3rd Person POV
If Dagen ever found out that his daughter was seeing a vampire prince, the situation might quickly escalate into a full-blown war.
“I do not support such marriages, we will end up with a hybrid situation like Queen Emily's pack,” said Lord Edvin.
“I agree, I'm not sure I want a hybrid pack,” added Alpha Dagen.
“You do know that a great minority of your population is hybrid? Those vampires have married werewolves and they have children that are hybrid?” quipped Lord Tyler. He was trying to be a good uncle so that when Dagen did find out about Kristoff, the idea of a werewolf and vampire would not be too shocking.
“I do but trust me, if those families had known they would never have…”
“Some families do know, but the children claim they are in love. What would the parents do about that?” quipped Tyler. He was hinting that someday it could be Dagen in the same situation.
“Just imagine it, Reginald could bring home a vampiress…” Lord Tyler was not allowed to finish that thought.
“Reginald is smarter than that, he knows he has responsibilities that transcend love,” said Lord Edvin.
Lord Tyler wondered why the both of them were so rigid.
“It could happen you know, love makes us forget our so-called responsibilities,” Tyler was looking pointedly at Lord Edvin who had married a woman with no title because he had loved her. He was also subtly directing the jab at Dagen who had fallen in love with Regina when she was still his slave. He was trying to remind Dagen of the regret that had followed for refusing to acknowledge his feelings for the woman he loved.
“I will support my children's love interest irrespective of class differences but that they would marry into a vampire family is unthinkable,” said Dagen, the thought made him shudder a little.
“Regina is a hybrid wolf. She does have vampire blood and so your children also carry some of that…”
“Please let us discuss something else,” said Alpha Dagen. He did not want to entertain what Lord Tyler was suggesting in his thoughts.
“Reginald's coronation,” Lord Edvin quickly supplied.
“While Alpha Dagen is still alive?” quipped Lord Tyler.
“I want the line of succession to be very clear. There are rumours that some ministers are planning to take away the throne from my lineage,” said Alpha Dagen, his voice sounding worried.
“What possible reason could they have for that?” asked Lord Tyler. It was insane to him that anyone would think of doing that. Reginald was a model heir. He was very strong and he was a brave warrior and he was also a fantastic diplomat. He usually had an answer to every query that was made during court sessions.
Dagen rolled his eyes. He could not believe that he had dug his own grave by changing the topic.
“They worry that Reginald's blood is impure; that he has some vampire blood within him,” came Alpha Dagen's reluctant response.
“Well, it is not too late to birth another heir,” said Lord Tyler, he was teasing the Alpha.
“Oh, shut up! Reginald will make a fantastic king someday. They are talking nonsense and the second I have concrete evidence against these ministers, I am going to execute them for treason,” said Alpha Dagen in a furious voice.
“In the meantime, however, we have to find a way to quieten the rumours before they whittle down to the common people. Otherwise, we may have protests calling for the removal of Reginald as heir to the throne and it will no longer be as simple as treason once the entire pack is involved,” said Lord Edvin.
“What about marriage?” suggested Alpha Dagen. Lord Tyler had not heard the full suggestion but he was already against it. He did not believe in forced marriages of any kind. He believed that one should only marry for love as he had done. He could not imagine being married to anyone besides Harriet.
“We cannot force the young man to marry,” said Lord Tyler.
“We are not forcing anything. What we are talking about is bigger than marriage, it's bigger than love,” said Lord Edvin. But that was where they were wrong. To Tyler at least, there was nothing bigger than love. What good would it be should Reginald marry a woman he did not love and live miserably in a forced marriage all to stay on some throne?
“We will not force him, we will only explain the situation to him. I know Reginald is a sensible child and he will make the right decision,” said Alpha Dagen.
Tyler hoped that Reginald was sensible enough to know that an unhappy marriage was one full of misery.
“I hear the twins are in the Blood Moon pack, I wonder why they did not stop by,” said Dagen, his voice betraying that he was slightly hurt by the snub.
“Perhaps, it has something to do with Harlin's health?” quipped Lord Tyler.
“Ah! Yes! It must be because of that. Reginald ought to spend more time here, he is going to take the throne someday. He needs to be prepared for the burden of leadership,” said Dagen. When the twins were younger, he had fought to have them stay with him but Queen Emily had blatantly refused. She had told him that after what he had done to her cousin, Regina, she could never trust him to take care of the children. Unfortunately for Dagen, as the twins grew older, they preferred staying with their aunt rather than staying with him even though he always spoiled them silly.
“He is prepared enough; it is Charlotte Queen Emily should be worried about. I learnt the princess finds every opportunity to skip court,” remarked Lord Edvin.
“Being a fine warrior should suffice. You saw her during the zombie war, her people will be happy to have her as queen,” said Dagen with a proud smile.