Devil Dawg Donnelly's: Revelations

“A Ship without Marines is like a garment without buttons.”
Adm. David Dixon Porter, USN in a letter to
Colonel Commandant John Harris, USMC, 1863

 * * * * *

"Earth to Baxter" Hank Bauers teased as he held his hand out for the three-quarters inch wrench Baxter held in his own, as he stared off into space.

Since Monday, when they got word that JD's son Jakson had been born and that Jake and he would be arriving with baby in tow later today, both he and Hank had been doing their level best to get Jake's old room set up for them.

Baxter still didn't know what to make of all this, let alone how he felt about it all. He knew what Billy had suspected about JD and Timmy Anderson, but he hadn't placed a lot of stock in it, especially when coupled with the knowledge that JD was an expectant father at the time. It just hadn't added up to him.

Being around Billy did that to him. Even when they were kids, Billy's way of approaching things was always straightforward, linear by nature and Baxter had always seen his role in Billy's life as the one to point out that though two plus two did indeed equal four, that three plus one did as well, as did six minus two. His point always being, that there was always more than one way to think about something.

"How long have you known that Jake and JD had...um, "feelings" for each other?" Baxter asked, handing the wrench over, as he cautiously met Hank's eyes.

Hank regarded him thoughtfully for a moment before answering: "I've known Jake had feelings for JD since he was about sixteen, for JD, harder to say, he's always been a bit of a wild card when it comes to his feelings."

Baxter took that in for a moment, wondering how Hank knew about Jake, or whether they had discussed it or something, and as Hank finished tightening the last bolt to the crib they were assembling, he kind of threw Baxter for a loop when he suddenly asked: "How long have you had feelings for Billy?"

There was a sudden sense of panic that surged hotly through him. He could feel the cheeks of his face flush and his pulse race and he began feeling very much like he had just stepped into a trap. Worse yet, a trap of his own making.

Unable to make eye contact with the older man, Baxter stared nervously at the floor in front of him, fiddling absentmindedly with the laces of his shoe: "Is it that obvious?" he finally stammered, his voice low and cautious.

Hank knew he had to tread carefully now, but he also didn't like the idea of lying to the young man either. The fear in his voice at being "found out" paled in comparison to the pheromonal stench of that fear: "Its okay Baxter, there's no judgement to be found here. As a matter of fact..." he paused, placing a comforting hand on the youths shoulder, before adding: "It might interest you to know, that Jake and JD weren't the only ones to get married that day at the compound."

Baxter shot him a few quick tentative glances. His innate curiosity almost getting the better of him, but his trepidation's keeping him from asking.

Smiling, while hoping what he said next would put Baxter more at ease: "Max and Carl jumped the broom right after Jake and JD, and guess who walked Carl down the isle?"

Baxter almost instinctively knew the answer, but was still to much in shock over the initial news to give voice to it.

Hank chuckled at the look of shock on Baxter's face, knowing full well the illusions he was shattering in the young mans mind: "Gotta tell ya kid, seeing Billy all decked out in that suit..." Hank whistled, while simultaneously rolling his eyes: "If I were twenty years younger, I'd be tempted to give you a run for your money for a chance to hit that."

Baxter couldn't believe what he was hearing, his eyes growing even wider when Hank whipped out his phone and showed him a picture of Billy in a snug blue suit, smiling profusely, with Carl similarly attired, walking arm and arm between two groups of seated guest.

The look of shock and dismay continued to subsume Baxter's expressions as Hank flipped through the various pictures he had taken before and after the wedding ceremonies and Baxter's previous angst seemed to slowly evaporate, that is, until a group photo showing Billy with JD, Jake, Timmy Anderson and two others.

Seeing that image made the smile fade from his face, replaced the nervous trepidation he felt before about someone figuring out his long-held secret concerning his feelings for Billy, and was almost instantly replaced with what Hank could sense was sadness mixed with... anger?

Almost snatching the phone from Hank's hand, he watched as Baxter zeroed in on the other two in the image, enlarging it and then thrusting the phone back at Hank and asking brusquely: "Isn't that Gavin Hollis and if I'm not mistaken Jason Dunne?"

The sharp, accusatory tone in Baxter's voice confused Hank, not understanding why that was so obviously upsetting him, pushing Hank to query: "Baxter, whats wrong, did I say something that upset you?"

"Upset me!" Baxter bristled, Hank detecting both anger and sadness in his tone now: "Let's see..." he paused, more for dramatic effect, tapping his chin sardonically as he rolled his eyes upward, a move that so reminded Hank of his father Russel, back when they were part of Bannor Griffen's pack: "I was told repeatedly, that I couldn't go to the compound for Billy's eighteenth birthday ceremony because you had to be eighteen to participate, well, I know for a fact that Gavin Hollis and Jason Dunne are both seventeen, the same age I am!..." Baxter was practically fuming now, the raw emotion in his voice showing equally on his face: "JD I can understand. At least he and Billy are blood related, but Max, Billy and all you others have always told me that I was part of the family, yet they let complete strangers, who are the same age as me, join in a huge family event? Not only did they leave me out of it, they didn't even bother to mention it!?"

The pain in Baxter's voice cut through Hank like a knife and he wondered how he could have been so careless. Of course he'd feel left out, especially over something so momentous.

Max and Carl had both discussed the need to distract Baxter for the next two weeks, until it was time for his own Heritage ceremony. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what would have happened if Billy was allowed to see Baxter before then, especially so soon after his transformation, which was tough enough coming to grips with, without also having to deal with the complex emotions and strong sexual under current they both felt for each other.

The real problem Hank had right now, was how could he explain it all in a manner that didn't come across as completely disingenuous?

Unfortunately, Baxter didn't give him a chance too: "Ya know what, forget it, I'm done with this bullshit." he chafed, brushing past Hank, making a beeline to the room he was using and slamming the door shut behind him.

"Damn Bauers, ya stuck your foot in that one" Hank grumbled to himself, while also wondering how he was going to handle this one. Ultimately, he decided that perhaps it was best if he just gave Baxter some space, at least give him time to cool down.

Hank did just that, busying himself with putting the crib in the spot he had picked out, near the queen size bed in Jake's old room and cleaning up the last of the mess they had made in putting it together.

