The room I found myself in was moderately decorated. Although it seemed recently cleaned. The sheets that covered me were softer than anything I had ever felt. Luxury was everywhere. The last thing I remembered was falling asleep on Fenris, who was right next to me on this new comfy bed. His arms were wrapped tightly around me, preventing me from moving without alerting him.
Around the room were shelves with photos of young Fenris and his family. This was probably his old room before he moved in with me. The downgrade he had quietly endured was immense. How he did not complain about having his life torn apart by me was incredible. Shade was by our feet, still asleep. Unlike Fenris, who was already awake thanks to my slight movements.
"Hey... did you sleep well?" Fenris greeted me, caressing my cheek with his thumb.
The gentleness in his eyes was melting me before the day even began.
"Yes," I mumbled.
He slowly sat up, leaning down, and kissing me. Pulling away from me, he glanced over to the clock to see it was almost noon. The meeting would be at one. He had let me sleep until the last second he could. The moment I went to get up, my world spun again. These morning sicknesses seemed to become the norm while my body adjusted.
Fenris already knew what to expect, thanks to Amara. Grabbing a bucket, he had placed it nearby on the bed for easy access. The nausea was the worst part of this episode, though. Thankfully, nothing came up. Eating bland and easy-to-digest foods helped this time. After a bit, everything stopped, allowing me to move on with my daily life.
Fenris had already picked out clothes for me to wear, the previous night saving me time. These were still not my clothes. So, I would have to get used to my arms showing up a bit more than what I was used to. Though Fenris found me a jacket to wear. It was Amelia’s when she was younger. It was a chilly day, marking the beginning of winter.
When I was putting my dress on, I lost my balance only to fall right into Fenris's arms. He was always ready to catch me, even though he was also getting ready himself. Avoiding any more delays, Amelia had breakfast ready for us before we left to meet the council.
Again, my wolf had to carry me all the way there when my energy waned. Amelia had pleaded with me to reconsider going, but I rejected every notion of staying back. I could not let Fenris handle everything. Instead, she ended up following us out of the door.
The moment we left the manor, all eyes were on us. Someone who was in the meeting last time had leaked the scandalous news of my pregnancy. Reporters tried to swarm Fenris and me, but thankfully the Lycans near the manor prevented them from coming closer. They opened a way out for us as Fenris rushed inside the Cerberus building.
Ryker waited for us in the lobby, who accompanied us up the floors and onto the door that separated the council from us. Fenris let me down onto the floor before Liam once again opened the door, letting us into the fray. Once inside, the same people as before were in the same place they had been the prior day.
However, instead of this time Evan being in the Lycan seat at the table, he was on the side with other elders. Rather than sitting on the chair designated by the council for Fenris, he stayed by me. There was no way he would allow anyone else to be close to me.
The meeting began.
"Well, Fenris, did you find the information we needed?" Charles threw the first question directed to the new Lycan chair in the council, Fenris.
"Yes... Alijah is a Lycan who was also born under the red moon, but unlike me, is bent on destroying the world." Fenris told his tale.
I grabbed onto his shirt, not liking the story. Even when it came from his voice, which I adored. What happened to Alijah was truly a cruel thing. Something that almost happened to Fenris himself. The similarity made me feel ill.
When my wolf finished retelling the tale of the mad Lycan. Most of the council members seemed to have overturned stomachs. The wolf elders remained silent in one corner, refusing to say anything.
"And how will we stop him?" Charles asked, wanting to move on from that horrid tale.
He was not alone on that either. No one wanted to know more of the poor bastard's past. Even the cold vampire, Asher, seemed troubled by the story.
"Well... For that, we need another god artifact. It seems the magic within those is one of the few. We red Lycans can’t nullify." Fenris answered.
The elves around the court seemed unsatisfied with where this was heading.
"And where would we get one of those?" Charles continued to query, trying to feint ignorance.
Fenris shook his head, already knowing that would be their answer. Thanks to Ryker's performance the previous day. That man truly was cunning and wise. He had acted that way to prepare Fenris for this moment. While the director of Cerberus was someone who was not fond of me personally, he truly was an ally of Fenris.
"From anyone's stash." Fenris shrugged, aware the elves would go on the defensive.
But before they could, the vampires took the lead.
"Are you saying there are more still lying around?" Asher jumped in, intrigued by Fenris's assessment.
This came, much to the elves' displeasure. They were not happy at all. Unlike them, vampires could use these items.
"Yes. Let’s not kid ourselves. We know one race. If not all, has at least one in their grasp. Even though they were supposed to be surrendered to Cerberus long ago." Fenris noted.
