This time Rafael entered the meeting hall with his beta, Elijah. The atmosphere was much more solemn than before. The other alphas were with their Lunas and betas this time, making the hall far fuller than at the previous meeting. This signaled that very important matters would be discussed, matters that needed witnesses.
His steps felt heavy beneath the weight of everyone's gaze. Yet he walked firmly. He did not cower, facing it head-on despite the sharp pricks of pain when fabric grazed his wounds. He knew that now more than ever he could not falter.
He hazarded a glance at Siluren as he walked forward. Siluren and his beta, a tall, menacing, dark-skinned man, stood at the far end of the hall. He was the only other alpha without a luna. There was a self-assured look on Siluren's face, and instantly Rafael knew he was planning something.
Suddenly, Siluren's words about war seemed far more ominous.
Rafael took his seat at the head of the table.
"Today has been quite unfortunate," Rafael began. "First of all, I would like to offer my sincere apologies for the security threat posed to you. The area designated for the hunt was thoroughly prepared by our pack. Today's situation was peculiar. There has been no sighting of a Forsaken for hundreds of years."
Rafael paused.
The silence grew heavier. Everyone knew the last time a Forsaken had been seen was during the last war, when vampires had used the abhorrent creatures as foot soldiers to wreak havoc. One of the stipulations of the treaty had been that vampires destroy all Forsaken. But now…
Rafael stood and turned to face Alpha Moran.
The other alpha seemed well enough after the fight. His injuries had not been as serious. Alpha Moran and his luna were seated to Rafael's right. The luna, a stern-looking she-wolf with almost completely gray hair, had her lips pressed into a thin line as she clung to her husband.
Rafael bowed low to them. Even though it pulled at his stitches, he swallowed the groan.
"I am sincerely sorry for the harm and anxiousness that have plagued you today," he spoke with heartfelt sincerity before straightening.
He saw the woman's face soften, then he turned to the rest of the gathering.
"My apologies again to the rest of you."
He sat down once more.
There was more silence. Who would broach the simmering topic first?
Alpha Lydia cleared her throat.
"A Forsaken vampire sighted during the treaty, after the vampires swore they had destroyed all of those nasty creatures. Brothers, what do we make of it?" Her voice was firm.
Someone shifted.
"Maybe this was a one-off occurrence," Alpha Moran spoke. "An errant creature, somehow."
His gravelly voice was steady. He looked at Rafael with kind, tired eyes. Rafael appreciated what he was trying to do, but he doubted the matter would be so easily solved.
"The vampires here should be captured," Siluren spoke suddenly. "Then we bleed the information out of slowly from them."
Rafael did not reply immediately, even though his instincts had been to lurch at Siluren's suggestion of conflict with the vampires. The idea of imprisoning them and torturing them was too much. What if they were not even responsible for what had happened?
But a voice in Rafael's head whispered.
Was he really against the idea because he thought they were not involved, or had lust for the pretty one clouded his mind?
His vampire mate.
The secret he was keeping from everyone made things infinitely more complicated.
"It would not benefit us to behave so rashly, Siluren," once again Lydia's cool voice was the voice of reason. "We would need to act more diplomatic."
Her voice pushed away the doubt in Rafael's head. He could not doubt himself. He had to believe he was being rational.
"Lydia is right," Rafael agreed. "It would not do to throw away the treaty just yet. We should—"
He was cut off by Siluren standing abruptly.
"Cowards!" Siluren erupted.
"Cowards, all of you," he spat, glaring around the room.
"Even after we saw a Forsaken, after we were attacked, you sit here and disgrace our ancestors with your weakness and spinelessness."
There was silence in the wake of Siluren's audacity. Everyone was on edge. Rafael's wolf prickled at the disrespect, and he was sure the others felt it too. Lydia's usually calm face was now twisted in a snarl at Siluren.
What was the man doing?
"I, Alpha Siluren, invoke the Ancient Unification."
The room stilled. The words seemed to echo.
The Ancient Unification.
A rite that had not been used for hundreds of years, since the last war. Ancient magic rose up in the room until the scent was so thick you could choke on it.
"Siluren, you idiot," Alpha Moran spoke. "What have you done?"