His timing couldn't have been better. He had no sooner finished sweeping the room a final time when his son and JD, with baby Jakson in tow, arrived, looking a little travel-worn and more than a little hungry.

He was relieved when Baxter made an appearance to greet the new arrivals, though he still seemed a bit distant, even with them, the exception being Jakson, who he doted over right up to the time they sat down for dinner.

Though slightly reserved during their meal time conversation, with both Jake and JD detailing their experiences both at the hospital and at Carl's old house, the one they would be moving into when Jake's transfer came through, that it once again kicked off with Baxter, when JD made an innocuous statement about how Baxter should have been there to have seen the frightened look on Billy's face the first time he held Jakson.

"You're right JD..." Baxter retorted dismissively, adding: "Then again, I wasn't even welcome to the weddings or Billy's birthday celebration, so why bother with something as momentous as a child being born. After all, it's not like I'm part of the family or anything."

Hank could hear the hurt in Baxter's voice, saw it reflected in the eyes of both Jake and JD as they both nervously dropped their gaze to the near-empty plates before them, moving Hank to make a response: "Baxter, suffice it to say, that Max had his reasons for you not being at the compound during Billy's ceremony, not least of which was your own protection."

"Oh, I see... " Baxter retorted snidely: "It wasn't safe for me but was just fine for two weddings that I was also conveniently not invited too." He paused for a moment, before quickly adding: "Max told me I couldn't go to the compound during Billy's birthday bash because I wasn't old enough, yet I find out that both Gavin Hollis and Jason Dunne were there?"

Both JD and Jake looked up simultaneously at the mention of Jason's name: "Jason was there to meet a grandfather he didn't know he had and Gavin just had his eighteenth birthday I do believe." JD noted, his voice sounding empty and flat, since he knew he was telling Baxter half-truths and he was certain Baxter knew it too, as visions of his own mother's gruesome death yet lingered to remind him.

As if on cue Jakson began to make fussing noises, letting them know he was awake and apparently quite hungry.

As both Jake and JD left the table to tend their newborn, Baxter continued to stare Hank down, making it apparent he wasn't about to let this issue go.

"Listen Baxter..." Hank began cautiously: "Max is only doing what he thinks is best for you."

Without batting an eye, Baxter responded coldly: "Oh, so what your saying is Max doesn't want me hanging or being around Billy anymore. I'm not stupid Hank, I know it was Max who talked my mother into taking me away for two weeks and I know it was Max who talked you into baby sitting me for awhile. What is he hoping will happen, that he can keep Billy and I apart long enough that we stop being friends or is he afraid I might somehow seduce him and pull his focus away from whatever future Max has planned for him?"

Hank hated this. On the one hand he knew that what Baxter was saying was in part the truth, but it wasn't with Billy's future in mind, but Baxter's that Max made this call, and though it wasn't his place to second guess his Alpha, he was beginning to see that perhaps there was some truth in what Carl had suggested right before he left. Maybe it wasn't always prudent or even the best decision to keep the true nature of the Heritage a secret from those affected by it. Maybe if Baxter knew the real reason he'd feel less like an outsider, or worse yet, like he was being deliberately pushed away from those he had come to think of as his family.

Of course, the truth was, they all knew that once Baxter claimed his own Heritage, and he and Billy once again reunited on a more even keel, that they would both come to see each other more clearly and that nature, as they say, would take its due course.

There was never any doubt. Not since they'd both hit puberty. Billy and Baxter were destined to be together, and after the way Billy took the news, revealed by both Max and Carl about Baxter being gay, he was half expecting to find Billy beating on his door at any given time, insisting on seeing him.

Hank knew that knowing all of this himself did little to assuage Baxter's mounting fears and doubts.

"Maybe, if you called Billy and talked to him, you'd feel less like everyone is plotting to keep you guys apart?" Hank suggested, searching Baxter's continence for any sign that such an action could alleviate some of the discord that seemed to subsume his thoughts currently.

Baxter just shook his head, his eyes rolling toward the ceiling with mock indifference: "Funny thing about phones, for the last three weeks mine seems only capable of making calls out. Not once in all that time has Billy, or any of the others for that matter, attempted to contact me in any way, shape, or form."

He paused for a moment, glaring across the table at Hank, letting him ponder the significance of his words before adding brusquely: "So tell me Hank, why should I bother calling Billy, or anyone else for that matter?"

Hank didn't know what to say to him. Actually, to be precise, he did know, he just wasn't permitted to do so.

Of course, his silence only fueled Baxter's determination: "Ya know, I've changed my mind..." Baxter voice was infused with sardonic mockery: "I am going to make a phone call. I'm gonna call my mom and see if she can get me a one way bus ticket back home."

With that bold proclamation, Baxter rose from the table and turned to head toward the room he was staying in.

Hank sighed heavily: "You can't do that Baxter. Max wants you to wait here until your birthday."

Baxter whirled around, a fiery defiance in his glare: "Are you telling me I'm a prisoner here, until Max decides to summon me?"

That got a rise out of Hank. Being upset was one thing, being disrespectful was another.

Leaning back in his chair, on the other side of the kitchen table, Hank glowered back at him, responding tersely: "Max Donnelly has treated you like a son, out of respect for your father. He didn't have too, but he promised your dad he'd look out for you and your mother and all Max has ever done is exactly that."

Baxter continued to glare back at him, but that didn't deter Hank: "How do you think your father would react if he heard the way your talking right now?!"

Baxter winced at Hank's rebuff at the mention of his father, making him even more determined to make his point: "There's absolutely no one that knew Russel Whitmore better than me and I can assure you, he'd be ashamed of the way his son is talking about the man he not only trusted his life to, but entrusted the care for the two people that meant more to him than anything or anyone else, in this world or the next."

Hank's harsh words seemed to take the wind out of Baxter's sails, as he lowered his gaze thoughtfully.

It was a few long moments before Baxter gave him a more measured and temperate response: "That may be true, I can barely remember my dad sometimes. But he's not here anymore and I know for a fact that Max, you and the other's are keeping something from me and I'm sick of people trying to manipulate me." Baxter's eyes reflected the resolute determination behind them: "I'm done with it! I'm done with you, Max and even Billy and all I want to do is go home and figure out what I want to do going forward, not what everyone else wants me to do and if my mom refuses to get me a bus ticket, then I'll just hitch hike home, either way, I'm leaving."