The elves went on to the defense. Asher seemed to be amazed that there was more out there than pleased. These artifacts caused many wars, something we had to be aware of.
"We do not have any. All of them were surrendered when Cerberus was formed." Nyla argued.
The others of her kin followed with similar sentiments. Their denial annoyed me to the point that, even if I did not have a voice here, I would not allow them to lie to me anymore. After all, wasting time was not a luxury we had.
Alijah was no laughing joke. His power was way beyond our comprehension.
"Don’t be fools! One of those hidden artifacts might be the reason why Alijah is going free. So, let us not lie in the face of death!" I retorted, annoyed that they were full of deceit.
The moment those words left me; it triggered all gazes to come towards me. Much of them were not pleased by my words, especially the blaze elves. Their leader despised I was free. If it were up to him, I would be in a dungeon.
"Are you insinuating that we are at fault for this coming catastrophe?" Kaiden questioned.
I shrugged in response, not knowing if they were truly at fault. But one certain thing was that Alijah was being freed. That was the unwavering future that stared right at us.
"No... But I have seen vampires working with the witches. So, who knows what other races might do the same? Even if it is not on purpose." I suggested.
Fenris smiled, seeing the perfect chance to step up the game.
"With that being said, we need to fill the chair of witches as soon as possible. This is to create the stability witchcraft users desire. And for that purpose, I would like to nominate Lilith herself for our council," Fenris announced.
I glanced at him, surprised by what had come out of his mouth. He really was going to try to get me into the council. When I had said it yesterday, it seemed surreal, but now that he mentioned it. It felt improbable by the expressions of the council themselves.
"You are overstepping.” Jasper sighed, not liking the idea of a witch having a voice in this council.
They were not ready to forget what had happened all those years ago. He was not alone, Nyla and Kaiden seemed to feel the same. Charles, however, found it intriguing. Asher could not care if they had a chair. After all, we witches were nothing to them. Roman and Jaxon seemed interested, too.
"No, I am not. The witches have been stomped on for far too long. You may think it was just witchcraft users back then, but we were also at fault." Fenris started remembering when I wrote on my fake grimoire.
I had even told him about the other Lilith's fate. What brought her to do what she did.
"No race is innocent of wrongdoings. Just take our example with Alijah. I am sure you all have similar stories. It just happens the latest has to do with a witch." Fenris confronted them with his own race's history as an example.
Most of them seemed unmovable, but what he had said was true. No race was innocent. There were evil characters no matter where one looked. Elves, themselves sacrificing themselves for these valuable artifacts. Just how many lives did they take in the quest for glory?
We could say the same about the vampires who had a habit of drinking blood even when the individual did not want to. Just how many stories of vampires draining a village dry existed? Too many to count. Not to tell what other secrets they hid.
Vampires always tried to keep their records hidden from everyone else. So, who knew what else they had in store for us? The humans also caused many wars for territory. All of us had never been fully good, even when we tried to self-police ourselves. It did not matter if we tried to burry down all the skeletons we found behind closed doors. Sooner or later, they would rise for everyone to see.
"I will not lecture you all in your histories. Sadly, I frankly don’t know them all, but we can look at all the wars we started over the quest for power alone. With that, I can say enough is enough. If we do not change, then nothing will be better. Our kids and our grandkids will never find peace.” Fenris huffed.
This last sentence hit him harder, knowing he had pups on the way.
“We need to do this to make sure there is a world here for them. No matter what happens next." He to his argument.
In response, Jaxon joined in.
"If we place one of them in the chair to represent them. It might sway some away from the rebel forces." The moon elf smirked, enjoying the idea of having his allies back with some power.
They always favored working together with witchcraft users.
"Maybe does not win wars." Nyla countered.
Jaxon shook his head in disbelief at how they could not see the benefits. After all, not all witches did horrible things. Some created potions and medications for the population to use. We also created charms and magical artifacts with the help of the elves. Others tried to dispel curses placed on victims. Simple things that were overlooked by the bad we did.
"No. But chances do. And if we do not dwindle their forces. Then we may lose this war before it even begins." Fenris tried to reason with them.
The other council member brought their stances to light. Nyla, Kaiden, and Jasper were fully against it, but...
"I also believe witches should have a chair. After all, we elves have one for each type of magic we possess. So, why should the humans be any different?" Jaxon questioned his fellow elves.
Charles listened silently, waiting to see what the others said.
"I also believe the witches should represent themselves. I am tired of having to deal with their affairs. If we will not do that, maybe. We should shrink the elves' chairs to one. So, you can feel my pain for once. I mean, you all have pointy ears and must have similar issues, no?" Roman complained about having too much work.
