Chapter 404: Laws.
The grand hall was overly chaotic when Darius stepped in for the impromptu meeting that the council of elders had called him for. His hands were balled into fists, hidden behind his royal regalia, and his face was devoid of any possible reaction or emotion as he walked forward to the front of the hall where his decorated throne stood tall.
He tried to walk up to the throne but just when he arrived at about three feet away from it, an elder, Thorne, approached him, standing in his way as he spat;
"Is that necessary?"
Darius cocked his eyebrows at him. "Is what necessary?"
"Do you need to make a spectacle of walking up the throne right now?"
He froze. "And where am I supposed to walk up to if not the throne? On whose chair am I to sit if not the one I use all the time?"
At his question, the crowd before them hushed. Everyone lowered their heads and turned away. Elder Thorne scooted backward in slight embarrassment, giving way for Darius to walk through; But at this point, Darius was already suspicious.
He didn’t like the suppressed satisfaction swirling around his eyes like embers of a flame.
His eyes were thinned into fierce slits as he regarded everyone with suspicion mixed with frustration.
He didn’t continue his ascend to the throne, but instead, turned around, wrapped his arms around his chest and bellowed;
"What the fuck is happening here?"
At his outburst, everyone turned away one more time. Thorne, the supposed leader of this rebellion, stood to the side, aloof and proud... and ready to speak when Pius pushed him to the side and came forward;
"Alpha, some members of the clan are beginning to question your motive and your right to rule."
The words hit him like a ton of bricks, punching him square in the chest, until he almost lost his ability to breathe only for a couple of seconds before he slowly regained his breath.
"What?" His voice was gruff and raw when he forced out that single word from between his stiff lips and his eyes held so much rage, it was almost impossible to look at.
A small murmur rose in the crowd which soon quieted down when Pius lifted his hands slowly in a gesture of peace, and then turning to Darius, he continued;
"They heard... We all heard about the news. About the possibility of Ms Leilani Sinclair being alive, and because we all know that she is the real heir after her father, Ragnar’s, demise, we’ve come to the conclusion that she is the rightful successor of the thron—"
The words made Darius frown deepen. It made his body tremble with so much rage, he could barely contain it.
Why?
Because for so long, he had ruled over these people. He had loved and cared for them.
He had dedicated himself to them for years. Had done nothing tangible about his life besides live for them. And in a time like this, what did they do to him?
They decided to cast him out and decided that he was no longer a good fit for the throne.
They’ve only ever seen him as a stand in. Someone to take on the mantle until whoever they needed came along.
And this thought... goddess, this thought made his heart ache so much. He crossed his arms over his chest as he turned to regard everyone and with a frown so deep, it could make creases appear on his head, he spat;
"She’s agreed to wed me." He clapped back, interrupting him even before he could finish speaking. His eyes widened in shock just as silence settled in the room.
Everyone reeled back in shock, their wide eyes darting around in confusion, frustration and worry. The first person to snap out of it was Thorne who took a glance at Darius and then shook his head.
"She is your sister!"
"My half sister!" He bit out enraged,
"We were respectable people, not the fictional Targaryens!"
"And do you have any idea what the union between me and her would do for you all? Do you know how unstoppable we would be together?"
At this, Thorne’s lips snapped shut. He seemed to ponder over the beautiful union that it would’ve been for a minute but then shook his head.
"You are both children of the late Alpha Ragnar!" Pius screamed, but Darius cut him off by waving his hands in his face.
"We are not."
Everyone froze.
"Leilani was Ragnar’s daughter but I am not his son. My father... my only father is Ragnar the mad."
"That is preposterous!"
"What is preposterous is you remembering that I am Ragnar’s son only when I say that I want to wed his daughter, but forgetting that fact all together when it comes to matters concerning the throne." I hissed, not missing the way his face colored in embarrassment.
"When it’s time to choose an heir, I am not of Ragnar’s blood, but when I decide to wed his daughter, I am—?!"
"It still doesn’t change the fact that you are both related by blood!" He countered.
But at this point, Darius was done listening. He was done with this conversation all together. He wrapped his regalia tightly around his bulky frame, wondering just what would happen to him and how he would be treated when these people found out that either Ragnar or his twin was alive since they were already like this at the news of Leilani’s survival.
The thought made a shiver run down his spine, and with his face scrunched up into a ugly sneer, he added; "Now that that is done with, I would like to pass a new rule."
"No, no you cannot do that! At least not now! Right now, the entire pack already thinks that it is—" Thorne began to speak but was cut off when Darius cast him a cold look before turning away.
He didn’t even regard him or give him listening ears as he drew himself to his full height and continued to speak. He seethed;
"Any lycan that any of you see around the pack, anybody who is not of this pack, who is not recognized by any of you, whether rich or poor, should be shot on sight as soon as they try to step their feet into this pack. Is that understood?!"
"Alpha Darius! No!"
"What did you just call me?!" Darius hissed, going to stand in front of the elder that had called out to him.
The elder looked away and gulped, his face bright with apprehension as he hissed; "Alpha Darius."
"Yes, that is it," Darius hissed. "I am your alpha. I pass the laws and it is your duty to implement them. Is that clear?!"
"Yes, Alpha!" They chorused, and he smiled as he walked away from them.
