Chapter 14: Decisions on Which Behalf?

Alastair:

The party was still in full swing and I was in the back pacing back in forth in an empty room trying to figure out what went wrong.

Toran and John insisted that I try to restrain myself in front of the guests. Toran knew what I was about to do before Valene interfered to save face. Even after, I was going to cut down her insistence on punishment.

Both John and distracted me with chastisement, needlessly reminding to be mindful of what I would say next-that it may compromise Shadow Veil as a whole. I needed no reminding! I knew exactly what I would be risking and to me…it was worth it. I’d welcome one to challenge my Alpha title.

John, however, did not feel the same. Slaughter was behind whatever decision that I had made and although I question John at his worst, my Delta reassured me of the same. Still, John also made the point of stating how complicated things would become had I interfered in the way that I chose.

“In the path that you are about to take, potential and needless lives would be lost, Alastair. With the number of members having been injured, we will not be prepared for what will happen next. And with that boy visiting…knowing his background, we need to tread lightly.”

I wasn’t concerned about Ares Barbosa, but not because of his legend, and the boy certainly was a legend. He accomplished more in his near two hundred years of life than most Alphas or otherwise accomplished in six centuries of theirs. He was considered the Lycan King for a reason, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he was the last in existence as he’d long ago silenced the few that were.

Either way, regardless of his history of ruthlessness and aggression, I knew that the young lycan was respectful of a territory worth respecting above all else.

I guess that would beg the question of whether he would think that Shadow Veil was worth respecting if the Alpha’s weakness was a human servant. Even that, however, did not matter to me.

Fear of backlash or even a war was not the reason why I did not interfere with Valene’s self-sacrifice. No…it was the pleading look in her eyes that did. She begged me not to interfere because she wanted to play her role and she knew the repercussions. And like an idiot…I obliged.

“Alpha.” Slaughter entered the room.

Quickly I turned around to acknowledge my Beta. “How is she? How is she Toran?”

He shook his head and immediate I began to think the worse and then a harsh chuckle escaped my Beta’s lips. “She is definitely your daughter, that is for sure.” He murmured in a hushed tone.

“What does that mean?”

“That pride of hers,” he shook his head. “You taught her well, Alpha.”

One thing about Valene, she was as stubborn as me in most aspects and I considered myself quite the hard-headed bastard. “Did she say what happened?”

“No…not really.” replied Toran. “But I know that Harlyn must have provoked the girl.”

“What makes you think that?” I asked, though I knew full well why he assumed this. Hell, even I assumed as much.

Toran’s expression told me that the question that I asked was a waste of breath. “Valene has been the model of perfection when it comes to vassals. She has never spoken out of turn, never been punished or even answered a question that was asked of her until she okayed to speak. Then…out of nowhere suddenly, she snaps?”

“No,” I agreed. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Sudden silence filled the room as both Slaughter and myself thought about how to proceed with this. “She is not going to do it, Wade.”

I glanced at my Beta and then looked away. I knew exactly what he meant by this but I didn’t want to discuss it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I lied.

“You know exactly what I am talking about, Alpha.” His footsteps stopped when he was directly behind me. “She’s not going to allow you get her out of there, Alastair. She said as much when I expressed why she should have held her tongue in the first place.”

Clenching my jaw, I asked. “What did she say?”

He sighed. “She said, she’d rather take take lashing than to have Harlyn have something else to hold over her head. This isn’t about punishment for Valene, Wade, it’s about maintaining what little control she has left over her life. If a whip is the price to be paid to maintain that control then the girl is more than willing to pay it.”

How insane! “That’s ridiculous! How-”

“Is it?” He asked me in turn before I could finish my thought. “We have never had to live in the shoes of a vassal. We have never been so closely scrutinized and judged by someone considered of superior nature. Every single thing that these humans do are dissected and criticized by us. One toe out of line and they are beaten or locked away…or-or worse! You’ve allowed her to have a life, Alastair, outside of this place, but it is still under your authority. Being a vassal is the one thing that you never bothered to assert authority over. It is the one thing that you refused to acknowledge that she is and it is the one thing that she can force you to accept. Vassals are key figures in our world and no amount of love you have for the girl will change the facts that a vassal is what she is.”