It was a colossal task to deal with the humans and witchcraft affairs by himself. Much that he did not bother to do correctly with my kin.
"We will just be handing power back to the cause of the mayhem!" Kaiden slammed his hands on the table, not pleased by his comrade's opinions.
His red hair seemed to be set ablaze. Nyla sighed, glancing at the silent sun elf.
"Well... Charles, what do you think?" Nyla asked.
He chuckled in response to her question. The entire time he had been studying Fenris’s words, poses, and actions. This was a test to see how the most powerful Lycan around would handle himself.
"Ryker trained you well, Fenris. Very well. I accept Lilith as the representation of the witches and warlocks. However, how do we pretend for them to follow her?" Charles declared, glancing towards me.
The other three elves that were against it glared at him. It seemed Ryker had done his part to convince Charles. Thanks to that, we had four of the votes that were quickly joined by the vampires, who did not care if we had a chair. But they found it good against the forces we were against.
"Lilith is powerful enough for them to respect her. I am sure she will create a coven fully faithful to her if you give her the chance." Fenris noted, pleased with the results, intertwining my hand in his.
"Well, little witch. Prove to us you are worthy of the chair. What is your plan for stopping all of this?" Kaiden chided at me, not happy with the results.
I sighed in response to his passive hostility. Thankfully, Fenris's hand gave me all the comfort I needed to deal with them.
"Well... we know for a fact that Alijah will not harm me. So, use me as bait to lure him and confront him. There, we will try to seal him again. But we first need to get an artifact for any of this to work. Sadly, that is not the only thing we need to figure out either.” I stopped, shaking my head a bit.
There was a scarier monster than Alijah. And that was Edna.
“We also have another issue when it concerns the witches," I answered the fired-up elf.
Nyla seemed to be put off by my response.
"What might that be?" she questioned.
I closed my eyes remembering the time; I saw the elder witch, also known as eternal witches, Edna. The power I felt from her was something else. She had even seen me in that incorporeal form, that much I was sure. Something about her was off and if she were as old as Alijah. Then an issue might arise if we overlooked her.
Stella might have been a pawn in all of this without even knowing it.
"Edna, I think something is going on with her. She has a connection with everything that is happening." I tried to fit my thoughts together, but not in time to confuse the council.
"You will have to be clearer. That is a common human name." Roman pointed out.
I sighed, noticing my words were not the right ones to convey what I wanted.
"Edna is an eternal witch that has been alive since Alijah's time. Probably longer." Fenris intercepted, observing I was having a hard time explaining what I had seen with my own eyes.
She was a monster that caused fear in my heart, worse than Alijah. After all, her intentions were a complete unknown. She probably did not want the destruction of the world, but something else. Little was known to the public about eternal witches, too. Something that Asher seemed to be taken aback by.
"Impossible," the vampire mumbled, not believing that there were any eternal witches left.
After all, they had been hunted by the vampires themselves long ago. Or at least that was what the stories said.
"No, she exists. I never thought she was malevolent though." Jaxon announced, shocking the room.
I could barely follow along. Fenris's grip on my hand tightened upon hearing that.
"What? Jaxon, you knew the existence of an eternal witch?" Jasper, who was uninterested before finally joined in the conversation.
His expression, though, only showed dread. A usual response to dealing with a deadly being. Eternal witches could not only control time but influence death in ways I yet could not comprehend. Their magic was close to the one that flowed out of the soul cairn too.
Edna was probably behind the necromancy attack from before, too. They were also responsible for blights that affected every race. Well, that was what the books said about them. They did not always contain the truth, though.
No, this witch's story was deeper than that. After all, those who are victorious get to write history to their liking. And Asher's face told me all I needed to know. Those books were probably far from the truth.
"She is older than Alijah's era and not someone to be trifled with." Jaxon cautioned, ignoring Jasper’s worries.
After all, the moon elf had his own now. Edna was older than Alijah? Then... By the gods... She...
"Always protecting the witches! I knew you would be the death of us!" Kaiden huffed, ready to start a fight.
Jaxon waved his hands in the air, not wanting any conflict. He was coming clean, after all.
"Hey, I have only seen her once. When she saved my mother from a sickness years ago." Jaxon assured us.
Elves, though, could live for longer than two hundred years. He himself was one hundred. His words left us all wondering how long ago that truly was.
"And you never reported her?" Asher questioned harshly, knowing full well that any witch that survived the initial purge was dangerous.
It made me wonder how many details they omitted from history to prevent us witches from knowing our own past.
"As I said, I was just a kid the last time I saw her. Dad always said we had a good relationship with her. That is not even the important part of what I am trying to tell you." Jaxon tried to convey that there were more pressing issues.