Hank felt the forlornness that was radiating off of him, and he tried one last time to appeal to him: "Baxter, please try to be patient for a little while longer, I promise you, two weeks from now, after your Heritage ceremony everything will become clearer to you."

He watched hopefully as Baxter stood there, shaking his head. Hoped against hope he would see reason. But to his dismay, Baxter's resolve solidified: "That's just it Hank, I don't want any part of that anymore. I don't care about some rite of passage BS. I don't need it to confirm who I am."

"You can't be serious Baxter, your father would insist..."

Baxter interrupted him: "Like I said, my dad isn't here and what he may or may not have wanted for me is a totally mute point. I don't want it, and nothing you or Max or even my mother have to say is going to persuade me otherwise. I refuse to participate in some stupid ritual that has everyone around me acting like it should be the most important event of my life. Well, it's not and I want nothing to do with it, period!"

Baxter turned away from Hank and headed for his room, already pulling the phone out from his pants pocket to call his unsuspecting mom.

Carding his fingers through the short blond hair on his head, Hank Bauers groaned inwardly, admitting defeat, calling out to Baxter before he disappeared behind closed doors: "Don't bother your mom. I'm off duty tomorrow, I'll drive you home."

Baxter nodded his head and gave Hank a wane smile before stepping into his room and shutting the door.

Hank stood there for a moment, staring after him, with only one thought on his mind: "Boy, Max is just going to love this!"

                                                                      * * * * *

Billy and Jason sat there in the reliquary, anxiously waiting for Gavin and Princess to show up for their planned meeting, scheduled earlier, not long after Gavin woke up from his night-long incapacitation.

The tale Gavin had spun for them all, about the visions and encounters he had undergone, had spurred considerable, enthusiastic speculation from both Danal and Hadrian. By the end of Gavin's oration, both looked troubled and had grown introspective and uncharacteristically reserved, thoughtful and mostly silent, asking only a few questions, seemingly more for clarification in how it was said than what was said.

It had all seemed fantastical to both Billy and Jason at the time, but the hushed and furtive queries and looks they shot each other and the overall, almost conspiratorial whispers in each others ears and the mounting look of troubled anxiety building between them, lent to the air of mystery both Billy and Jason now felt toward the two elderly, more experienced men.

By the time Gavin had finished his initial recounting, they had all pretty much looked to Danal and Hadrian for their take on the events Gavin had described, finding many aspects of it deeply troubling, while others just left them scratching their heads. But, when neither Danal or Hadrian seemed willing or motivated to speculate or share what they thought was going on, Gavin grew visibly frustrated, turning to Billy and saying he had a few ideas of his own but needed several hours to do some research and asked if they could all meet up in the early evening to discuss his findings.

Everyone had agreed and they tentatively set a time to reconvene at seven pm in the reliquary, and that time was now rapidly approaching.

"I wish your father and Carl were going to be here for this meeting" Danal stated off hand, his nose still buried in one of the many manuscripts that laid sprawled out before him. Hadrian was meandering around the room, similarly engrossed in one of the many books he had pulled from the collections along the bookshelf lined walls of the reliquary.

Billy sat there beside Jason on the other side of the long wooden table that separated them from Danal, absentmindedly tapping his fingers on the worn wooden surface: "Dad said he and Carl probably wouldn't be back until either late Sunday or early Monday."

Billy had spoken with his father earlier, filling him in on the recent events while not going into to much detail regarding Gavin's experiences. The news didn't seem to hold as much surprise to his dad as he thought it might, nor did it seem to warrant his speedy return, since he and Carl still planned on heading straight to his grandfathers estate, which was only about ten miles form the compound, as soon as they left Albany.

They all knew that Max and Carl were going to reopen the old manor house temporarily while they worked on their new house there at the compound, but it also seemed more than that. It was like his father, after turning the reigns of the compound over to Jason, was deliberately stepping back, making Billy believe his dad was testing them somehow, perhaps to see how well they acted under pressure or without him and Carl there to micromanage everything.

If that was the case, Billy thought to himself, then he and Jason fully intended to do exactly that. Run things their way, and right now, the biggest obstacle impeding their way at the moment, was Danal and Hadrian's reticence in divulging what they knew or at least suspected, and both he and Jason were starting to get very annoyed by their behavior.

Billy knew there was a lot more riding on this meeting than a fact-finding expedition. What happened here tonight could very well set the course for the entire compound, if not the entire southern regional district and he was determined that both Danal and Hadrian understood that.

What was abundantly clear to both Billy and Jason was that the Heritage was broken, and it had been broken for a very long time, and Billy especially felt that a big part of that brokenness could be traced right back to it's foundations. The Codex, and by association, the Council of Greges itself. Jason had said it best himself earlier, while they strategized with Brock and Atticus after Princess and Gavin left them to attend to personal needs and begin Gavin's research. Almost everything anyone in the Heritage knew about the Codex came, by and far, mostly from the Council. Jason's exact words were: "If the Heritage is so fucked up, then whose mostly to blame for that?"

Of course, that question lead them all directly back to square one. The Codex and the ones entrusted to translate it, the Council.

It was with these thoughts in mind Billy now stated: "I certainly hope, once Gavin and Princess get here, that the two of you plan on being a little more co-operative in divulging what you know or suspect concerning what's going on with Gavin and Princess and their "encounters."

Both Danal and Hadrian's attention suddenly shifted from their reading material to glower back at him, but it was Danal who spoke: "As the Green Father of the Southern District, I'll keep my own council on what is divulged and when young man."

Billy was about to respond when Jason abruptly interjected: "If you don't intend to be of assistance then perhaps you shouldn't be here."

Danal eyed Jason suspiciously, his brow furrowing. Billy suspected a fair amount of self restraint was being employed behind the icy blue glower boring into Jason, more so from Danal than Hadrian, who seemed rather flummoxed and growing a bit anxious at the intensity building between the pair.

It didn't surprise Billy that Danal's response was both measured and unrelenting: "What I won't be young man is bullied into compliance in matters you clearly don't understand."

"If we don't understand..." Billy interjected, a cold calm enveloping his resolve: "...then who is to blame for that, the persons seeking guidance from those entrusted to advise or the advisor who refuses such guidance?"

