The Moon Goddess' Vessel

CHAPTER 12

12. Ethan ||

Sirius's arrival wasn't a surprise for me since he had his connections with the high council. I signalled the guards to move towards Rachael and tighten security.

I wore wireless earbuds and tapped one in my left ear. "How's security? Did he bring his men?" I asked.

"Security is strong, it seems he came alone, my lord." It chirped in my ear.

Some where far down the road, there was a van filled with cutting edge technology, doing surveillance of the area. I was hundred percent sure that the other packs had done the same.

I glanced at Sirius and he was beaming at everyone. "Impossible, are you sure you haven't seen his men?" I whispered.

There was a slight pause. "Negative, none in sight. Should we ask for assistance from the Riverdale pack?"

"No, leave it like that." I started walking towards Nathan. He was about to start a ruckus with Sirius.

"Go back to your cult, where you belong!" Nathan barked.

"Oh no, I didn't come here for a meeting. I just came to see your faces. It has been a while, you know?" Sirius glanced at my father. "Edgar, you have aged like fine-wine."

"Same to you. I'm dissatisfied that you only lost an eye for being a traitor," father retorted.

It seemed to have left a sting on Sirius because he touched his part and clenched his jaws. "Anyway, I will be excited to learn of what happens to this thing that is of great importance. In fact, I want to inquire if I should keep this person in question—" he turned around and narrowed his eyes at Rachael. "—oh, even under that veil I can sense her."

"Just be grateful that you have a pardon, or else I will have you thrown out." I arrived at the scene.

Sirius stared at me and nodded. "It's good to see you all grown up. It's nice." He backed away and smiled.

I felt uneasy, now that he was here. I was even uncomfortable because he came without an escort. What was Sirius planning?

We walked into the mansion and a large table was placed in the center of the large living room. At the head of the table were the elders, the ones that pronounced judgement and then the Alphas followed.

There was an upper room, with a mezzanine balcony where the lesser officials sat to observe—to spectate what was going on.

Everyone came with their own security, which worried me a bit because there would be less working together but nothing had happened so far.

I kept my eyes on Sirius Jaeger at the top, as he took his seat in the upper room overlooking us below.

"Ahem," Nathan cleared his throat. He was standing at the edge of the table. "It gives me pleasure, that all of us were able to come here on short notice, ladies and gentlemen." Everyone fell silent because he gained their attention.

"I will have to skip the pleasantries, because we have rather...pressing issues in our hands," Nathan hissed at the end and our eyes met.

"You will regret it." That was the message my eyes sent to him.

Father sat at the head of the table because he was the most powerful Alpha present, followed by me at his side, then the Riverdale pack and the others spread out from there to the end.

"Now," Nathan held his hands together, maintaining his charisma. "It is already a known fact that the vessel that hosts the power of the Moon Goddess," he explained.

Gasps escaped the council-men's lips and a low murmur started within themselves.

"Guys, guys, lower it." He held his hands out and waved them down.

"Impossible!" One of the clan leaders exclaimed.

it is true. Maybe you should ask my brother here, he knows everything." Ethan had his arm across his chest and bowed his head down. I caught a smirk on his lips.

I gritted my teeth and rested against the chair. "It is true, the host exists," I admitted. I could sense where this was going to.

Another round of low conversations and gasps of disbelief started but Ethan was quick to interrupt.

"And now, my fellow leaders and important men of this realm, the next question is how did he know?"

I banged the table and rose to my feet. I had enough of his kindergarten charades. "Damn it Ethan, I've had enough. I've seen this vessel, and they are in my custody."

"So the rumors were right," Alpha Rutherford spoke. He always liked being addressed by his title and last name. "Why are you still keeping this vessel? This is upsetting the already delicate power balances within our pack, it's unacceptable!" He objected to it. "This vessel has to be killed, it can't be alive."

"I totally agree with Alpha Rutherford, it's unacceptable! Said vessel possesses a power that is too much for someone to have, it has to be taken away, and killing the vessel is the right choice!" Nathan supported.

Father was eerily quiet where he sat, he was more like a spectator at the high seat, watching his son argue in a formal way in front of him. I knew he would talk, but he wanted to see how it unfolded.

"Yes, my lord, it has to be like that!" Other officials voiced their opinions in favour of what Nathan said.

I boiled deep within, because since we started this conversation, they referred to Rachael as an object. Calling her it! Like she was something she could dispose of easily.

"Said vessel has a name," I spoke up.

Alpha Rutherford raised his fat brows. "What?"

"I said, she has a name!" I erupted. "You treat her like she was an object, but it is a living being like us!" I realized that I had raised my voice too high and then I steadied it, to carry just enough power and authority just like my father had demonstrated many times.

"We are forgetting that, this vessel, a person like us never asked to carry this power. She was chosen by the Goddess, to carry it against her own will. It isn't fair to murder a living being that breathes the same air as us, because we are trying to maintain some delicate power balance," I voiced my opinion at the table and everyone listened quietly.

"I think power balance is just another word for greed. We are just trying to justify our greed and our fear by killing an innocent woman!" My voice was stern.

"Oh my, my own brother is succumbing to his own emotions because it is a woman?" Nathan taunted me at the table. "Don't forget, you are betrothed to the Riverdale pack...."

He had the galls to pull a foul move like that in front of everyone.

"What did you say? Are you saying I'm clouded by my emotions?" I moved away from my seat and walked past my father's seat to stand in front of Nathan.

Nathan grinned and ran his finger across his air. "I'm saying you are being sentimental, you are swayed by your emotions." He c****d his neck.

A vein popped on my forehead. "You dare say I'm not performing my duty well?" I was quick to anger.

Nathan wasn't smiling again. He scowled at me, ready to lay hands if it came to it.

Father cleared his throat and got to his feet. "Boys, stand back." He finally decided to talk.