"Then get on with it!" Kaiden yelled at Jaxon, who seemed displeased by the raise of tone.
Though blaze elves were like that. Once fired up, they could be almost the same as Lycans. However, Jaxon would not allow any insolence to befall him, either.
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"Watch your tone, Kaiden," the moon elf warned.
Charles tried to keep the peace between the elves.
"Okay enough. Let’s not fight each other. We have more pressing matters." Charles intervened, stopping the two before it blew out of hand.
Fenris and I stared at the council, unable to believe that they would lose their cool that fast. Especially over the sharing of information. I mean, it was shocking to hear Jaxon knew the eternal witch, but I was more interested in what he would say next than that fact alone.
No one knew how many of them actually existed. Releasing a sigh, Jaxon let it go, glancing back towards me.
"This should interest you, Lilith. Father paid Edna with various artifacts for saving my mother." The elf informed, instigating me to get dazed from the thought alone.
For a moment, I felt faint enough to lose my balance. Stress really was not good for me in my current state. Fenris grabbed onto me, preventing me from falling to the ground. Amelia swiftly ran towards me, worried that I may have hit my limit, which I had.
Melody rushed to find a chair for me to sit on. The arguments continued to spurt forward because of the new revelation. Everything was going out of control. It was much worse than we had previously thought. Part of me had hoped that we had been in time to stop the witches from summoning Alijah, but that seemed...
"What?!?!" Asher gasped, unable to believe his ears.
This was after a couple of back and forward between the elves. No one could handle themselves professionally anymore. Edna had various artifacts in her grasp, leaving little doubt that she would use them with any royal blood vampire or Lycan.
By the time Melody had found a chair for me to sit on, even though Fenris did not want to leave my side. He had to step away from me and into his role as leader, leaving me behind with Amelia, Ben, Liam, and Melody. Surely I was safe with them. Order was lost until Fenris slammed his hands onto the table, startling everyone around.
"Enough bickering! Jaxon, do you have any idea what the artifacts were?" Fenris snarled at the heads of the races.
They swiftly quiet down after hearing him. His body radiated a slight hint of red, making him even more menacing. Amelia vented to me some air using a fan she had in her bag. Melody told me to breathe in slowly to steady my nerves. Any type of stress seemed to put me over the edge for my nausea.
My world seemed to go asunder. Yet my chaotic thoughts bombarded me, trying to figure out what Edna was planning.
"Fenris, I was just a kid. All I remember from back then was that one looked like a dagger. I think he gave her another one that looked like a staff, too. I do not know more than that. I swear on my children, that is all I know." Jaxon gave his word to Fenris, who seemed was utterly displeased by the turn of events.
Edna had been planning this for a long time. Long before we were even born. Thousands of years of planning to catch up on. Impossible to do. We had no way to know how many artifacts were in her possession.
"You said she had a vampire working for her?" Charles cleared his throat, trying to keep his own emotions in check.
Everyone was.
"Yes, Cora Blake, she was a recruit here," Fenris informed.
Asher stood up from his chair, surprised by her name.
"You said, Cora Blake? That means they have the means to use it. Fuck! Why did this have to happen?" Asher tried to gulp down his worries, to no avail.
"Wait, I thought only those of royal blood can use artifacts without paying the cost," Nyla commented, trying to figure out what was happening.
Asher nervously chuckled in response.
"Yes... If it is who I think it is, then it is my sister's daughter. She has always been this activist; I do not know if she knows what she got herself into this time, though." Asher lamented the choices he had made to produce this to happen.
"Cora is an activist?" Fenris questioned, not knowing a single thing about her.
To him, she had been a pest that had taken me out to a meadow once, but slowly it was like it was much more than that. She had used me to get him out of Cerberus and into the town that was attacked that same day.
Clearly, it stated who the target was. If she had been successful, then Fenris would have...
"Yes, it all began when her girlfriend back in Blohin, a small village near Night City, was attacked and left in a coma. She passed soon after, though. She was also a witch." Asher informed.
The pieces seemed to come into place. Violence brought more bloodshed in the end. Why could no one realize that? Though, I was part of that cycle, too. I had torn into those renegades before in a fit of anger. It had to end. Somehow... it had to stop.
Night City was the capital of Celnaer, the vampire nation. Where Asher ruled as king. In fact, everyone here was the head of their nation.
"So, Edna is just using her, too. Great, let us keep adding names to that pile." I muttered, feeling awful.
The lack of energy in my voice triggered Fenris to glance back towards me, wanting to run to me. He wanted to hold me but could not. Instead, he tore his eyes away from me once again to face the leaders that stood in front of him.