A voice from behind them, signalling the arrival of Gavin and Princess, mirrored Billy's sentiment: "If a teacher withholds information, is he truly a teacher or is he just manipulating the actions of those around him for his own outcome?"

Gavin stood there, looking like he hadn't rested much since they last saw him. The dark circles around his eyes augmenting the redness within from what must have been hours worth of sustained study.

Princess stood beside him, as bouncy and ephemeral as ever, but just as resolute as his new companion: "I should have brought popcorn, this is going to be fun!" he intoned wistfully as he almost floated across the room until he landed in a seat next to a now stoic Danal, eying him bemusedly as Gavin took a seat next to Billy, opening his laptop and pulling up some notes he had made earlier.

"I think, what everyone is asking..." Princess asked wistfully: "Are you here to contribute or are you just planning on being the grumpy grandpa that yells at the kids to keep off his lawn?"

Danal sighed heavily, still staring at Billy as if trying to dissect him with his eyes: "We wouldn't have spent the better part of the day pouring through the various manuscripts and books we have on the ancient gods if we weren't trying to get to the bottom of all this." His eyes darted over to Jason, adding: "Because I think that Max and Carl should be here for this little tete a tete doesn't mean I plan on withholding anything from the rightful, albeit youthful new Alpha."

Danal then turned back to Billy, giving him a stern look: "Despite your earlier impressions, let me assure you William, that just because we refrained from speculation earlier, we did so because we wanted time to confirm our suspicions before commenting out of ignorance, something all of you could apparently learn from!"

At Danal's mild reprimand Jason just cocked one eye while Billy nodded his head in acquiescence: "I apologize if we got it wrong, but if that is the case, it's because you left us with that impression to begin with."

"Perhaps..." Hadrian offered as he took a seat at the head of the table on either side of both Danal and Jason, his eyes furtively glancing between the two: "... it would be best if we all chose to forget this matter and move onto what is really prescient?"

There was silence in the room for a few tense moments as everyone seemed to weigh their options, but it was Billy who spoke up first: "If everyone is in agreement, then perhaps the one who personally experienced the event we're discussing should begin with what he's found out."

All eyes turned to Gavin as he nodded back at Billy, a feint smile forming at the corner of his lips: "Thanks Billy." He began haltingly: "Might I suggest we start with a brief history lesson about the Gods themselves, or more precisely Aphrodite."

Gavin paused for a second, scrolling through his notes as he cleared his throat before beginning again: "First of all, I read through countless descriptions from various sources, but much of what I'm going to relay is from the oldest of those sources, since his comes the closest to what we already know or suspect."

"Your speaking about Hesiod's Theogony I assume?" Danal posited, arching an eyebrow quizzically as he awaited confirmation.

"Correct." Gavin stated pointedly before resuming: "By all accounts from various Greek writers and scholars, Aphrodite was known as the god of love, sexuality, pleasure, beauty, passion and procreation."

"As Venus, the Romans attributed her as the God of victory as well." Hadrian offered hesitantly, his eyes nervously scanning the others in fear he had spoken out of turn.

"That's good to know" Gavin noted, typing the info into his computer, adding it to his list, before resuming: "By various different accounts, Aphrodite is given credit for seventeen different children, one of which Princess pointed out contradicts what Aphrodite stated themselves, but amongst those was Eros, Phobos, Peitho, Priapus, the Three Graces, Aeneas, Hermaphroditus to name a few. Eros we removed because Aphrodite told Princess that was just one of their many names, but the one of interest on that list is Aeneas, but I'll be coming back to him later"

Gavin went on to explain the history of Aphrodite. From their creation, which resulted in having risen forth from sea foam after Kronos threw Ouranos's (his father) severed genitals into the ocean. This actually making Aphrodite the oldest of the Greek Olympians. From what Gavin could tell, even older than Zeus. But, he also pointed out that Ares was one of the youngest gods, being the only legitimate child of both Zeus and Hera and a frequent lover to Aphrodite.

"Fuck buddy more like it." Princess concluded offhandedly, with Gavin nodding in agreement, stating there didn't appear to be any romantic interest between the two that he observed, though clearly having sex wasn't a problem for either of them.

Going on to briefly recount the history of Zeus's battle with his father Kronos and the subsequent victory of the Olympians over the Titans and their banishment to Hades with the exception of Prometheus. Gavin pointed out how Zeus counseled Prometheus, who was given the task of molding mankind out of clay, and who then attempted to better the lives of his creation, which brought him into conflict with Zeus. How tricking the gods out of the best portion of the sacrificial feast, acquiring the meat for the feasting of man, resulted in Zeus withholding fire from them. It was then that Prometheus stole it from Zeus and delivered it to mortal kind hidden inside a fennel-stalk.

As punishment for these rebellious acts, Zeus ordered the creation of Pandora (the first female) as a means to deliver misfortune by way of a curse to man, and as a way to cheat mankind of the company of the good spirits of camaraderie, something Zeus feared as he foresaw a time, that if left unchecked, man might grow to rival the power of the gods and thus potentially overthrow them and himself.

"Are you telling us..." Billy interrupted, a look of incredulity written on his face: "That females didn't exist until then?"

Jason also commented, just as skeptically: "Then how did they make babies if women didn't exist?"

"Maybe they didn't need to" Danal speculated, adding: "Maybe like the gods, the original men were immortal, either that, or..."

Hadrian finished his thought for him: "Maybe they didn't need women to procreate."

Gavin began typing furiously on his keyboard, taking notes: "Maybe that is something to investigate further later on or to ask Aphrodite if we get the chance to again."

"Yes" Danal agreed: "food for thought at another time perhaps, though it does beg the question, if Zeus had Prometheus create females, then what was Aphrodite, Hera and the other gods we have long thought of as female?"

"I think both. Princess and I can attest that Aphrodite neither appeared to be either male or female and both at the same time. Maybe all the gods are like that, though I have to say, Ares appeared to be most definitely male!" Gavin speculated, looking to the others for confirmation.

Princess smiled wickedly: "Judging by your description, I'd definitely be up for checking that out for myself given the opportunity."

Billy just shook his head as Gavin rolled his eyes mockingly: "I don't think you'd survive that encounter dude."

"Perhaps not..." Princess ceded, winking lecherously back at him: "But I do love a challenge."

