Limbo

The dining room instantly got quiet the minute the Alpha left.

Coover did not feel like the silence was the best thing to happen to him. It was a brutal kind of silence that threw his senses far down the abyss of overthinking.  

''With all the crisis that just unfolded, I still don't see my mission in all of this.'' Coover thought to himself, then he veered his vision towards said Luna, Vikas to study his mood. ''poor him! He must have put in a lot to get through to his son.. this Lily or Liam.. whatever. Bah! that doesn't bother me as much as my desire to get out of this gathering.''

The sound of someone chewing noisily blasted into his ears, and when he turned to look at the culprit, he was not surprised on finding out who it was.

''Of course, it has to be him.'' thought Coover, staying his gaze fixedly on the little boy. ''what have they been doing to this kid. He looks like he can eat a whole nation of rice!''

Luna Vikas slowly picked up his eyes at this point and darted his gaze from one man to the next to each side of him on the large dining table.

''Apologies for Rhys' behavior, Elders. I know he has every right to be angry because Liam can be impossible  sometimes.''

''Can you listen to yourself talk?'' The only man who was wearing a spectacle spoke up at once. Coover could see that he looked stricken in age yet he spoke just now with so much vibrance that made him think this man had probably put on a costume to make him look old.

Luna Vikas set his eyes on the man and said:

''Uncle Erik, I already know what you are about to say but for the sake of little Jeremy here, can we please not flag this issue?''

''Not flag the issue you say. Tch. Luna Vikas, I stand with my cousin, Rhys, on this one. You have raised that boy badly. Liam is already a spoiled brat and you caused it!''

''Kale!''

''Don't you 'Kale me!; Luna.'' Coover saw the macho man standing up on his feet. He was visibly seething. ''You brought this upon yourself and all of us. Just imagine if I were to take this issue to the rest of the clan elders. Do you think Liam would still get recognition as the next in line to become Alpha of the Blue-blooded Moon Pack?''

Luna Vikas laughed shortly at this. 

''Honestly Kale, you amuse me greatly. I mean, did you even pause to consider your argument first before spitting it out?''

''What do you mean?''

''I mean that this issue is overblown. Fine! I agree that Liam not coming down from his room to acknowledge your presence for his birthday is ridiculous. But that can easily be excused. Do you want to know why? The 'why' is that my Lily is a very special boy. He has the true attributes of an Alpha. By right, it is okay for him to behave in the way that he did. As such it should not be a situation of him alighting the stairs to honor you, it should be you all trooping over to his room to pay allegiance to him..''

''Pay allegiance to a sixteen-year-old boy!??!'' Another man vented, but Luna Vikas stayed in his place and slightly nodded.

''Fine!'' Kale smoked hot and said: ''Since this madness is going to continue, I might as well..''

''You might as well do nothing, Kale! Sit your ass down!''

That was Elder Erik's authoritative decree.

Kale grimaced at the man for a bit but did nothing other than obey him at last.

He sat back in his seat, grudgingly.

''Good.'' Erik set him straight with a murky stare. ''Now, tell your wolf to also shut his mouth up. Ours is a family of oneness, discord is not and can never be encouraged. Also, judging from Luna Vikas' explanation, I agree with him. Liam has the pride of a true Alpha. Your grandfather, who was also my father, displayed far more egocentric behavior at Liam's age. Rhys was also worse off at the time, so I say this context is dissolved and forgotten.''

''But father!–''

''You heard me, Kale. I am a proud man. You should not expect me to repeat myself.''

The moment Kale saw that he wasn't going to win against his old man, he decided to drop the talk. At least, everyone believed Erik's talk had bought him over because of how he instantly fell silent.

''Wrong, people! This dude is a ticking time bomb. I wouldn't trust him with my pistol if I were you.'' Coover muttered with a nonchalant tone. Yet, he hoped the most sensible person on the table would understand at least.

''Jeremy!'' cried Luna Vikas as he massaged his temples, ''hurry up and take this cat to Liam's room. If he doesn't want it, then we can decide what to do about it. This poor creature has been meowing endlessly for the past one hour straight. One more of his meows, and I really might break.''

''Again with the mention of a cat?'' thought Coover, with a scratch of his head. ''why don't I see any cats,  though? Am I blind or something? Partially blind, maybe?''

''Mom..'' Jeremy spoke with his mouth stuffed with rice, ''why should I be the one to take the cat up to him? Liam is just being a brat and can come down to take his present by himself.''

''Fair point, Jer. I am beginning to wish that you were older.'' Kale remarked with a grin on his oblong face.

Luna Vikas seemed displeased.

''Look here, Jeremy. I will no longer tolerate such irrational talks from you regarding your older brother. Is this how you are going to badmouth him when he gets ordained to become the new Alpha?''

''Relax, Luna. That is still two years away from now.''

''Even so, Kale. Are you then supporting his insubordination to Liam because of that?''

''Wow! Why are you sounding upset? Since you exonerated Liam's misbehavior, you might as well rule out Jeremy's. Who knows? Little Jeremy might have his young Alpha brooding inside him.''

''Enough!'' Elder Erik intervened.

''Luna! I wonder what you are teaching these children. It is unheard of that a champ like Jeremy doesn't yet know at his age that when the Alpha, his father, steps down from the dining table, it automatically means that lunch is over!''

''But–''

''No buts, Jeremy.'' Elder Erik chided him. ''Now you will stand up from your chair and do as your mother has said. Take this cat up to Liam and lurk around until he decides what he wishes to do with it.''

