Kael’s POV
I returned home where everyone was still in the garden as if they had no will to be inside. From the distance, it looked like the perfect peaceful scene with the beautiful weather these days.
They seemed to have prepared some late afternoon snacks and were enjoying them together. Eira was lounging in her chair, watching Raven play with Fluffy as he threw a ball and Fluffy brought it back, wagging his tail.
The other pets were rolling on the lawn, with Vixen taking care of her kittens that always stuck to her like little gluttons.
My brothers were around — Rafe guiding Raven in his play, Jason and Lucian bringing snacks while keeping watch, and Roman sitting quietly in the chair next to Eira.
That was my world, my home, and I wished it could always be like this.
I walked ahead and, of course, they noticed me. This time, of all people, my gaze only followed Raven, not even Eira.
The little guy stopped playing and stared at me as if he had been waiting for me. I couldn’t understand why was he so attached to me in such short time, but it was pleasant and overwhelming at the same time.
I went straight to him and knelt in front of him. Without saying a word, I just hugged him, his small body protectively wrapped in my strong arms.
I didn’t know what to say about what he had gone through. All I had was the instinct to protect him, to let him know he was safe with me.
Though startled at first, his small hand hugged my neck as well. That told me he liked it.
I gently caressed the back of his head and told him, "Raven, daddy will always protect you."
My eyes turned moist. Even if I said the same thing hundreds of times, it would never be enough. It came straight from my heart, like an innate feeling.
I could feel the others’ surprised gazes on me; they must have been wondering what made me like this all of a sudden.
I let go of him and told him, "I’ll be back after a while," then left to go inside the house.
For the first time I noticed Eira’s gaze stuck on me the whole time, but I couldn’t dare meet it. My guilt was eating me; I didn’t even feel worthy to look at her.
Inside the room I sat at the edge of the bed, facing the window. The light sipped through the glass, a cold breeze entered the room — nothing soothed the pain I was feeling.
With my head lowered, I buried my face in my palms, not knowing how to deal with it. It was all my fault that not just Eira but even her child had suffered. It was because of me.
What had I done?
I felt like a sinner. The guilt was so deep it felt difficult to breathe. How could I have ended up hurting the ones I should have been protecting? Why did it all have to happen this way? I could never look into her eyes after this.
The door opened and someone entered the room. I heard the voice behind me.
"Kael," it was Lucian.
They always asked my permission before entering my room, but today he came in directly. He must have been worried about what Liam had told me.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
I quietly wiped away the remnants of tears that threatened to spill and hummed.
"What did Liam say?" I heard him ask as he walked inside the room.
I didn’t turn to look at him but explained whatever Liam had told me. As expected, Lucian was as angry as I was.
"Shall I let the bastards know Raven is with us and openly challenge them to battle?" Lucian said coldly. "I can’t wait to drag them to hell."
"Not the time yet," I replied. "We need to secure many things before we face challenges from outside. But don’t worry — we will get to them soon."
Lucian agreed and I asked, "How’s Roman?"
"Quiet since then."
"Roman has been called to the council meeting tomorrow," I informed him and finally stood up to face Lucian. "We are going with him."
Lucian cursed under his breath. "That bitch is fast. Couldn’t wait to destroy his peace a day more."
"She is dying, and what she wants from Roman takes time, so she is being impatient," I explained calmly.
"Are we taking Eira and Raven as well?" he asked.
"Raven will stay with Rafe in home. We can’t expose him to the world yet, and I don’t wish to take Rafe there in his unstable condition. Make sure to add extra security. But yes — Eira has to attend, as the matter involves her," I replied. "And before that we have to explain everything to her."
He nodded. "That would be better."
In the evening, after dinner, all of us sat in the drawing room together, leaving Rafe to be with Raven, as they got along really well.
Once I told them why we were going to the council, Roman said, "There is no need for anyone to be there. I’ll go alone."
"I won’t allow that," I said firmly. "This is our chance to get you out of it."
"And the only way is to kill that bitch," Roman said. "That’s what I’m going to do tomorrow."
"You can’t," Lucian said. "If you do, you will lose your wolf. I warn you — don’t be reckless."
"Then what do you want? Do you want me to do as that bitch says?" Roman raised his angry voice. "That bitch wants my child so she can use it. As if what she did to me and our brother wasn’t enough? I had enough now. I don’t care about any fucking promise and oath. It was fine when she only came after me but this time...." He gritted his teeth angrily, "As long as she alive, not just me, she will keep troubling you all as well."
"Calm down, first," I said. Jason put his hand over Roman’s shoulder to steady him.
Eira was taken aback by what Roman said. She understood—Roman’s child meant the one he would have with her.
"Eira," I called for her. She looked back at me, and I explained. "The woman you saw today, that’s Roman’s mother. She is not a good woman. She wants something from Roman that none of us will ever allow. So she has gone to the council, and now Roman is summoned there."
I explained her why and what his mother asked from him and what will happen with the child.
"Bitch!" Eira spat out, her expressions angry.
"We don’t have to listen to her," Jason said. "She doesn’t have a right over Roman now."
"She has," I said, "In werewolf world, mother’s right over her child comes first. If she has given him birth, so when she needs him, a child should repay it. Mothers have all kind of exceptions when it comes to the rules. That’s why she was never punished for what she did with her child back then.
"But yes, no good mother will demand for something like this, some exceptions of vile ones are always there. She is using her right as a mother, a mother who can do anything for her child, so a child should follow the same."
"Are mothers truly exempted from anything?" Eira finally asked.
"When it comes to their child, they are," I told her, my eyes observing her careful. "Mothers have all the right to protect their kids and no law or rule can ever blame them."
She looked at me, our gazes met. This time, there was no hatred in her eyes, but something else.
At the same time, this rule was going to help us with something else. If RavenClaw pack Alpha was truly Raven’s father and he demanded the child, the rule will allow Eira to have the right over Raven first.
The only way they could get Raven from us was the way for war, and we were ready for it.