"Well, let's hope you don't get the chance." Jason quipped bemusedly, drawing that topic to a close as he indicated for Gavin to continue.

Gavin was more than happy to move on from Princesses lascivious expositions, while simultaneously admiring the candor in the way the latter conducted himself. There was far more to Princess/Timmy than Gavin had previously thought and he mentally chided himself for not seeing that earlier on. A mistake he didn't intend to repeat going into the future.

"Moving on..." Gavin began anew: "All of that was just to set up the foundation for what transpired later."

"Aeneas?" Danal posited, peering quizzically back at Gavin, his fingers forming a steeple that partially obscured his lips.

"Yes" Gavin affirmed, adding: "Apparently, there was no love lost between Zeus and Aphrodite over this supposed curse on man. Perhaps Aphrodite saw their role as nurturer and protector being somehow diminished or attacked by Zeus's jealous self absorption."

"Do you think that's why she took the mortal Anchises to be her lover, to somehow thwart Zeus's machinations?" Hadrian queried, his eyes wide with thought-provoking speculation.

Gavin nodded his head: "Aphrodite said Princes was the door that needed unlocked so that their daughter/sons could achieve their great purpose."

"And what greater purpose could Aphrodite have other than freeing man from Zeus's curse and thus restoring him to his former glory, one that could eventually rival even the gods!?" Danal's tone was poignant, his eyes becoming laser-focused on Gavin: "I owe you an apology young man. Carl warned me how insightful you could be, but this is a true revelation and goes well beyond any previous speculation we have considered before."

"I get whats happening to Princess and Gavin is important, but I fail to see how this involves those of the Heritage and the problems we're having today?" Jason quipped, finding it hard to tie the two together.

"I think I can help do that as well." Gavin said, smiling disarmingly: "Though I might need Danal and Hadrian to fill in the blanks here and there, since my knowledge of the Heritage is somewhat limited."

Both Danal and Hadrian exchanged brief, hesitant glances before nodding their heads in agreement: "We will do what we can, though what you and Princess have revealed has potentially changed much of what we've held as true... until now." Danal offered in way of explanation: "We have always known that there was a link between your people and our own, but up until now, we have always assumed it was to repair what was broken by the Progenitor, but now, it appears it may be far more involved than we originally suspected."

Billy cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to focus: "Maybe it might help Jason and I if we understood what it is your all talking about, since I don't think either of us have a clue what that is?"

Danal bowed his head: "My pardon William, you are of course correct. Perhaps it would be best if Gavin proceeded with the recounting of who Aeneas was and how he relates to both Gavin and Princess's people with ours."

"I'll do my best" Gavin sighed: "Though I'm more than a bit hazy on the Heritage stuff myself," he concluded.

Danal smiled faintly, giving Gavin a wink: "I think between us, Hadrian and I have that covered."

"Thanks" Gavin sighed, returning to his notes once again.

Billy took notice of how tired Gavin looked, promising himself to make sure his friend got the rest he so obviously needed as soon as they tied up things here, even if he had to sit on him to get him to lay his head down for a few hours.

They all sat in silent contemplation as Gavin laid out a brief history of Aeneas that he had garnered from the Roman poet and historian Virgil's epic story the Aeneid, starting with the birth of Aeneas to the Goddess Aphrodite after having a brief affair with the mortal prince of Troy, Anchises, and imparting to everyone listening that the very name Aeneas translated to "indwelling" referring to his status of being born a god inhabiting a mortal body.

As a prince of Troy, Aeneas fought valiantly against the Greeks during the Trojan War, but as Troy inevitably fell, the gods ordered Aeneas to escape with his father, his son, and his men and they set sail and roamed the open seas until making landfall in what is now known as Sicily, where Aeneas's father Anchises died peacefully in his sleep. From there, Aeneas and his men continued their search for the home the gods promised, spending almost six years wandering from place to place until a storm, commanded by Hera/Juno, forced them to make landfall in Carthage where he met and began a year-long romance with the Carthaginian queen Dido, who so loved him, had invited him to rule by her side. But Zeus and Aphrodite had other plans and Zeus sent his messenger to remind Aeneas of his true purpose, commanding Aeneas to immediately leave in secret and continue his journey's.

Aeneas obeyed, gathering his men and once again setting sail leaving a distraught and heartbroken Dido to level a powerful curse against him, swearing he would never know the love of another woman again, right before sealing the curse by taking her own life.

Inevitably, Aeneas and his men found themselves on the shores of Latium, where he was befriended by the king of Latium, Latinus.

During his stay Latinus received a prophecy foretelling the marriage of Aeneas with his daughter Lavinia and that from their union a great empire would arise, so Latinus offered his daughters hand in marriage to Aeneas.

But the proposed union did not meet with everyone's approval, most notably her former suitor Turnus, king of the Rutuli and the queen of Latium, Amala, who stated her disapproval of Aeneas was due to Aeneas being a lover of men and unworthy of her daughters hand in marriage.

A war broke out and Aeneas's skills in battle proved to much for Turnus and he was defeated in battle and the marriage between Aeneas and Lavinia went forward making Aeneas the next ruler of Latium upon Latinus's death.

"I must stop you there Gavin and point out a few things that the Codex does cover during this time." Danal noted stoically, his brow furrowing in concentration, eyeing each of them before continuing: "The Codex teaches that indeed Dido's curse was effective, that Aeneas did become a lover of men, but not only that, so did each of his male descendants, even those born from daughters of his line, for generation after generation for close to four hundred years, up to the birth of the Progenitor himself."

"Danal, are you saying the Progenitor is a direct descendant of Aeneas?" Billy posited, a look of surprise infusing his facial features.

Looking down at the ancient book his wizened fingers fumbled with, Danal merely nodded his head in agreement.

"As are all of us in this room" Hadrian added meekly, looking up through his thick gray eyebrows eyeing the group furtively as if he had just revealed something so incredulous it defied utterance.

"I call bullshit" Princess/Timmy stated emphatically: "There's no way that many homos married women and bumped uglies with them to boot."

"Oh my dear boy..." Hadrian asserted whimsically: "Those days were not like ours. Marriages were mostly arranged and young men were fully expected to sire an heir irregardless of their sexual proclivities."

Danal added quickly: "Those societies were extremely patriarchal. Once they satisfied their familial obligations, few cared what transpired behind closed doors. In fact, it was not uncommon for husbands and wives to sleep separately, in different rooms, with the male deciding whether or not to seek out relations with his wife."