"We know the how, but when and where are a bit confusing." Fenris sighed, trying to hold his emotions in check.
Everyone in the room seemed to be silent. That was when someone suddenly opened the door behind us. I could not believe my eyes when I finally saw who it was. It had been years since...
"Maybe I can help you with that kiddo." Tania declared, coming into the room with her usual elegance.
She had been traveling the world until this moment.
"Tania..." I whispered.
My voice caused her to smile at me. Though she did not stop until she was in front of the table full of leaders. She was still as beautiful as I remembered her to be.
"Welcome back, hope your hunt was fruitful." Asher sighed, trying to find any type of good news.
The elegant vampire greeted the group before smirking.
"More than fruitful. I know where these rogues are located. Well, kind of." Tania announced, leaving everyone stunned.
When she was abruptly taken away from my teachings. It was because they assigned her to travel around the world to find any information for these witches. After all these years, she had finally found her marks.
"They are in no man's lands. Where usually half breeds end up. Celestelia." Tania reported bowing down to the council.
Celestelia... The land of dead gods, or so the legends said. It was abandoned because of the accidents that used to happen there, but now it was home to many hybrids who did not find their footing in our world. Usually, when a human and another race-bred, their offspring would resemble the race of dominance. That typically was the other race paired with the human. Or the fully human.
However, in other cases, they could also form a half-breed. These hybrids were known as luma for Lycans, peredhil for elves, and dhampirs for vampires. Each had its own characteristics and manners of being. They also had their perks. Although, they were not as powerful as the pure breeds. Only half breeds between elves were the ones who could out-class the pure ones.
"Ah... No wonder we have not found them if they are in that forsaken land." Charles commented, leaving a nasty taste in my mouth.
Hybrids were usually shunned upon. Would my child be like that too? Or would Fenris's dominant genes kick in, saving it from that fate? There was no way I would know until the time came. Or if I ran further studies on my...
"It is a land like any other. Now we just have to find where in Celestelia they are located." Fenris tried to keep them on track.
He would not allow their prejudices to take control. This was not the time to shun any race out, even hybrids. Fenris wanted equality for everyone. To him, it did not matter what you were born into, but that fight would be for another day.
Though the hybrids themselves were another issue. Hostile to all purebreds because of their treatment on the mainland.
"From what I heard, they have been seen near the Howling Forest," Tania reported all she knew.
Fenris seemed to take curiosity to that name.
"Interesting," my wolf commented, wondering if he had heard it before, but he could not place it in time.
Tania continued with her report.
"They call it that because of the howls that the forest makes when the wind hits. The locals also call it as cursed as the Bloodfalls. No poison there though." Tania added to the information pool.
Bloodfalls was the location where the war of the gods took place, or at least that was what the history books said. It was another location in Celestelia that was covered in poisonous miasma. The forest itself I knew very little about.
"Why is that?" Charles asked Tania.
She shrugged, not having any more to go on.
"I do not know, but when I went there. I felt the worst feeling ever. Like something awful happened there. There were no witches to see, though. I think their hideout is somewhere else." Tania replied to his question just to be met by another, coming from Nyla.
"The locals said nothing more?" Nyla asked, unsatisfied by the results of her search.
There were still too many unknowns.
"No... They are not friendly to outsiders or purebreds like me." Tania pointed out.
Jaxon sighed in response.
"Damn hybrids will ruin us," Kaiden commented.
Fenris stopped him in his tracks.
"They are not at fault. We have not been kind to them either." My wolf pointed out the unpleasant truth.
They huffed at him instead.
"We will have to scout the place without alerting the witches to our presence," he added, trying to not start any more fights over ideals.
There were more pressing matters to attend to.
"All we need is an artifact to stop Alijah," I commented from the back.
It caused their glances to return to me. Thanks to Amelia and Melody, I had got my footing once again. Although the stress was surely enduring. It was soon coming to be that this would not be good for me.
"Yes... How about we test Lilith's devotion then." Kaiden turned his aggression towards me.
I slowly glanced up at him, utterly perplexed by what he meant. I was not the only one either, as everyone else seemed bewildered as well.
"What?" I mumbled.
Shade climbed to my shoulder once again. She had been on my lap the entire time I was in the chair.
"If... you want an artifact then. Offer that familiar of yours in payment," Kaiden suggested, leaving me dumbfounded by what he had just said.
Part of me could not believe what I had heard. It must have been wrong.
"What did you just say?" Fenris growled at Kaiden, who seemed determined to continue this track.
"That familiar is basically a dead god's soul, or maybe one of its minions. I am sure I can find some willing elves to make you one artifact for you to use. After all, why should we give in ours when you can just create your own." Kaiden clarified his intentions, sending me into a spiral of rage.
