Chapter 732 The Weight of Choice
Matters concerning werewolves were simple for Voren. Straightforward. Cut and dry. But she-wolves? That was an entirely different battlefield. As a King, a father, and a husband, his heart ached for his children. The weight of it pressed down on him, heavy and unrelenting.
Pack members were supposed to enjoy the protection of their packs. That was the sacred promise, the foundation upon which their society was built.
So if things like this kept happening, if she-wolves could be abused and threatened and silenced, then what was the difference between the packs and the rogues? What was the point of borders and titles and laws if the most vulnerable among them suffered in the shadows?
He knew Seraphine was better at this. That was why she was his queen. Not just his mate, not just the mother of his children, but his partner in every sense. The one who could navigate the treacherous waters of emotion and justice with grace and precision.
Attention focused on her after Voren’s last words, every eye turning to the queen, waiting.
Seraphine forced a smile, though it did not quite reach her eyes. “Cleopatra, Dean will pay for his sins against you and the she-wolves of the Western Tribe. But as for you, you have to face punishment for your vile treatment of members of your pack and for trying to take the life of the woman who raised you.”
She was careful not to use the word mother, denying Cleopatra any room to negotiate, to find some foothold in the conversation. “My understanding of family is one. Family is those who love you, not only by blood but by loyalty and care. For now, you shall be held in the punishment room while I speak with Luna Cassandra. If she is capable of taking care of the pack, she will do so. If not, we shall figure out what to do.”
For Cassandra to faint after what she saw, Seraphine doubted she would have the strength to lead the pack. The shock alone could break a person, and Cassandra had endured more than most. But there was no harm in trying first. She sighed and looked at the warriors.
“Take her to the punishment room.”
“Queen.” Kael’s voice cut through the murmur of the dispersing crowd. The warriors paused, their hands hovering over Cleopatra’s arms. “Can you please make her accept my rejection? You heard Luna Oriana. She was mated to me to either be exposed or given a second chance. She got exposed eventually, so I should not be tied to her, right?”
The corner of Seraphine’s lips twitched, her expression caught between amusement and discomfort.
She felt cornered, trapped by the logic of his words. She had always been careful in love matters, and pertaining to a mate bond, it was even worse. The bonds were sacred, woven by the Moon Goddess herself, and who was she to try to break apart what the goddess had joined together?
Perhaps Cleopatra would have accepted the rejection if Kael had done it as soon as they were bonded. But how would Cleopatra have been exposed then? The evil would have remained hidden, festering in the dark, and the she-wolves of the Western Tribe would have continued to suffer.
Just as Seraphine was about to speak, Oriana spoke in her stead, her voice carrying the weight of years and wisdom. “Beta Kael, I gave the reason why Cleopatra was mated to you. But do you want to know why you got mated to her and not Damon or any other person?”
“Yes, Luna Oriana.” Kael readily agreed, his voice steady. “I honestly thought about why Damon was not the one used to expose the evil of the Western Tribe. Why did it have to be me when I already had someone in mind?”
Oriana smiled, her eyes ancient and knowing. “Beta Kael, though your king asked for the restoration of the mate bond, he only wanted to feel it with the woman he loved. His heart was already set in stone, and he was determined to reject any woman who was not the one he loved. Was it the same with you?”
The question hit Kael like a wave, crashing over him with the force of a revelation. He finally got the answer to his question. The reason he was used to expose the Western Tribe was because his heart was indecisive.
Though he loved Jasmine, he refused to accept her. He was willing to accept whoever the Moon Goddess gave him, willing to settle for less than what his heart truly desired.
He could have rejected Cleopatra when he felt so strongly in love with Jasmine, but he decided to accept the bond instead. He chose his own fate by not being true to what his heart felt.
“I was wrong, and I am sorry.” Kael’s voice was quiet, honest, stripped of pretense. “I guess I never truly forgave her when I realized she loved someone else before me. But I see clearly now, Luna Oriana. I will cherish her and make the correction if given the chance.”
His words were honest, raw with regret and hope. Oriana did not pick on him anymore, her expression softening with something that looked like approval.
“Do not worry. Even if she refuses to accept your rejection, she will continue to live with the pain. But if Luna Cassandra decides to banish her, the bond would automatically be broken. As for now, pack members will not mate with outlanders, rogues, or lone wolves.”
A sigh of relief escaped Kael, his shoulders dropping. But Cleopatra was still in tears as the warriors dragged her to the punishment room, her voice rising in desperate pleas.
“Kael, please forgive me. I see clearly now.”
No one paid her any attention. Her words fell on deaf ears, swallowed by the indifference of the crowd. Cleopatra could have been thrown in the dungeon if Seraphine had completed her judgment on her. But since she was leaving it to Cassandra, the punishment room was the best place for now.
The crowd dispersed, everyone returning to their various businesses. Voren went with the Alphas, discussing the matters that required their attention. Corvine handled the pack members, organizing the ones they would be welcoming and those who would be leaving.
However, Kael caught up to Voren before he could disappear into the crowd. His steps were quick, purposeful, his heart pounding against his ribs.
“King Voren, I humbly ask that you tell me where Jasmine is.”