Princess rolled his eyes, shaking his head dramatically: "Oh yes, that makes it so much less eeeywwww, icky icky, gag me with a spoon!"

Both Billy and Jason had to stifle a giggle or two at Princess's comedic antics, Billy being thankful that even Gavin's expressions softened as he cracked a wistful smile.

It was Hadrian that broke the brief reverie Princess had evoked, turning his attention back to Gavin and suggesting that he continue.

"I only have a little bit more that I learned and I'm not sure how any of it relates to those like Princess and I and those of the Heritage, but for this last part, I'll be double-dipping my sources and using only what they both seemed to agree upon, that being Virgil and another Roman author known as Livy, who seemed more of a true historian than Virgil, who tended to pander more to a Roman sense of pride and patriotism."

"Astute observation." Danal denoted, giving Gavin a knowing nod of approval.

"Anyway..." Gavin continued: "after about four hundred years had passed and Aeneas's line of successors expanded the kingdom of Latina, roughly about the year seven fifty-three BC as best I can tell, the then king of the land was a guy named Numitor, who had a daughter named Rhea Sylvia. It was then that Zeus/Jupiter and Ares/Mars enacted their long term plan to grant Aeneas's line a great leader who would go onto create the greatest empire the world had ever known."

"We're talkin' about Rome here aren't we?" Jason asked, offering by way of explanation: "I just remember the name Rhea Sylvia from my history class last year."

'That's correct Jason" Gavin smiled back at him, before continuing: "It's here both Virgil and Livy seemed to differ slightly, but the end result was that Ares, with Zeus's blessing, visited Rhea and raped her, causing her to become impregnated with twin sons."

Gavin paused again, stating that his knowledge on the next part was a bit sketchy, but the best he could tell was that the king's brother Amulius saw the potential birth as a threat to his possible succession to the throne and after challenging his brother Numitor, drove him into exile and after the birth of Rhea's twin sons Romulus and Remus he ordered their deaths. But a loyal servant saved the twin boys and set them adrift in a basket in the river Tiber where they were rescued by a she-wolf who breastfed and cared for them until they were found and adopted by a shepherd named Faustulus.

Over time, both boys became natural leaders and gained many admirer's and followers before they became involved in a dispute between the supporters of both Numitor and Amulius, the later eventually kidnapping Remus, having suspected who he truly was.

Meanwhile, Romulus secretly gathered forces to free his brother, when he was contacted by Numitor who he joined forces with, after learning who he and his brother really were and they defeated Amulius leaving Numitor to take his rightful place as ruler once again.

Together, the boys set out soon after to build their own kingdom, that they intended to rule together, but fell into dispute over what to name it, ending in a physical battle that left Remus dead by his own brothers hand.

Gavin stopped there, adding only that Romulus, after mourning his brother's death, went on to name their new city-state Rome (after himself) and went on to expand its boundaries and influence in the area, thus securing Rome's place in history.

"What I haven't figured out yet, is how any of that is connected to people like myself and Princess and those of the Heritage?" Gavin concluded, carding his fingers through his hair and slumping back in his seat, looking even more tired than he had before.

"I think you're not seeing the forest for all the trees Gavin," Billy suggested.

From the moment his friend mentioned the twins, the beast within him began to stir, growing steadily restless the further along he progressed, culminating in a twisting knot in his belly, that most resembled an angry, blind rage when Gavin brought up the dispute between Romulus and Remus ending in Remus's death by his brother's hand.

Gavin shrugged his shoulders, giving him a quizzical look, asking: "What am I not seeing then?"

Billy turned his gaze to Danal, who just stared silently back at him, his expression nearly unreadable making Billy even more sure than ever, that what he was now feeling in his gut, was close to the truth.

"Romulus is the Progenitor isn't he?!" Though framed as a question, everyone in the room knew Billy was actually making an accusation.

When both Hadrian and Danal remained silently tight-lipped, Billy added: "I'm now also certain that people like Gavin and Princess are direct descendants of Remus aren't they? That's the split that happened between the two groups you, dad and Carl have been talking about isn't it?"

Danal just glowered back at him for a moment, his jaw visibly clenching and unclenching as a look of extreme concentration subsumed his facial features, before he finally spoke.

"Such knowledge is not generally known and is far more complicated than some random google searches could ever discern." was all he said as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Then it's a good thing we have two Green fathers and council members here to clear things up for us isn't it?" Jason retorted sardonically, a stern intensity behind his eyes as he looked from one to the other, all but demanding a response.

Billy attempted a more diplomatic approach: "You said you were here to help Danal, then help us see the whole picture, the parts the rest of us don't know."

His words came off more as supplication than a plea. His intent one of reconciliation and trust-building between the old and the new and Billy truly hoped he'd realize this before an impatient Jason lost control of his mounting distrust with those he felt were challenging his newly acquired leadership role.

Billy almost sighed with relief when Danal bowed his head slightly, first to Billy and then to Jason: "We are first and foremost teachers and educators to those of the Heritage, and whatever knowledge we have is at your disposal."

Hadrian added a: "Here, here!" echoing Danal's declaration, before perceptively relaxing more as the building tension in the room subsided discernibly.

"Ooo, grumpy grandpa plays nice, news at eleven!" Princess mused mockingly, batting his bright blue eyes coyly at Danal, pursing his lips suggestively and blowing him a kiss.

Danal just shook his head in feigned annoyance, the cracking smile on the corners of his mouth belying his own amusement, making the others chuckle.

"Where should we begin?" Hadrian asked, addressing no one on particular, leaving it an open-ended question for everyone present.

Gavin spoke first: "Could both Romulus and Remus change into what you guys can?"

"The term is lycanthrope." Hadrian uttered softly, adding: "According to the Codex, the Progenitor first changed when in his grief, after realizing what he had done to his beloved brother, he hugged his lifeless body to his own which resulted in his first transformation."

Danal held his hand up, stopping Hadrian, continuing for him: "As the story goes, the day had started with the two celebrating their eighteenth birthday, where they both consumed their share of wine that only helped to muddle their restraint when they argued over what their new kingdom would be named."