The moment that left his mouth, my body radiated blue. Energy pulsed through me, sending Amelia and Melody into the air. Luckily, they were caught by Ben and Liam before they hit the wall. Everyone else held on to dear life.
'Lily... It is okay... If you need my life. I will gladly give it to you.' Shade tried to comfort me, purring against my cheek.
Her words caused tears to trail down my cheeks.
'Never! I will never give you up!' I reassured her.
She nuzzled my cheek. They would never have her.
"Is this a test? If it is not, I was wrong to believe you would be of any help." I glared at Kaiden who had floated in the air along with everyone.
Well, all but Fenris, who was repelling my magic from himself.
"Lilith," my wolf called for me, taking a step towards me.
His body gave off a red hue as his power responded to mine. Part of my aura became purplish as the whispers that usually tormented me remained silent for once. It was the first time that I would be in control, with no outside influences.
"It truly disappoints me. Why are you willing to give lives? Instead of just handing over your stupid artifacts that were never supposed to even exist in the first place!" I chided.
Kaiden had realized too late I was no pushover. Though, I felt like I could fall at any moment. My state of being did not matter. Not when he threatened the only being that had been by my side since the fall of Silverant.
The only one that had protected me and loved me no matter what happened. That was unforgivable. It did not matter if she was a goddess or not; she was my Shade!
"If you even try to touch a single hair on Shade's head. I will make sure your insides end up splattered on the wall behind you. Or better yet, they come out of your fucking mouth!" I threatened the blaze elf.
I took a step forward, only instantly warp towards him without uttering a single spell. His eyes were full of dread. At the moment, I was filled with anger to notice what I had done. All that I cared about was showing this elf where he stood in this power chain.
Standing on the table, I stared into his eyes, smirking. All the things I could do to him before anyone lifted a finger to help him.
"Witches are terrifying, you say. My strength probably outshines one of an eternal witch." I announced, leaving everyone little doubt of what I could accomplish.
If I truly wanted to be scary. I would be. And if I wanted to be their enemy. That was something I could easily do, too.
"That means respect us mortal." Shade snickered over my shoulder.
Before I knew it, Fenris grabbed my arm and pulled me into his warmth. Covering my eyes with his hand, I felt my magic dissipate instantly at his touch. Red moon Lycans truly was terrifying beings, too.
In an instant, he made his presence known. Even to me, the most dangerous and unstable thing in the room.
"Excuse my pregnant fiancée's actions. Her hormones are all over the place, making her a bit jumpy. So, I refer you do not do that again." Fenris began trying to hide the anger behind his voice, but it was too prevalent.
He wanted blood as well. But taking it here would start an all-out war within the races. Even so... he would not stay quiet about the actions taken today.
"Fenris..." I mumbled his name.
He sighed in response to hearing it come from my lips. I had let my anger get the best of me. I guess I was fit to be among Lycans.
"It also seems you were mistaken in my intentions when I said I would not dissolve the council. I want it to stay open for you a lot to have a choice in what happens. After all, it is better than the tyranny my father had before. But..." Fenris scowled at all the council members, making sure they knew he meant everything he was about to say.
Although his hand covered my eyes, I rested my head on his chest. This allowed me to peek through to see his face. The room returned to normal. Far away from the influence of my magic. His expression was the most serious I had ever seen. Kaiden, luckily, landed safely in his chair with no harm coming to him. Thanks to my beloved wolf's swift action.
"If you threaten my family once again. I assure you; Lilith will not be the one dirtying her hands in your blood. If that time ever comes. You will all see just how scary the Lycan tyranny can be with me in the head." Fenris threatened them, uncovering my eyes.
He kept me in his arms, though. His entire face was emotionless, cold as ice. Not for a moment did he think they were friendly. Especially after what happened. All the heads stared at Kaiden that had brought this upon himself. I went to apologize to Fenris for him to shake his head.
Tania seemed shocked to hear I was his fiancée, though. There were a lot of things that had changed since the time she was last here. Asher, on the other hand, seemed unpleased by the turn of events. After all, vampires and Lycans had always clashed for power. They made the formation of Cerberus to avoid that.
However, I was still shaken by Kaiden's intentions for Shade. It was enough for me to grab her and hold her tightly onto me. Everyone sat silently before Charles called the meeting adjourned for the time being. Tensions were too high, and nothing would get done. Thus, a two-day suspension was made while everyone got their affairs in order.
Fenris's threat was not taken lightly, though. After the meeting, Jaxon said he would hand over any artifacts that were still in the moon elves' possession. However, if they were useful, that would have to be seen. The sun elves also agreed on handing over theirs. Sadly, the other three more reluctant branches had not decided yet.
