The witches, increasingly dissatisfied with Alpha Bennet's attitude, stand abruptly, their unity apparent.
Ela glares at the three Alphas. 'Well, we darn witches have never caused any issues with the werewolf communities. It's because you were afraid of our magic, despite the fact that we used it hundreds of years ago to help your towns develop and prosper and concoct medicines for you and the human species. The alphas of many packs grew irritated. Everyone came to us for help instead of them, and they told everyone that we were using spells against them. Everything was a lie. If you fully understood the ways of witches, you would understand how pleased it makes us to help others of any species. We never murdered any of your kind. We only killed in self-defense. We were always peaceful, and we still are,' Ela says passionately, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill over. The room falls into a heavy silence as the confrontation between the witches and the Wolf Council intensifies.
I stand, casting a sympathetic glance at my new sisters. 'Let's all take a deep breath, relax, and try to absorb all of this information,' I suggest, my gaze shifting to the Alphas.
‘Relax? While there are witches present?' Alpha Theaton scoffs dismissively.
Magnus, unable to tolerate the disrespect, slams his fist against the table, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. ‘You forget that my Mate and the Luna of this pack is a witch. Even if you are from the Wolf Council, you will show respect while in my territory and will not speak ill of the Luna or her coven sisters. Whether you like it or not, Fern, Lilac, Ria, and Ela are now members of this pack, and they will be treated respectfully and as equals,’ he asserts firmly.
Ryker nods proudly at Magnus. 'Alpha Magnus, my son, is correct. Our pack welcomed them all with open arms. They are now part of our family,' Ryker declares, firmly backing our decision.
Alpha Bennet stands, pointing his finger accusatorily at Ryker. 'We've all suspected that this pack would continue to be a problem ever since your fated mate, Astrid, murdered our fellow councillor, Alpha Zenith. Speaking of the apple falling far from the tree, we hear Alpha Magnus is also to blame for his grandson's death, Moss?' Alpha Bennet fires back and then reclines in his seat, a smug expression on his face.
Astrid's hands tremble, and I can sense her anguish as the painful past is brought up. I reach out and take her hand in mine, offering a comforting gesture. She smiles gratefully, and I can't help but feel protective. Astrid has treated me as her own daughter, and her past troubles me deeply. I caress my thumb over her hand, smiling warmly to convey my support.
Ryker emits a deep guttural growl. 'Alpha Zenith kidnapped Astrid and planned to force her to mate with his son. Moss followed in his footsteps and kidnapped Nina, intending to force her to be his mate. Their killings were justified, and they had no one to blame except themselves,' Ryker retorts, a fierce determination in his voice to defend his family's honour.
Alpha Bennet taps his fingers thoughtfully on the table, his eyes narrowing in contemplation. Finally, he rises and steps forward, rubbing his chin as he addresses the room. 'Now that we've established the rumours are true, Alpha Amir, Alpha Theaton, and I have much to discuss concerning this issue,' he declares.
'But there isn't an issue,' Magnus asserts firmly.
'Perhaps it isn't an issue in your eyes because they are in your pack. As a result, they may be used against other packs,' Alpha Bennet mutters, casting a suspicious gaze around the room.
‘We would never command them to use their magic in a negative manner, especially not against other wolf packs, especially for no valid reasons,’ Magnus states with conviction.
'Did you not hear a word we said?' Ela snaps at Alpha Bennet. 'We simply told you we are peaceful. We weren't the ones going about annihilating werewolves hundreds of years ago,’ she argues.
Alpha Bennet smirks. 'But you did claim you killed some a few moments ago,' he counters.
'Only because they were about to kill us even though we had done nothing wrong! You don't understand, do you? You have no idea how important it is for witches to live. Without witches, you would all perish, humans included!' Ela passionately argues.
The alphas of the Wolf Council burst into laughter. 'Well, for the previous hundreds of years or so, we've seemed to do just fine without you,' Alpha Theaton exclaims, dismissively waving a hand.
'That's because we've been in hiding to ensure your survival, including the human species, by keeping all your greatest nightmares locked up with spells and wards in Pandora's Box, you morons,' Fern interjects, her tone defiant.
The three alphas abruptly cease their laughter; their demeanour shifts, and they lock their gaze on Fern.
'I believe it would be in your best interest to tell us more about this Pandora's Box,' Alpha Amir suggests, a hint of curiosity and caution in his voice.
'Ironically,’ Fern says, her gaze unshakable. ‘I agree it's in your best interests to understand what we're doing to save this world from being destroyed, and perhaps, by some miracle, you'll come to some type of mutual respect for us witches,' Fern declares as she takes a seat before continuing. 'It has been entrusted upon Yiselda for the previous three hundred years to take over Pandora's Box and reside there. It had been known as the Midnight Covenstead for generations until the Vampire King sought revenge on the humans for the death of his Blood Flame.
The Vampire King summoned Shadow Reapers and Grimghouls, releasing them into the world. Many werewolves were killed, and their territories were seized. It was only a matter of time before these dark entities infiltrated human settlements, and as you know, humans must never learn of any of our kind.
Many witches banded together, pooling their powers to defeat the vampire king. We were able to imprison him and his minions inside the Midnight Covenstead, where powerful spells were placed to keep them locked up for good. Centuries passed, and the witches and wolves coexisted peacefully until the Alphas grew dissatisfied with the love and adoration we received from their pack members. They lied to their pack, claiming they were cursed and that all witches must be slain, alleging that only through their deaths could we be prevented from controlling them with our spells. As a result, they set out to find us. It was the largest witch hunt in history.
Yiselda was the only survivor of the Midnight Coven after the witch hunt. She remained there, keeping the charms and spells in place, knowing it was now her responsibility to keep the world safe. Years later, in a human village, she stumbled upon us at an orphanage and immediately sensed that we weren't humans. We were too little at the time and didn't know we were witches till she took us in. Since then, she has served as our mother, teacher, and protector. She remains at Pandora's Box to this day to safeguard us all,' Fern explains.
Alpha Bennet laughs, his scepticism evident. 'Do you think we're going to believe that? A vampire king, shadow reapers, or grimghouls have never existed. Everyone is aware of the past. Witches used their magic against us for selfish reasons, which is why you were wiped out,' he sneers.
'That is completely false!' Fern retorts, her eyes blazing with frustration.
Alpha Bennet stands, his gaze fixed on Magnus. ‘We will take our leave to discuss this, and we will return tomorrow with our decision,’ he declares with a tone that suggests hidden deliberations.