Tamed By The Lycan Prince

FAMILY MEETING

CHAPTER FIVE - 1

-WELDON-

Several days had passed since Boris had attempted to mate and mark my sister in his office. Despite the many objections and warnings from both Boris and his mother, Dermon and I were able to take Wilhelmina back home with us. A tense, angry silence hung over our home since Dermon and I revealed what had happened. Our father's anger was to be expected, but even more surprisingly, our mother was fuming as well – perhaps even more than our father. It took all three of us - Dermon, Raina, and myself - to stop her from storming into the Gravemaw Mansion. Our father made no effort to intervene in our mother's actions. Wilhelmina had, once again, locked herself in her room and showed no signs of coming out or even eating.

The whole family, except for Wilhelmina, was gathered in the living room, prepared to discuss her experiences at the Gravemaw Mansion. None of us were sure where to begin, a fact evidenced by our unsettling quietness. It was our father who finally broke the silence, his voice echoing our humble abode. "Enough is enough," he declared sternly. His eyes, usually sparkling with warmth, were now cold as ice. "I will not allow Boris Gravemaw to crush my daughter's spirit."

My mother nodded in agreement, her knuckles whitened around her china teacup. "We have to do something," she said grimly, her normally cheery voice strained. "My Mina won't become a pawn in that boy's game."

Dermon, Wilhelmina's twin, remained quiet. His eyes showed a mix of anger and sorrow. It must have been difficult for him to witness his other half in such a vulnerable state. Without their twin connection, Dermon would not have been able to sense Wilhelmina's distress and suffering. It was because of this connection that Boris was unable to complete the mating and marking process with our beloved sister.

Dermon's eyes drifted towards the stairs, where Wilhelmina's room was located. He must have been able to sense her despair. I could never comprehend the bond between those two. Unexpectedly, tears streamed down his cheeks. As the oldest sibling, it was rare for me to see Dermon cry.

"Dermon," Raina mumbled.

"I know, Raina," Dermon interrupted softly, his voice trembling. He quickly wiped his tears away with the back of his hand. "I can feel her... her pain, her sadness. It's as if I'm the one trapped in that room."

Raina reached over to grip our brother's trembling hand. "Perhaps it would be best if you went to her. Your presence may offer her some comfort and relief from feeling trapped. After all, you two are twins and have a special bond." she said, her voice carrying a tone of overwhelming concern.

Dermon nodded, his gaze flickering back to the staircase leading up to Wilhelmina’s room. He stood up from the worn-out couch, his face etched with determination. "I'll do my best," he murmured, squeezing Raina's hand as a silent thank you.

The room fell silent once more, our eyes trailing him until he disappeared at the top of the stairs. I looked around at my remaining family members; their faces mirrored my own feelings. Anxiety, fear and most importantly, helplessness. I saw our father's formidable exterior falter for a moment. He ran his fingers through his graying hair, betraying the exhaustion he tried so diligently to hide. My mother clutched her teacup tighter, her eyes closed and lips moving with a prayer to the Moon Goddess. Raina gaze was glued to the stairs, her fingers nervously twisting a lock of her silver hair. We all wanted to storm up those stairs, to comfort Wilhelmina and reassure her — but we couldn't. Not like Dermon could.

"We need a plan," My father said, his voice thick with urgency.

"Yes," my mother agreed, a fierceness igniting in her eyes.

"What can we do?" Raina asked.

Silence engulfed us again. There weren't many options. Then, an idea struck me, one that was risky and foolish but also our only chance at success. "I will challenge Boris for the position of Alpha, and once I win, I will banish him." I said hesitantly.

The room immediately crackled with tension. Everyone’s attention was focused on me as I spoke, their surprise evident.

"Weldon, you can't be serious," my father said, finally breaking the stifled silence that had fallen on us. "You know how strong the Gravemaw bloodline is. Boris is likely to be undefeatable."

"I know, Father," I replied, meeting his gaze head-on. "But it's a risk I'm willing to take for Wilhelmina."

Raina was the next to speak, her voice quivering slightly. "But Weldon," she began, eyes welling with tears. "That would be suicide, a death sentence. You can’t possibly believe-"

I glanced at her, my face hardening. "Still, I must try," I insisted. "Besides, his strength lies in his body, not his mind. If I can outsmart him..."

My mother interjected sharply, "There has to be another way!"

"What other way is there?" I asked angrily.

"The Moon Goddess may provide," my mother suggested. "Maybe we can find Wilhelmina's mate." Her eyes lit up as if she had just thought of something. "Wait, wait, I have an idea."

"Speak, Mother," I urged her on, hopeful that she had a safer solution.

"Perhaps we could talk with Parella," she suggested, her voice vibrating with newfound hope. Why could Mrs. Parella help with our situation, I thought. Seeing our puzzled expressions, my mother clarified, "Parella comes from a long line of Oracles in her country and has assisted others in finding their destined mates before."

My father's eyebrows furrowed as he considered the idea. "Parella hasn't used her Oracle abilities in years," he said, running his hands through his graying hair. "She may not even be able to help."

"But what if she can?" Raina asked, her voice filled with desperate hope.

"It's worth a try," I added.

"We have to hope for anything at this stage," my mother pleaded.

"Very well," my father finally conceded, rubbing his temple. "But we must not put all our hopes on this plan alone. Weldon, you must train harder than ever. If the worst comes to pass, your challenge to Boris may be our last resort."

On this somber note, our family strategy meeting ended.