Thus, Charles suggested having two days to look over everything and decide what they would do. Soon after the meeting, we found ourselves back in the manor with no further incidences. With Ryker's help, we avoided all the reporters that tried to swarm us at the entrance. This was accomplished by exiting through a back door.
Once home, I profusely apologized for losing control of everyone. Although no one was angry with me. All I had done was push them away, and I injured no one in my rampage either. However, Fenris pointed some things out that caught his attention.
I could cast spells without muttering a word. With a simple thought, they happened. I could not do that before, and the only change was my pregnancy. It led us to believe I used the power of our child as my own. Though we did not know how powerful they were going to be.
We did not delve deeper into it, though. Amelia, instead of worrying about what could be, focused on the present. She rushed a meal ready for me while Amara checked me for any abnormalities. None were found, though.
Ben seemed missing since the meeting, catching Melody's attention. When she finally asked about him, Amelia chuckled and informed us he was probably with Tania. His love for the past fourteen years. After the harrowing battle to save Silverant, they both had become fond of each other.
However, our peaceful time came crashing down when a knock came on the door. A maid rushed over to Amelia to whisper something in her ear. The news brought to her caused her to click her tongue, calling Fenris over to her.
My wolf was hesitant to leave my side, but something in her eyes told urgency. Melody and Amara stayed behind with me. Liam rested his back in the doorway to where we were. He would allow no one into the room where I was.
Shade being a curious familiar followed Fenris out. After the door opened, the screaming began.
"This cannot be real! You cannot marry that human! We were meant to be!" Layla screamed from the front of the manor, grabbing everyone's attention.
She had been in the room when he called me his fiancée. That was something she was not willing to accept. Maybe the fact I was pregnant, she could accept, but marriage? Nope. Slowly, Melody and I snuck up the wall behind Liam to see what was happening outside.
Thanks to Shade, who was by Amelia's feet, I could hear everything clearly.
"Layla, I don’t need to answer you. You have been nothing to me." Fenris sighed, not happy to be dealing with her after the day he had.
He could not fathom how she still thought they were supposed to be fated.
"Please leave, I don’t want you to have to be carried out by force." Amelia pleaded to Layla to leave peacefully.
Fenris shrugged, not caring if she was forced out of his home.
"She should be. This is harassment." He pointed out.
Liam glanced at us from where he was before chuckling. We were a curious bunch.
"She is here?!?!" Layla snarled, noticing Shade at Amelia's feet.
Somehow, she thought I would be elsewhere, probably behind Cerberus's locked doors.
"Obviously. Where I am, she is, and vice versa. Especially now that she is pregnant with my pups." Fenris stated coldly, not caring if his words hurt Layla.
They were like a knife that stabbed her heart.
"You cheated me! You owed me better!" She sobbed loudly, realizing that everything was true.
All she wanted at this point were answers. Replies he would not give her.
"I owe you nothing. I never loved you. And you never loved me, Layla. Get over it and find another person to get hitched with." Fenris snapped at her.
In response, she took a step forward towards him to mend this. Like the situation was savable.
"How can you say that? We were made for each other. I gave you everything!" Layla demanded answers from him once again.
Fenris huffed in response to her demands. To him, she gave him nothing. He never touched her or showed her any affection to make her believe he loved her. In fact, he did the complete opposite.
"No, Layla, you and I are not meant to be. How delusional do you have to be to love someone that treats you like a second thought? I never gave you a reason to love me. And I never will. Even if Lilith is not around, I still hate the fact that you force yourself into my life." Fenris assured her of his feelings towards her.
She wailed in response, losing everything, including her pride.
"Can she please the wolf within you, Fenris!?" Layla tried to find any piece of hope to cling to.
After all, Lycans were rarely pleased by human partners such as me. I could not do what another wolf could do to him.
"Oh..." Fenris started, unable to keep himself from laughing at the feeble attempt.
"Lilith pleases me just fine, Layla. She tamed the wolf within me years ago." He smirked, letting her know that this relationship of ours was older than Layla previously thought.
It sent her over the edge.
"I have given you everything! While she killed your parents! How can you love her and not me?!?!" Layla demanded.
Fenris sighed. He had enough of this roundabout.
"Why bring that up?" He shook his head in disbelief, unable to contain his disdain for her any longer.
"Because she did! She killed them and my mother too!" Layla screamed at Fenris.
He was trying to keep it together, but anything would chug him over the edge. Especially since the previous events of the council were still fresh in his mind.
"So?" Fenris sighed, not wanting to give this fire any more fuel.
She was not backing down.
