Twenty eight
DEARIL POV.
"You killed a member of the pack!"
"And I'll do it again if I have the chance." I snapped, my gaze holding those of my father's fiery one.
I was done threading on eggshells around him, I wanted him to know that I felt no remorse for what I did. I'd been disrespected for the last time, it was time to hit back.
"Look at that attitude father, he isn't even sorry about what he has done. Are we just going to sit back and watch him kill everyone off right under our noses? He was a threat on every full moon, but now he's going around Killing in the broad daylight." Detinos told, his voice loud and jarring.
He met my gaze challengingly before checking to see if the others agreed with him.
"Is this how it is always going to be. Condemn me to death on every occasion you see fit. I won't apologize for my actions because the Omega deserved nothing more than death. He touched what was mine".
"The human is not your mate!" Father thundered, his voice booming around the four corners and making goosebumps trail on the skin of everyone in the room.
His words made my vision darken. Yes, Jade wasn't mine but she felt like mine, she tasted like mine, she smelt like mine and I hated being reminded at every turn that she wasn't really mine. Heck, I couldn't even put my mark on her for the fear of Killing her.
My fist clenched Instinctively as my claws threatened to elongate. The room was becoming stuffy. The pheromones in the air triggering mine.
They wanted me to submit, but it was never going to happen. I stared at my father making sure he heard my thoughts loud and clear in his head even though he tried to block off my connection to him. 'Condemn me to death and I'll expose your illegal activities, I'll also make sure you accompany me to the grave if it's the last thing I do. My wolf growled in approval, and I felt it trying to claw its way out of me to carry out my threats.
He smirked, looked me in the eyes, and sent his word back. 'No one cares about my illegal activities son, you killed a pack member for a girl that hasn't been marked as yours. You're not getting out of this alive
"Even if she isn't my mate, every member of the pack knew that she was under my watch. The Omega had no business touching her, not after he spoke ill of me, the Alpha of the pack that has been protecting and providing for them all these years despite how cursed and dangerous they think and say, I am. Should I have watched like a weakling? Huh, was that what you all wanted, was that how you reacted in the past when that rogue tried to disrespect mother!."
Vaughn was taken aback by my outburst, his mouth opened as his eyes darkened to slit, then he clamped them shut.
"The matter at hand is that you killed a member of the pack that you should have been protecting... " Black spoke up, trying to salvage the situation then went mute as Vaughn put forth a hand to call for silence.
Father and I stared at each other, the calculative look that I'd come to associate with the plotting of pure evil whenever it came on his face making an appearance. He was scheming something and I would be damned if I fell for it. He exhaled, and I watched as his fist slowly unclenched.
"You are right. No one has the right to disrespect an Alpha, especially when it comes to the matter of his woman".
"Father!" Detinos made to protest but a glare from the man shut him up real fast.
"The wolf shall be burnt, he will not be given a proper burial, and this incident should serve as a warning for other pack members plotting to disrespect an Alpha, or to treat him as just another wolf. " He declared, stunning everyone into silence.
If I didn't know better, I would have thought he had seen the error of his way and was suddenly on my side but I knew the type of Man my father was and that told me that this was all a ruse. There was a bigger picture that I didn't see yet, but I would soon enough.
Vaughn stood up from where he sat, and strode toward me, his step predatory and sure. He got to me and grabbed my shoulders, the weight of his hand familiar. It has been a long time since he'd touched me.
"You're right son, you have been treated unfairly despite doing all that you can for the pack members. You have fought wars, you have killed rogues, you have helped conquered the vampire clan that would have been a threat to our existence and you drove the witches from Etral although it came with a big price. You do not deserve all the hate you have gotten and I hope that from this day forward, we can put the past behind us and move forward".
His gaze bored into mine, and in the past, I would have readily believed his words but not anymore. The pheromones in the room were that of confusion. It turned out I wasn't the only one surprised at the turn of events.
Black watched me, his eyes as dark as night, a scowl etched deep on his features as he tried to burn me into the ground with the fury in his eyes.
Detinos just observed the whole show, jaw slack, and eyes wide. He looked toward Black as if he could explain the whole scenario to him.
My gaze slipped back to those of my father. "I have always wanted to move forward. I have always strived for nothing more than the best for the pack".
"And you will achieve your aim with our support. You've borne your burdens all alone and you've borne it well. But now I see that neglecting you has been a mistake, all these could have been avoided if we had been in harmony, but from now on that will be rectified" he assured, his gaze steady and comforting. It could deceive even the most hard-hearted, but I was not that gullible.
I nodded once and he smiled, then turned to face the council. "Does anyone have anything to add, or does anyone think this decision is a mistake".
Black stood up and the eyes of the other whipped in his direction waiting expectantly for whatever he had to say.
My wolf reared its head. Black acted like he was the strongest after my father and he wielded the influence he had as a sword and that drove my wolf near insanity. Our spot was at the top, no one should have been more powerful than us. I shouldn't even be standing before them to receive judgment.
"Kill them all and take your place" my wolf voice placed the same suggestions he'd always planted in my head. The bloodlust that we seek never seemed to dissipate, the urge to kill had just reduced in recent days, and that was because I was more preoccupied with my obsession with making Dawn mine.
"I think it would be foolish to go against your decision chief. You've always led us on the right path and it is no different this time. That is why I would love to use this opportunity to formally invite you, Dearil Vaughn to the moon festival" Black finished his speech and then met my gaze, a smirk touching the corner of his lips.
Detinos stood up with a tight smile. "Yes, brother, join us in this celebration. Even if the chances of you finding a mate is zero to a hundred, that shouldn't stop you from celebrating with another Alpha who has succeeded in that department".
Detinos never let a chance slip to tell me that I wasn't like the others. I was unmated and the longer I remained so, the longer his taunt would continue. He met my gaze challengingly. He wasn't in on whatever it was that father was plotting and I could see that it was messing with his head space.
It was good to see him ruffled, at least I wasn't the only one being kept in the dark now.
"Thank you for the offer, and to show that I've put all the ills behind me, I will attend the moon festival as I've always done".
"Good! And please, make sure you come with your human companion, we'll all love to get acquainted with the woman who has managed to tame the beast within you" Black said, his gaze locked on mine deviously.
Realization dawned on me. I knew that they had been plotting something, but for them to request specifically for Jade Alvarez, instead of leaving the decision of her attending or not to me, meant I wasn't the main target of their scheme. They wanted to hurt my woman, and as my gaze left that of Black to father's, I could feel it clear as the day. They planned to harm Jade Alvarez. My claws stabbed into my palm, as I watched them all wait for my answer.
"Jade will not be attending the moon festival!".
