do not fault you. I understand you have just met Eclaire and havent got to know her yet. But you will in time. Now, I would grant your wish to be dismissed but almost. You may leave the feast at this hour but not to retire to your chambers. You may be taken around the base by Eclaire. I know Xander has taken you around but I strictly ordered him not to show you everywhere and tire you out on your first day. Now this is a good opportunity for bodning time. Eclaire will show you to sections of my pack you havent seen. Then she will return you to your chambers and will come back to me to the feast. What do yo think Eclaire?"

Eclaire blushed: "Of course alpha but may I ask you out of curiousity, is octavian allowed to walk freely around the pack from this day? I am showing him around the base but what would be the point if he has to be guarded by Xander at all times and cant explore the territory he would rule one day?"

Augustus looked thoughtful " I have never had no intention of imprisoning my own son in his chambers. Of course he is allowed to walk around freely but it is the outside world that I do not trust. The reason I asked Xander and you for accompanying him is because of the danger of our enemies abducting him or hurting him knowing how much it would hurt me. But the thoughts that you voiced also crossed my mind earlier today." He then reached into the pockets of his green and black cloak and took out a silver chainlike bracelet.

Augustus sighed " I was going to give this to you earlier on. You must wear this at all times. This is an enchanted tracker which alongside the pain bracelets worn by Xander was created by Tanzanite amongst many artefacts she has made for me. This bracelet can only be detected by me or Tanzanite and the only ones who can unchain it are me and Tanzanite also. So, the only way I would be happy for you to walk around unaccompanied is if you wear this at all times. But it is you choice. If you wish not to be tracked, I will assign you guards but surely you would like to be walking freely in the territory that you would be rulling one day. Our territory keeps expanding as well. We will keep building more underground accomodation until our land reaches the size of Arkansas so son it is important to get to know the land as it gets bigger." Augustus then reached his hand towards Octavian and offered the bracelet to him.

Octavian was contemplating how to respond. His father was taking away his freedom without making it obvious to his pack. If he was to refuse his fathers offer he was going to be confined to the walls of his chamebrs unless accompanied by guards and he wanted to avoid that. So he reuctantly recahed over and wore the bracelet. As he put it on, he took a deep breath. Its magic was overwhelming. He could feel the power of the bracelt. In that moment he know that his father could track him to the other ends of the earth and could locate him in a heartbeat. He was truely tied down now but with invisible strings that only he could see.