"Yes..." Hadrian agreed, picking up where Danal left off: "According to the Codex, Aphrodite was furious with Romulus and tried to get Zeus to punish him, but not only did he refuse, he forbade her from causing him direct bodily harm as well."

Hadrian chuckled slightly before continuing: "But she was more clever than that. Instead of punishing Romulus directly she placed a curse on the silver armor Remus wore that day and when Romulus hugged his dead brother to him and his skin came in contact with the metal, her curse activated the bestial genes they both had running through their veins from having been suckled and for a time, raised by the female wolf."

Danal interrupted him, adding quickly: "It is believed that the combined divine blood from both Aphrodite and Ares, that in turn was blessed by Zeus himself, had somehow enhanced the wolf's blood running, in part, through his body and was brought to the surface by Aphrodite's curse."

Hadrian jumped back in, excitedly proclaiming: "You need to understand, the Progenitor did not change like we do..."he paused for a moment, catching his breath, his excitement overflowing: "The Progenitors change was far more primal and complete at first."

"What does that mean?" Jason queried, his eyes growing narrow as they bore into an anxious Hadrian, who seemed to shrink away from Jason's glare.

"He transformed into a large black wolf devoid of any semblance of humanity, a feral, blood-thirsty monster." Danal retorted, pulling everyone's attention back to him.

Danal waited a few moments, allowing everyone to take in what he and Hadrian had told them, before continuing once again: "It is not common knowledge amongst those of the Heritage, but it was years before Romulus regained some portion of his former self and was eventually able to shift back into the form of a man. During those long years, he killed many innocent people due to his bestial rages."

"That is until he learned to control it" Hadrian offered meekly.

"Even then..." Danal insisted: "His reign was a bloody one, fraught with many battles until he secured his kingdom."

It was Billy who asked the one question they were all thinking: "If those of the Heritage are descended from Romulus how come everyone can't shift into wolves like him or was he the only one that could do that?" which begged his follow up question: "And why doesn't it affect Remus's bloodline the same way?"

Danal just shrugged his shoulders: "For the latter I can only speculate that Aphrodite's curse only targeted Romulus and from him, his entire blood line."

Hadrian offered a different perspective: "Perhaps it was because Remus had already secured his bloodline before the curse..."

His words hung in the air for moment as they all pondered that possibility, but it was Princess who begged the question: "Did Remus even have a wife that you know of?"

Danal shrugged his shoulders again: "Not that I'm aware of, but it is known that his bloodline didn't end with him. It is even possible that he never even knew he had a child at the time of his death, but the Codex does speak of rumors of his bloodline continuing in secret after his death, which explains the uniqueness of his descendants."

"If that's the case..."Jason queried: "Then why do those within the Heritage lean toward the bisexual side and Remus's side, like Aeneas's, remain gay?"

"Better question..." Billy interjected: "Why does Romulus's line only give birth to males, but Remus's doesn't?"

If I were to hazard a guess..."Danal speculated: "I would say it had to do with the nature of the curse combined with the activation of the wolf genes in Romulus's transformation. Either way, it appears that the curse had a dual purpose, one that wasn't discerned until our young friend here accidentally came in contact with the cursed silver."

Danal nodded his head toward Princess, who rolled his eyes, beaming impishly: "Maybe Mama just likes me best!"

"That's it!" Gavin enthused loudly, his eyes growing wide at some sudden realization: "Aphrodite said they had prepared a way for their daughter/sons."

They all looked confusedly at Gavin, none of them sure they followed his reasoning.

"Don't you get it?" He asked excitedly, the answer obviously bristling to escape his lips: "She wasn't just talking about those like Princess and me, she was talking about those of the Heritage too."

Danal eyed him carefully, sensing that perhaps Gavin might be on the point of some epiphany that they had never thought to consider: "Care to elaborate?" He asked cautiously.

Gavin quickly responded: "Zeus started all this when he changed man's destiny by cursing man with giving him women and giving men over to lusting after them, distracting them from their true purpose. That never sat well with Aphrodite so she prepared a way to fix things through Aeneas's line, using her own divine blood, knowing he would eventually fall prey to Dido's curse, which would eventually correct Zeus's interference."

"She was playing the long game!" Jason quipped, smacking his hand on the table's hard wooden surface.

Like a light bulb going off over his head, Danal groaned: "Of course! Zeus must have seen what was happening with Aeneas's bloodline and tried to thwart it by sending Ares to rape Rhea Sylvia and dilute Aphrodite's bloodline with Ares's, thinking his more aggressive genes would eventually subsume hers, hence Romulus's more aggressive nature concerning his gay twin brother, which eventually leads to him killing him."

Princess stood up suddenly, the iris's of his eyes blazing a brilliant azure, proclaiming boldly: "But Mama being the bad ass, hard workin' bitch that she is, bitch slapped 'em all by cursing Remus's armor, turning Romulus and his entire line into a bunch of grumpy boy puppies who can only make other boy puppies, all who get hot and bothered every time they get a whiff of what mama's been cookin' up for 'em!"

They all stared incredulously at Princess, but his words rang true, like the sharp clang of a bell, whose blistering peal would send out reverberations rippling throughout the Heritage.

A simple quiet voice from across the room broke the silence and it came from the meager lips of Hadrian Mumsford: "But why wait so long, it's been nearly two thousand years since Romulus walked this earth?"

Princess plopped back down in his chair unceremoniously: "Maybe something else needed to happen, something that hasn't happened until now." he said contemplatively.

All eyes seemed to travel in unison until they rested on Billy Donnelly, but it was Danal that said what they were all thinking.

"She's been waiting for the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy, the emergence of the White Wolf."

 * * * * *

"I could get used to this ya know" Max Donnelly cooed into his mate Carl's ear, grinding his bloated balls against the swollen puffy lips of the gooey hole that sucked relentlessly at the base of his turgid twelve-inch cock, milking the last dregs of the third load he had just shot deep within the confines of his guts.

"Mmm..." Carl mewled softly, arching his ass back toward him, granting him the deepest access he could to his undulating anus, basking in the after glow of yet another marathon, gut-punching fuck Max had pounded into his quivering chasm.

"I could spend the rest of my life with you buried balls deep inside of me Mr. Donnelly." Carl mused, wishing nothing more than to be joined like this to the man he loved, while thoroughly enjoying the cocoon-like warmth of Max's strong arms surrounding him, holding their sweaty body's tightly together, while the comforting heat of his warm breath brushed wistfully against the nape of his neck sending waves of goosebumps rippling up and down his spine.

