CHAPTER NINETY SIX - AERON

CHAPTER NINETY SIX - AERON
We walk in and the chatter from the room instantly dies. Truth be told, we should be in the main assembly room and I glance at Hunter, asking why exactly we’re not. He murmurs a reply through the mind-link but I’m already ignoring it. Now’s not the time for such a conversation anyway.

Ezekial stands with a wicked grin on his face as we approach. The three of us still hand in hand. “It is good to see you recovered Alpha Cain. Luna Rosalie.”

Cain tilts his head. Rosalie stiffens more. She glances around the room taking in the hundreds of faces. It looks like the entire damn Council is here as well as half of Juan’s Pack. 

As her eyes fall on one of the Witches, she gasps. “Why is she here?”

“Who?” I reply. We should be mind-linking, not speaking out loud and her voice carries.

The Witch in question gets to her feet. She looks battered, like she’s recovering from a fight. “Luna.” She says bowing her head.

“Who are you?” Cain snarls.

“My name is Lira…” She begins.

“She’s my cousin.” Carli says quickly and I raise an eyebrow at her because it’s the first I’ve heard of it.

“And she was working with Knox.” Rosalie snarls. 

She winces, shaking her head. “I was but it’s not what you thought. Knox kidnapped me. Kidnapped our family. He said he would kill them if I didn’t help his Pack.”

“So what, you couldn’t use your magic to fight him?” Rosalie sneers. 

“It doesn’t work like that.” Lira said hanging her head. “I’m sorry, Rosalie. I tried. I did everything I could.”

“Except warn Aeron and Cain.” Rosalie replies.

“I could’ve killed your pups. I could have told Knox right from the start, but I didn’t.”

Rosalie grabs her stomach as if protecting them from a silent threat. “That doesn’t justify it. Besides he tried to murder them anyway.”

Lira nods. “I know. I’m so sorry.”

Rosalie opens her mouth to reply and Elder Mab cuts across her. “Enough. We have serious matters to attend.”

“You mean the attempted murder of my pups isn’t serious enough for you?” Rosalie snaps back and half the Council gasp in shock. 

Cain smirks beside us and it’s hard not to do it myself. Our mate has grown so much. Has blossomed from the scared creature she was last time they saw her and it’s more than a little satisfying to watch as everyone realises it.

“Alpha Aeron, perhaps you need to rein your mate in.” One of them says loud enough for the insult to be heard.

Cain growls and Rosalie looks at me as if she’s daring me to try.

“Not a chance.” I say back. “My mate has suffered enough because of the actions of this Council. She has every right to voice her anger. And may I remind you, you’re on our lands. My Luna’s word is law, so I’d watch your tongue before she decides to have it cut out from your mouth.”

Rosalie blinks up at me for a second and then recollects herself. I can feel it, her pride, her love as she realises I’m supporting her in this, that right now I’d follow behind her into battle if that’s what she asked of me.

Ezekial clears his throat. “There is no need for hostility.” He says. “We are here to sort out a treaty. To split the Crimson Shadow Pack’s Lands between the Alpha Twins and Alpha Juan.”

“And…” Juan says fixing me with a look. 

I narrow my eyes, knowing exactly what he’s hinting at and shake my head. “No.”

“It would be in everyone’s interests.” Juan says.

“What would be?” Rosalie asks.

“That one of your Lycan Pups is mated with one of mine.” Juan states.

She hisses, covering her belly once more. “My pups are not a bargaining chip.”

“No but they are a cause for war.” Elder Mab states.

Cain growls, pulling Rosalie into his arms as if it’s all but been declared.

“Alpha’s if you want to secure a future for your pups then this is the only way.” Juan says.

“No.” Rosalie snaps. “That’s your greed trying to justify your actions as something noble.”

Juan steps closer, his eyes fixed on Rosalie. “You really are bold these days, Luna.” He murmurs.

She tilts her head drawing herself up and though he’s almost twice her height she looks like she’s sizing him for a fight. “Not bold.” She says. “But I’m done being spoken to, being controlled, being treated as a second-class citizen by you all.” She pulls herself out of Cain’s arms, moves to stand in the middle of the room and glares at the Council. “The way I see it is you all need my pups. You need Lycans. Knox said it himself, you’re all dying out because you’re too busy fighting each other.” She says loud enough for everyone to hear. “Our pups will be the strongest Werewolves you’ve seen in centuries. If you stand a chance of surviving, then it will be down to them to save you.”

“Luna Rosalie…” Elder Mab begins but she talks right over her.

“I wasn’t finished.” She snaps. “I won’t have my pups being fought over, sold, stolen the way I have been. So, you have two options. You either swear now that you will protect them, that you will let them grow up, let them make their own choices, find their own mates, or you can get out, right now. You can fuck off my lands and be gone.”

I swear half the Council’s jaw drops. Cain glances at me but I don’t look at him. Not now. Not when we’re powerplaying this.

“How about another option?” Ezekial says. 

“And what is that?” I snarl, stepping up beside Rosalie, making it abundantly clear that she has my full backing.

Ezekial meets my gaze, before looking back at Rosalie. “What you say is true, Luna. We are at a precipice. The Council has agreed that it is time we stopped hiding our existence from the mortal world. That humans learn of us.”

“And?” Rosalie cuts across him.

Ezekial smiles like he’s enjoying the challenge. “And Luna.” He says pausing to look at me, to gauge my reaction. “That means we need to strengthen our bloodlines. Strengthen our chains of command. The Werewolves in particular are prone to violence, to war, to infighting and we cannot have this moving forward. So we propose a compromise. We propose that your first-born son will become Alpha of all the Wolves.”