Ava was silent as all of us made our way back home. I was worried because she had stopped crying altogether too. Her tightening and loosening grip on my hand assured me that she was with me.
“You don’t need to come. You can get some rest, I’ll talk to them and if it’s going well, I’ll call you.” I said in a low tone.
“I want to be there.” She said softly.
Okay then.
We walked to the council room and were followed by Josias, Silas, Laila, Dimitri, Andrei and Mikhail.
Just when we were settled, the doors opened again and I was surprised to see Max walk in, looking freshly showered.
“Natalia?” Mikhail inquired about his best friend who should still be in her heat.
“She’s…” he grinned a little mischievously, looking clearly in a great mood, “passed out from extreme pleasure.”
I closed my eyes in exasperation. “Read the room, Max.”
That’s when he noticed all our sombre expressions and white clothes.
“Funeral?” A look of instant regret crossed his face when we nodded.
“Damn. Sorry.” He murmured and took his seat.
“I thought this was supposed to be a ‘family meeting’?” Josias said in distaste.
“It is a family meeting. This is our family.” I placed my hand around Ava’s waist and pulled her closer to me.
I did not trust them.
“I demand retribution.” Silas spoke his voice low but his tone angry.
“Sil-” Laila started but closed her mouth when he raised his hand, motioning her to stay silent.
I had two choices. I could deny him and let Ava loose her family, or I can listen to him and be considerate of their loss too and try to build an amicable relationship.
And because I always put Ava before myself, I chose the second option.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“One-my son was decaying in a dungeon for ten years because of her crazy family. For that, I want all ten thousand of the Neos Army. Two-he died trying to save her, on the foreign land of Ovzdusia, for that, want the land of Ovzdusia. Three-he died because of her so she ended up getting all of his powers, I want her to transfer all of those powers to Josias. Four-Javier was almost fucking whipped to his death, trying to save her,” Silas threw a scathing look at Ava who flinched and hid behind me a little, “for that, I demand her to be whip-”
I growled, cutting him off before he could even finish the sentence.
All of his demands were outrageous. But he was straight out of line with the last one.
“Remember who you are talking to.” I growled. “Remember whose land you are standing on and whose roof you are standing under. Do not stay under the impression that I will let you insult me or my mate just because you are Javier’s parents. Consider it my kindness that we even invited you here for the funeral.”
Ava squeezed my arm, trying to calm me. It worked, but only a little.
“Do not forget that my son is dead because of you!” He thundered.
Things are about to get ugly.
“The same son you banished from your Kingdom because he wanted to spend his life with his mate!” I hissed back.
Josias had the decency to flinch. But he remained silent.
“He was supposed to be the King! Her mother robbed him of his birthright!” He stood up angrily and pointed his fingers accusingly at Ava.
“It was his choice.” I said, my voice low and filled with menace. It pissed me off that he was dragging Ava into this.
“Valerie had a choice too.” Josias intervened. “She chose her pack and her parents- adoptive parents might I add, over being with her mate. Which was why Javier had to leave Voda and come here.”
I didn’t know the details of what exactly had happened. And they were getting too mouthy for me. I didn’t deal with word-fights well, I was better at fighting with my hands and claws.
“Can I take over?” Max asked suddenly, his eyes glowing.
Manipulating people was one of Max’s many special talents.
“Go ahead.” I flicked my hand. I’m sure I wasn’t going to get anywhere arguing with these bull headed people. And for Ava’s sake, I didn’t want to take drastic measures.
“I would like to request you all to get comfortable in your seats, this may take a while.” Max smiled angelically. Silas looked stoic but suspicious of Max.
“I know we are all considered monsters but there is no reason we can’t be civil, is there?” He taunted Silas who grunted and took a seat. He was followed by Josias and Laila.
What kind of King is Josias? He has barely said a sentence since we came here.
That’s when I realised, he was a king in name only, Silas was still in control. This was the worst thing a country could do. Authority and responsibility were in different hands.
“Let’s start from the very beginning, shall we?” Max began. “One-Javier lost one Kingdom but earned Montana. No loss there. You were the one who banished him, that’s your fault. Two- he was in a happy and loving relationship with his mate, Valerie. She got pregnant and she ended up dying. Avalyn ended up losing her mother. Not to mention that Montana lost its sole heiress. So our loss.”
Josias and Silas started getting angrier by the second but they had no choice but to remain silent.
“Three- Javier is Avalyn’s father and it is his responsibility to protect and provide for his daughter. He failed and she ended up being a captive for a psychopath for ten years. Four-we were the ones who fought against the Gonzalez, regained control of the Montana pack and saved Javier’s life.”
“Five-Nikolai was the one who encouraged Javier to go build a relationship with his family again. You should thank him and he came back to Voda at all. Six-Javier went to Ovzdusia not because he was asked to, he went to save his daughter, like any decent, child- loving father would. It was a series of unfortunate events that led him to get caught, which was highly likely, and not to mention that he must have already known the consequences before he encroached Ovzdusia’s territory.”
“Seven-And as for the transfer of Avalyn’s powers to Josias. Let me teach you a thing or two about Monarchy. Javier gave up his position at his own will and since you banished him, you are no longer entitled to anything he owns. And if you still claim that he is the King of Voda, then since the heir of assets is the child of the King, it was right that Avalyn got his powers- if we’re considering them assets that is, and according to that, Avalyn should get the entire Voda Kingdom too. She should be the Queen of Voda.”
I had never seen someone as pissed as Silas and as appalled as Josias and Laila.
But the one thing common between them all was that all three of them lost colour.