While the back-and-forth argument continued over the dining, Coover had his thoughts pulling him into them. If he wasn't kidnapped and if the others can't hear him, why then was he made to come here? Who made it possible, and where the hell was this place?

Coover shook his head a couple of times in an attempt to brainstorm. After a dozen more tries, an imaginary bulb lit up in his brain.

''So, that was it! How stupid! Why did it take you this long to figure it out?''

Coover smiled a broad grin for recollecting his wishful request before he slept off last night.

His desires to transmigrate into his favorite Webnovel was what jolted him to make such a wish. Guess the creator was listening to him after all.

Coover became excited about this, as he remembered more details about the book world– Planet Eucharia!

In that world, the statistics of the males with the females beat down to a ratio of 89.9%: 10.1%. Females were easily outnumbered by the men in that world to a far degree. Also, the author set the timeline of Eucharia some decades ahead of the current year on planet Earth. The world of Eucharia was a great deal more advanced in Science and technology. They'd gotten to the point where men could birth children naturally.

Transgender options were no longer sold out to the world because everybody felt accepted just the way they were. All across the species of the pure humans and the Supernaturals; the werewolves and the likes, men were pretty much whatever sexuality they decided to express.

''So this is it!'' thought Coover. ''I got my wish to transmigrate like in a dream to this world. Oh boy! I need to make the most of these few hours and get my eyes on Liam already.. my Liam!''

In his moment of ecstasy, he started to remember more about the characters of that book.

1. Alpha Rhys– He was a very strong character as painted by the original author of that book but despite being a difficult man, he still always looked out for his family and friends. He was loyal to the core in having anyone's back with exception of his enemies. Rhys was the most brutal and unfeeling whenever it came down to dealing with his enemies.

2. Luna Vikas – He was the holder of the family. His patience, perseverance, and love were something everyone applauded him for. Also, his strength. Rhys, his husband, always had him as backup whenever there was an invasion of the enemy pack.

3. Jeremy – He was just too cute. His green eyes and chocolate brown hair were the highlights of his looks.

4. Liam – He was always withdrawn from the rest of his family and not easy to flow with. Despite being the MC of said book, the author did not give much away about him either. Not even until the end of the book.

This was the major factor that motivated Coover to make such a wish before he closed his eyes to sleep last night. This was why he'd wished for a dream that would take him into Liam's world. He wanted to meet everyone Liam would come to meet and he believed he could understand him in a way that the others never tried to do. Most importantly, he wanted to be the boy that Liam gets fated to fall in love with.

''Jeremy!'' a brutal shout burst out of nowhere.

Coover tilted his eyes and saw that Luna Vikas was the culprit in all this.

''Why does he have to shout so much?'' thought Coover.

''Please take the cat up to Lily already.''

Jeremy got up in a haste and while mumbling some incoherent wordings, he stretched his hand to Coover's side of the table.

''Keep your hands to yourself, boy!''

''Mom! The cat won't cooperate with me!'' Jeremy yelped at his mother.

''Do you want to know why he won't let you hold him? It is because of that angry snarl you have on your face. Now treat him kindly with a smile, and watch him open up himself and allow you to take him.''

Vikas smiled, while Jeremy chewed his lips before turning to face the cat. His only attempt at smiling broadly caused Coover to hurriedly give in to his charms. The boy had the kind of chin dimples that lit up his face.

''Those eyes..'' Coover fantasized and smiled inwardly.

Jeremy saw the look on the cat's face. It seemed lost, restless, and conflicted.

''There now, Little One.'' Jeremy picked it up with a happy grin on his face. ''don't you worry. I am going to be gentle with you okay?''

''Gentle with me?'' pondered Coover. ''Why should a ten-year-old be gentle with me? What does he– Pause! Rewind! Is this kid those kinds of boys who become interested in older guys? Back off, Jeremy! I am four or five years older than you. So chill, okay.''

''There, now.''

Coover heard Luna's voice and turned to face him. 

''Be much tender with him alright. Take the cat up to Liam in one piece.''

At the tail end of Luna's talk, Coover heard a ding in his brain.

''Wait a minute!'' He paused.

''Am I the cat in Jeremy's... No! Nah-huh! There has got to be some miss up here or something because let me take a look at my–– HANDS!??! I'VE GOT!–– PAWS!??! AND SMALL ONES TOO!??! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO..''

Coover started to hyperventilate. 

This wasn't the dream he'd hoped to be in. He wanted to be a handsome Beta at Liam's school. The one Liam finally gets to fall in love with.

''Arghhhh!''

Coover jerked off from Jeremy's hold.

''Mom, I think we need to take the cat to the Vet. He seems too hostile.''

''No, not you too. Shut up, kiddo! I am not a cat. I will never accept being a cat. Never! This must be a mistake!''

Coover's breathing started to get heavier. His mind was in a state of so much disarray. He started to slap himself all over.

Abruptly, Luna Vikas got up from his seat. So did the others.

''Jeremy, I think you are right on this one. This cat doesn't seem of the healthy breed.''

''Not of the healthy breed!??!'' thought Coover. ''why don't you shut the hell up or better still hope to be a cat instead, huh? I don't blame you though. I blame the stupid dude who misinterpreted my wish to grant me this. Fuck, I no longer want this dream. So, if you're listening out there, Sicko, I'm not cut out for this shit of limbo you brought me in. I demand that you TAKE ME OUT NOW!!!!!''