Duty

By: theunknownvoice

Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers.

A/N: Takes place during the Flute. Sorry I haven't updated lately.

He didn't love her. It was a shock but it was the truth regardless. He didn't love her.

She was a dream. A dream that he was beginning to realize belonged to childhood and a world long dead. Clearly Shayla didn't see it that way. She was forever trying to mend the brokenness of their relationship.

But he couldn't be her lover. He couldn't go back to whatever they had been. Not when the brown eyes invaded his dreams. Warm brown eyes that met his and held him frozen. Beautiful brown eyes that held gleams of laughter and a smile that could melt stone.

She was beautiful. She was everything.

No, he could not think that. He could not go down that path.

Merrick banged his headed into the walls of his small bedroom.

He had made an oath. Perhaps he had made it a lifetime ago but it was still an oath. No, matter how desperately he wanted to pretend he was a normal human being he couldn't. The wolf in him wanted to claim but the man in him remembered the oath/.

The wolf argued that the oath had been made in childhood.

But the man said that the oath was still an oath. He would not break his word.

The wolf stated that he had never claimed before.

But the man stated that he had a duty.

The wolf wanted what was real. It was tired of this fake feeling. It was tired of serving and being alone. It wanted its partner, its mate and it had chosen.

The man stated that there was duty. He had his honor to uphold and his word. He had made sacrifices for the oath before why was it different now?

The wolf growled in response. He had given up his people, his world for the oath. Why must he give up his instincts and his intended mate?

The man had no reply. He wanted to say that affections changed. Look at how he had felt about Shayla but he knew that this was different. The brown eyes were different.

Merrick knew there was no point. He was the princess's protector. He had promised that and he couldn't back away. When Shayla went back to sleep he would also go.

It was his duty live throughout his life forever guarding her. He had made that oath and he would not break it. He could not break even if his heart begged him to.

Alyssa watched him at the next meeting of the rangers. Merrick sat near Shayla rarely saying anything. He would nod and give in some points but mostly his eyes darted around towards the clearings.

She knew that look far too well. He was on alert. She knew wolves were protective and territorial but this was different.

She barely listened to Cole's and the others discussion. Her eyes remained focused on Merrick who Princess Shayla was gripping tightly.

She tried to bite back the gnawing feeling in her stomach. Her inner tiger growled in anger.

She hadn't spent time with Merrick alone since that day he had seen her at the Animarium. Shayla had taken to frequently haunting the bar and whenever Alyssa tried to approach him Merrick would turn his back on her.

She was his friend! But Merrick wouldn't—he couldn't—

She was so confused!

She had seen Merrick look at Shayla. He didn't look in love. In fact he looked slightly resentful. But Shayla was always with him.

She remembered the pair laughing together. Her stomach clenched tightly. She hated it. Why would he laugh and smile with Shayla? Was she so unworthy of a tiny smile? Didn't she deserve his attention? Didn't she deserve his love?

Wait a minute….what? No, she didn't love Merrick. She couldn't love Merrick. He was her friend. He made her happy. She wanted to always be near him. She wanted him to hold her again like he had done before. No, she didn't love Merrick. She couldn't love Merrick.

Shayla was her friend. And it was her duty to protect Shayla. She didn't want to make Shayla upset. Shayla who loved Merrick.

No, she couldn't do this.

He was angry. Shayla blamed him for the horrible sound She blamed him for so many things he was tired of it. He didn't want this.

Why had he ever made that oath?

Was he an idiot? He didn't mind serving Shayla. He didn't hate being her friend but he didn't love her.

Brown eyes. That was all that ever mattered to him anymore. Brown eyes that he had been avoiding. He had seen her watching him and sorrow had flinted across her face. He had made her feel that but he had to push her away. She couldn't. He couldn't.

Even when Shayla apologized to him. Even when she made it out like nothing had happened and he had smiled at her. He didn't want this.

He could still do his duty and love her. It didn't mean he had to claim her. But he could still love her. And he could still be there for her.

Yes, he had a duty to Shayla but he also had a duty to himself.

The wolf in him growled mocking him slightly. Eventually, Merrick would realize how insane his idea sounded. After all it was evident that the boy was in love.

To be continued….