Davonyé
Damn...
I watch Abriya literally taming hundreds of wares around us just with her howl, and even though Ari told me about it before, I didn’t think it would be this incredible to see.
Abriya abruptly stops howling, and slowly, cautiously, all wares begin to raise their heads. A deathly silence falls over everyone here. I ain't been made to kneel, but that howl was loud as fuck, and it made my ears ring.
I hear Ari telling her Mom that she’ll dress her when she shifts, and then Abriya soon appears back in her human form, dressed all in black.
I swear you couldn’t make this shit up. I ain’t ever seen anyone drop as quick as these wares did once Abriya started howling. They all looked pained – even her family – covering their ears as they whined from how much it hurt to hear.
Serves them right, though, causing all this shit.
Abriya is tiny next to Clarence now. She briefly looks up at him before looking down at Maximus on his knees. I hear Ariella telling her mom about what she's seen, and then Abriya steps forward to address everyone here.
“Wares who follow Maximus, you have been led to believe that Clarence and I are your enemy, and that we murder the innocent for no reason, but that is a lie.
“Maximus’ and Clarence’s relative, Samson, terrorised our kind for years before he was finally stopped in a war that took place twenty years ago. Clarence and I both lost our lives in that war, but were returned to this world by Aura, the Elder that guides and protects wares, and has done for thousands of years.
“This man has changed many of you against your will, but as Sovereigns over wares, Clarence and I will help any of you that are not yet ready to return to the open world at this time. Wares are a peaceful people, contrary to what you may believe, and any threats to the peace that we have established, cannot and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
“We have many packs located all over the world, and you may join any of them. We will help you to transition back to live amongst humans, too, if you so wish. The choices regarding your own futures are yours, and yours alone.
She turns to Clarence and he huffs. Ariella listens to her parents’ thoughts.
‘You wanna kill this one, too?’ Clarence asks her.
She shakes her head. ‘No. You caught him, you do it.’
Clarence drags Maximus around to stand in front of him. Maximus fights against Clarence’s hold, but Clarence’s grip is inescapable.
I should know.
Abriya turns towards the kneeling wares again. “This ware has committed unforgivable crimes against our kind, and for that, the punishment is death. Let this be a warning to all of you, that insubordination will not ever be tolerated.”
Clarence rips the head from Maximus and his body shifts back to its human form as it falls to the bloody snow.
Clarence howls before throwing Maximus’s head to the floor beside his body. He shifts, and then after all the resin has fallen from his body, Ari dresses him in all black, too, and then him and Abriya hold hands and look at the wares still kneeling in front of us all.
“Wares from Maximus’ pack, make your decisions on where you wish to reside. Our men here will see to it that it happens.”
“Sovereigns,” the wares say in unison.
“Now you may rise,” Abriya says, and slowly they begin to get to their feet.
Ari and I walk over to Abriya and Clarence with the rest of the James family, who she’s also now dressed, along with me.
Abriya hugs Ari. “Thank you.”
“I didn't do much,” Ari says. “I just made sure it happened the way it was supposed to.”
Abriya releases her and then Clarence hugs her. “You're as bad as Aura.”
Ari shrugs as he releases her and then smiles. “Must be an Elder thing.” Her eyes swirl for a longer time than usual this time before settling. “I've expanded each hold to accommodate all the new wares.”
Dante’s mate appears beside him, but she quickly rushes off to find her friend.
“What happens to all the bodies now?” I ask Clarence, looking around at all the lifeless humans.
“They’ll decompose. They'll be no trace of them by tomorrow.”
Damn...
“You did good.”
I shrug. “I ain't do much. Thank you for helping us get Clarisha back.”
“Family is the most important thing to us, and any ware. You're all part of our family now.”
I nod, and then I look at Abriya cuz I feel her eyes on me.
She smiles. “So, you don't submit to anyone, huh?”
I shrug. “I guess not.”
Ari looks at her dad. “It's so that these wares know without any shadow of a doubt, that when the time comes, they must submit to him.”
“I see,” Clarence says.
“Your howl won't work on any of your children or their mates, Mom.”
Abriya nods but then turns her attention to Tinashe who's still crying beside Marron. Clarisha is with her and is holding her around her shoulders.
Ari walks past me to kneel beside her, dressing her, Clarisha, and Kenyay. “Tinashe?”
T looks at her.
‘Marron wasn’t your true mate. I know how you feel and it's okay. You have nothing to feel guilty for. Marron couldn’t have been allowed to live. He wasn't a good person. Trust me.’
Tinashe nods and then Ari hugs her.
‘Your mate hasn't been born yet, but when he is, I will let you know. Don’t worry.’
They release each other and Ari turns to Clarisha and Kenyay. “It’s good to finally meet you both, but my condolences for your brother, Kenyay.”
“Thank you, and thank you for saving our lives,” Kenyay says, wiping his eyes.
I realise that Ari’s made them think Marron’s death was an accident, and I’m glad, cuz that shit would’ve been a whole load of mess...
Ari just nods, but then Clarisha hugs her tightly. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Ari smiles. “You're welcome.”
They get to their feet and come over to us. They kneel before Abriya and Clarence, but Abriya fusses, telling them it’s not necessary and they soon get back up.
“It's such an honour to meet you both,” Clarisha gushes.
Clarence shakes his head and Abriya chuckles. “Your sister said the exact same thing. It's a pleasure to meet you both. Welcome to the family.”
I can tell that's shocked my sister. She turns to me and widens her eyes. “You are a beast.”
I shrug. “I guess you won't be tellin’ me what to do anymore then.”
She laughs at that. “Don't bet on it, Von.”
I smile. “Yeah, I thought that might be too good to be true. What you gonna do now?”
“Go home.”
“Why don't you come stay with us for a few days,” Ari says, getting up with T, and I hear her thoughts about giving them her blood.
Clarisha shakes her head. “We wouldn't wanna impose.”
“You ain't,” I tell her.
She smiles. “Okay.”
“Alright,” Ari suddenly says, “let me get everyone back where they’re supposed to be.”
***
Ari sends everyone back to where they want to live now. She finds the family members of the informants at the holds and sends them there so they’re together, but the informants will be made to stay there until Clarence decides how they should be dealt with. He’s sympathetic to why they did what they did, but they still can’t be forgiven without some kinda punishment.
Once Ari’s done, the rest of us return home. There are a lot more people here than before, but Ari works her magic and makes her parents’ house bigger to accommodate everyone. She evens adds an extra floor to our place to add two more bedrooms.
Abriya feeds Amarey at the island with Clarence beside her while the rest of us cook. It's eight in the evening now, don't ask me how I know that, it's just one of the many things I know since that full moon yesterday.
Tinashe’s quiet, but Ari lifts her mood. She's more upset because she feels guilty for not being more upset over Marron. I’m pleased as fuck about him dyin’, cuz Ari told me what he was gonna do, and trust me, that muthafucka was sick in the head…
“This is nice,” Abriya says, looking around at everyone. “I always wanted a big family, and now it just seems to be growing and growing.”
Clarence kisses the side of her head. “Kids will do that.” He looks down at Amarey. “And we got more to come.”
Ari looks at me. I know she's worrying about what she learnt today about her brother and his mate.
‘It's not your fault, Bae.’
‘I know, but mom and dad are gonna be livid.’
‘You got time to prepare for it. Where’s your ‘not dealing with it until the time comes’ mantra gone?’
‘God knows... We do have some unfinished business, though, and that's Demus.’
‘Yeah.’ That little muthafuckin’ snitch.
“I’ll be back,” she announces, and then she's gone.
“Where she go?” Abriya asks.
“Unfinished business.”