"While I can't promise that..." Max growled deeply into his ear as he flexed his still rock hard phallus deep inside him, eliciting even more moans of pleasure from his satiated lover: "I will promise, that every night that we're together, I'll spend that time sheathed to the hilt in your pussy, right where my dick belongs!"

Carl turned his head slightly and planted a gentle kiss on his lover's lips: "I'm gonna hold you to that Max. That dick legally belongs to me now and I intend to take full advantage of that fact."

Max chuckled, letting the tip of his tongue slip past his lips to trace along the rim of Carl's ear: "Well, unless you want me to take a huge piss up your snatch you're gonna have to let me go at least for a couple of minutes to take care of it."

Easing the vice-like grip his sphincter had on the base of Max's schlong, Carl chided playfully: "I'll let ya go, so long as you promise to put it right back where it belongs as soon as your done."

Slowly withdrawing his cum streaked prick from Carl's cloying pucker, Max leaned in and planted a loud, wet smack on Carl's lips before rising up from their bed to head to their shared bathroom: "I think I can manage that." he mused over his shoulder, winking mischievously back at his new spouse.

While Carl laid there, languishing and stretching the stiffness from his muscles from the prolonged coupling he had just shared with Max, he heard the familiar ding of a new message received on Max's phone, currently charging on the bedside stand.

Flipping across the mattress of their king-sized bed, he retrieved it and began scanning it for new notices.

"Babe!?" He called out: "There's an urgent message from Hank saying you need to call him back as soon as possible."

Max had just flushed the toilet and appeared from the darkened depths of the bathroom.

With a concerned look on his face, he took the offered phone from Carl's hand and hit the call icon by Hank's name: "Wonder what this could be about?" he asked aloud.

"Well, we know the boys got there okay, JD sent me a text when they arrived earlier," Carl said, attempting to rule out any potential bad news, at least in that regard.

As Max connected with Hank and they began chatting and Max did what he usually does when he talks on the phone for extended times, walk around the room; Carl soon realized that whatever it was, it wasn't something life-altering or threatening and his mind soon began to drift as he eased back against the headboard.

His thoughts wandered over the course of events that week, from Jakson's birth to getting the boys settled into his old house and going over the various changes they hoped to make to the place before they took occupancy in a month or two when Jake's transfer went through and they could return.

Carl and JD both were hoping that would happen sooner rather than later, or at least before the new school session began toward the end of August. Max seemed fairly confident that would happen, and he, JD and Jake had preoccupied the rest of their time that week with fussing over the baby and composing a list of alterations and necessary purchases they would need to make Carl's house their new home upon their return.

When the boys had left early that morning, to make their long sojourn to North Carolina, he and Max had packed what stuff they had left there at the old house and made their way to Max's old family estate where they planned on taking up residency while they built their permanent home at the compound.

It wasn't like they had a whole lot to do here, Max had made sure his family home had been maintained since his father Marcus's death a number of years ago. Max would never allow such a place, which had been in his family since the days following the revolutionary war, to go to pot, and indeed the estate and manor house were a testament to near-pristine preservation of its austerity.

The huge brick, two-story home that sat ostensibly against a backdrop of manicured lawns and foliage, gave one the impression, once through the hand-forged metal gates and stone driveway, of stepping back in time to a simpler age now long gone.

Marcus, like his predecessors, had done his best to preserve its ambient charm while also keeping it sufficiently modernized with the latest innovations. Even the stables and the guest house had been updated without depriving it of its former colonial glory.

It also didn't hurt that Max, while they were enjoying the week spent with his new grandson at his old house, had arranged for the place to be made ready for occupancy before they arrived.

Carl had somehow envisioned them spending the better part of their first day just clearing old dusty sheets and scrubbing out just enough space for them to eat and sleep in, but to his surprise, they entered an immaculate, freshly aired residence replete with freshly cut flowers and a fully stocked fridge and freezer.

As beautiful a place as it was, to Carl this would always be Marcus's home. It reflected his temperament, his taste, not Max's or Carl's. This was all polished dark wood paneling and fabric wallpaper, tapestries, brass chandeliers, wall sconces, and shiny hardwood floors covered in eloquent ornate rugs and hand-carved granite fireplaces, all meticulously maintained by a bevy of bustling servants for a man who barely took note of their existence. Not that Marcus was cruel to them, he had just grown up surrounded by those eager to please the Alpha of the Southern District. How Max had grown into the man he is today was beyond Carl. Max never seemed comfortable with all that fuss and bother and from the start seemed to prefer doing things for himself and tending to his own needs without depending on others to wait on him.

Perhaps it was that quality that had first attracted Carl to him, though being ruggedly handsome and having a twelve-inch cock didn't hurt either.

All kidding aside, Max had been what Carl aspired to be: confident, adventurous, strong, and courageous, but most of all, from the moment they met, he and Max had just "clicked."

It was never anything either he or Max could ever put their finger on, they just "fitted" each other. It was something they never tried putting a label on, but now that he wore Max's ring and their future together seemed to finally be falling into place, as he had always hoped it would, he couldn't help but feel he was distracting Max from doing what he was meant to be doing, what he was born to do and with each passing day, Carl was growing more and more determined that he make Max understand, that from the moment he slipped that ring on his finger, that he didn't expect Max to change who he was, or keep him from doing what he needed to do. He and Carl were now more a team than they ever had been and no matter what came their way, they would face it together and come out the other side stronger for it.

Carl felt the shift of weight on the mattress as Max sat next to him, having concluded his phone call with Hank, a slightly troubled look on his face.

"What did Hank want?" Carl asked hesitantly, knowing for certain it wasn't good news, judging by Max's expression.

Max sighed: "It's Baxter, he's wanting to do a runner and Hank can't talk him out of it."

"Road trip?" Carl asked, his eyes beaming nothing but trust and support back at his mate.

"Road trip!" Max smiled, grabbing Carl's face, and smothering his mouth with his own.

Thanks for reading the continuing adventures of Devil Dawg Donnelly's: Revelations. Just a reminder, I post this story, as well as others over on my own site, where I also upload related and nonrelated artworks. Devil Dawg Donnelly's