Arne’s mother gave one more look at her son before leaving, “you are not to leave this door,” she orders the four men outside the door.

Arne was helped off his private jet and into a private limo. As they drove out of the airport paparazzi crowded the gates with flashing cameras. As a decoy, they used three limos. All three limos took a different route which lessened the number of paparazzi per vehicle that made it easier to get onto the highway where all three limos will be joined by police vehicles to help cut off paparazzi. The limos went to three different hotels instead of the castle. Even though they are not royal his family home is a castle that they inherited through generations.

When the limo that Arne is in arrived at their destined hotel, he got into another car that left for the castle. The paparazzi that were smart enough knew not to follow the limos but instead go to the castle gates, but what they didn’t know is that there were several secret entrances to the castle grounds. Arne’s convey took the secret entrance from the beach that was not accessible by anyone because it was surrounded by mountainous rocks from all sides. When they reach what seemed to be a house built into the rocks that were actually the entrance that leads to the beach that leads to the castle Arne was relieved that they have not been spotted.

Arne got carried up a couple of stairs where his mother was already waiting for him. She was about to push his wheelchair into the elevator when Arne stopped her, “I can do it, mother.”

Inside the lift was unbearable silence and Anese, Arne’s mother felt relieved when the doors finally opened to the grand entryway.

“Are you having a party? Hope it does not involve me as I am defiantly not going out in public looking like a mummy,” Arne says as he wheels himself off to another elevator that leads to the fifth floor of the castle that was entirely his quarters.

Anese followed Arne into the elevator but Arne is not too happy about it as he is tired from the trip and his whole body is aching, “mother I need to rest, send a doctor to give me stronger pain killers than what I have.”

“Fine, but tonight I need to talk to you about an urgent matter,” Anese says, standing outside the elevator.

“Tell father I will see him later, I just don’t have the energy right now,” Arne says as the elevator doors close.

Anese wondered how she is going to break it to her son that his father is so sick that he is in a sedated coma. Anese put the thoughts of her dying husband at the back of her mind and busied herself with the arrangements of a grand ball that will take place tomorrow night. Anese decided that it was time to tell Arne the truth about the fact that they are supernatural and that everyone at the castle that he grew up around is in fact werewolves.

At the time of Arne’s birth, the whole supernatural world was in turmoil, species attacking each other and even the same kind attacking one another by the time Arne turned sixteen all were well again as the higher council managed to bring everyone under control but when Arne didn’t swift into his werewolf form on his sixteen birthday they decided that they will shield him from the supernatural world and that nobody from their pack that wished to stay in their pack was allowed to openly shift or talk to Arne about any of it.

As of late some of the pack members started to press for a successor Alpha because of Alpha Arnold's illness and they were not willing to accept Arne as an Alpha because he didn’t have the wolf gene.

After many meetings in Arne’s absence, the pack agreed that if Arne has a Luna that has the wolf gene and produces an heir before the death of his father, the Alpha, then they will accept him as their Alpha.

Anese was not sure if her son will even be willing to be the Alpha of a pack that he never even knew existed. ‘If Arne finds his mate during one of these Masquerade balls will she accept such a broken human being that does not even have the wolf gene?’ she thought as she made her way up the elevator to the fifth floor that evening.

The dining room on the fifth floor was set up for two. Beautiful lilies as centerpieces showered with rays of sunlight bursting through the tall open windows, looking out on the ocean.

“Where is Arne? Please go tell him that dinner is ready and that I am waiting,” Anese orders one of the omega’s that worked for them.

As the Omega turns to follow her orders Arne wheels into the dining hall, “good afternoon mother.”

“Where is father?” Arne asks as he noticed that only two places have been set at the table.

“Let us have the first course then I will fill you in on everything,” Anese signals Arne to join her at the table. Arne wheeled himself to the place setting where there is no chair.

Arne knew his father had health issues, but he didn’t know how severe it has become.

The first course was tuna soup that Arne had a bit of a problem with as the deep soup spoon made it impossible for him to get into his mouth that was partly missed shaped and still had stitches on the one side. Arne had to pull the bandage with one finger to get the spoon to his mouth but even then, didn’t succeed. Arne was about to say that he is not in the mood for soup but knew that his mother will call him on it as it was his favorite.

“Bring in the main course and the dessert and leave us, I will serve my son tonight,” Anese orders everyone to leave. Once the food was placed on the table and everyone cleared the dining hall Anese got up and undid the bandage from Arne’s face. She was shocked at the extend of the damage but didn’t lose her composition.

Arne felt much better with the bandages off but if he knew what he looked like he would probably never leave this castle again.

Arne took the spoon that his mother offered him and was able to enjoy his soup. Anese tried not to look up as her son's destroyed face made her lose her appetite but she didn’t want to offend him.

‘No girl in her right mind will accept him as her mate. Perhaps if he was just a cripple but this face? What happened that night?’ Anese thought by herself wondering if this was not an attack on purpose.

After dinner as the sun was setting displaying beautiful tones of orange and purple over the ocean, Anese pored a whisky for herself, “anything to drink for you?”

“Not for me thank you, I prefer the pain killers,” Arne wheels himself near the window.

“Your father is in a sedated coma, he is very ill and there is nothing more to do but to keep him comfortable,” Anese started the conversation she dreaded having.

“Is he here at the castle?” Arne asks, guilty for not being around over the past couple of years.

“Yes, second floor, West wing,” Anese answers expecting Arne to be full of questions.

“Not in your bedroom?”

“No, we turned the third floor into a hospital with a fully operational theatre,” Anese answers.

“A whole floor as a hospital for one dying person?”

“Well, we might be needing it in the future and what is great is now you don’t have to leave for treatment. You know what a hinder the paparazzi can be,” Anese defend the building of the hospital inside the castle.

“Well, let me then go see him. Can he be taken out of the coma?” Arne asks as he wheels himself towards the exit of the dining hall.

“Arne, wait! Let me cover up your face first.”

“Wow, is it that bad?” Arne asks as he brings the wheelchair to a halt.

“Why don’t you use the electric wheelchair?” Anese asks as she wraps the bandage around Arne’s face.

“Because I need to stay fit.”

As soon as the bandage was back in place, they made their way over to the third floor.

“It looks like a real hospital,” Arne states, admiring the cleanliness.

“That is because it is a real hospital,” Anese says as they go towards the west wing.