"What? How can you say that? She destroyed Silverant! And now she is destroying our..." Layla questioned his intentions.
Fenris interrupted her.
"Layla, let’s change the perspective. Let’s go with what you said. That Lilith did, in fact, kill them. She was just ten. She had just been violated and battered by an abusive coven. All she wanted to do was protect herself. I don’t blame her for seeing every adult as a fucking threat.” He snapped at her a bit.
He was not done, though.
“I surely would have been terrified to the point of not caring who got hurt, too. If I had experienced even half of what she has. I probably would have been fucking insane." Fenris growled at Layla.
He was not happy; she insinuated I caused everyone's misfortune. And the reason he did not love her.
"I will tell all the Lycans what that slut has done! Then they will all turn on you! That is when I will kill her for taking you away from me. I swear it." Layla promised at full volume.
Her threat triggered Fenris to grab onto her throat in response. It almost seemed like his nails would go into her skin any minute.
"Fenris!" Amelia yelled at her baby brother, who was about to tear into Layla for what she had just said.
His crimson eyes glowed redder than ever before, as his body also gave the hue.
"I am tired of your threats and everyone else's. Do you think because you have grandpa behind you, I will not squeeze the life out of you if need be? You are nothing but trash to me. And the other Lycans turning against me?” He squeezed into her a bit more.
“Hah, do not make me laugh! Lycans. All they listen to is strength. And mine is undeniable anymore! I will stomp anyone who tries to hurt my future wife and my pups!" Fenris retaliated, slightly digging his nails into her.
Blood flowed down her neck as she screamed in fear. Before it got too far, I embraced him from behind.
"Stop. Do not kill anyone because of me. Please." I begged Fenris.
This act of violence would just beget more and more. While I could not control my anger, I could try to manage his as he did with me. I did not wish for him to hurt anyone because of me. Instantly Fenris dropped her. Shade jumped back onto my shoulder.
"Lilith..." Fenris sighed, grabbing onto my hands that held him from the front.
His fingers were full of blood, leaving me with the warmth of it in my hands. Liam walked over to Layla, warning her to leave before she lost more than she already had. She gasped for air, grabbing onto her neck. Amelia shook her head, not enjoying what had happened to her old friend. Layla truly did not deserve this, but at the same time, Fenris was at his wit's end.
"Look at that. The witch you hate so much just saved you. Shameful really." Fenris chided Layla, desiring to disfigure her.
Though instead, he turned towards me, pulling my chin up to be met with a light kiss. It was to solidify our relationship. After the quick peck, he glanced over at her.
"Do you need me to show you how I hold her? Is that what it will take for you to get it through your damn head that you and I will never be?" Fenris questioned, glaring at her.
It triggered Layla to stand up and take a few steps away from us, holding on to her wounds. In her eyes we were monsters. This was not the first time he had placed his hands on her that way, either. And seeing the gentleness he touched me with was surreal to her. Something she would never have, even if I were not around.
"Please Layla, leave. There is nothing here for you anymore. I am sorry." Amelia apologized to her old friend.
Layla gazed at her, feeling betrayed by everyone here. Including the eldest sister, who had also said this was going to be her life.
"I hate you all! I hope you fucking all die!" Layla screamed, leaving the manor.
Liam stood by the doorway, making sure she had left.
"Fenris, you could have been gentler." Amelia scolded her younger brother, who seemed to have had enough of everything that had to do with Layla.
He had endured so much before. From being constantly assaulted by her to the harassment she placed on him. It was enough.
"I tried so many times to get it through her fucking head. I rejected her time and time again. And for some fucking reason, she still came at me. Her 'destiny'. Fuck that. I also have a limit. Layla never saw me more than fertilizer for her fucking eggs." Fenris scoffed at the thought of ever being with her.
Upon hearing him say that all it reminded me of Alijah. All he suffered was unfair, too. Fenris had been close to experiencing the same. What if his test results had appeared that he was fertile before the moon? Would they have forced his marriage to Layla sooner? That thought sickened me. If it had happened while I had, my emotions dampened. Then I probably would have lost my chance at being with him.
"I wonder if that is how Alijah felt back then..." I mumbled.
Fenris cleaned his fingers with a wet cloth a maid had fetched for him. After he was done, he cleaned any blood that might have smudged on me, too.
"Probably," Fenris noted.
In response, I hugged him. The nastiest of feelings swelled within me. People seemed unwilling to learn, even when they knew their history. It was sickening. I was so wrong. This was a shameful sin that every race allowed to happen. However, thankfully, it would be something Fenris and I would try to change.
After all, this world had to be altered for the sake of what was growing within me. And for all those who came after them.