“But she’s not just a vassal, Wade.” I just could not accept it.

“Politics, brother.” my Beta replied. “As long as Valene is a human in a world full of inhumans she is.”

Before I could respond, the door opened. “Daddy, everyone is wondering where you are!” Harlyn interrupted. “Let’s-oh!” She closed the door behind her and acknowledged her godfather. “Hello, uncle.” She said. “How is she?”

“She’s…Valene.” Toran said and kissed Harlyn’s forehead before passing me one more glance, wordlessly telling me to think abou what he had said. “Don’t be too long, Alpha. We still have business to discuss.”

After he left, I stood there in silence, stewing in my thoughts. For a moment, I had forgotten that my daughter was even standing there.

“Daddy, you heard uncle Toran,” Harlyn approached me, interrupting my thoughts. “They’re all waiting for you out there. Staying here will only make us look worse than the situation that has already been flared by Valene’s outburst-”

“Outburst?” I grimaced. Harlyn flinched and backed away.

“Yes, her outburst. I-”

“And what did you do to provoke that outburst, Harlyn?” I asked.

“Excuse me? What on earth do-”

“Don’t…don’t take…that tone with me, Harlyn Caris Wade.” I growled. It was then that she dropped her gaze. “Remember who you are talking to when you address me.”

“I didn’t mean for her to get into any trouble, daddy, you have to believe that-”

“I don’t-I don’t what to believe with you anymore, Harlyn! I certainly cannot be convinced that you have her best interest at heart. None of this would have happened if you had!”

“I care for Valene!” Harlyn snapped. “The conversation became a little heated and it got out of hand! Surely, it is my fault that this happen, I will not act as if it is not.”

She sighed. I didn’t know if she was ashamed of this. I didn’t know much of anything about my daughter of late.

“Casting blame though…it just will not change the reality of what is happening, daddy. We just have to accept that. We can deal with this problem after we’ve dealt with the Alpha and his pack’s accommodations. Then-”

“We…will not be dealing with anything, Harlyn Wade.” I corrected her. “In fact, I’d prefer it if you went home. I think you’ve done enough for the night.”

She seemed to be surprised by this. “What? You can’t be serious-”

“Does look like I am in the mood to play with you?” I growled. “Go..home!” Aziz barked through my demand.

Harlyn quickly took a step back, her feelings obviously hurt by my chastisement. To be honest, I didn’t care. Picking an argument with Valene on such a night as this was reckless and immature. Part of me felt like she intended this to happen. Part of me hated myself for thinking that my daughter was capable of such a transgression, but I could not choose to be blinded by blood.

“Whether she was conniving or not, our pup was right about one thing. We need to settle this meeting with the young lycan Alpha.” On this, Aziz and I agreed.

I left the room and ventured back into the party where murmurings were still ablaze about my vassal. Everyone was surprised that Valene, the vassal, the Alpha’s model human was sent to confinement for blatant insubordination.

“Alpha,” John Minken’s sister-in-law approached as I maneuvered through the crowd.

“Hello, Agnes.”

“I’m sure you’re just mortified about your vassal. The little girl is usually on her best behavior. What could have caused such an outburst?”

“I’m sure…I do not know, Agnes.

Agnes Craig was the nosiest wolf I’d ever met in my life. Sure, she was an attractive woman but she was lacking in every other aspect that was important for my tastes. This did not hinder her from finding me whenever she could to let me know that she was available.

“Are you going to be the one to carry out her punishment.”

I was tired of talking about this and certainly would not continue the conversation with Agnes Craig of all people. “She’ll be dealt with accordingly. Excuse me.”

“Ah, of course!” She said in a shrilled voice. I walked away and immediately, she grabbed my arm. I tried to reel in my aggravation but it was getting harder and harder. “Um, just…to let you know, Alpha. If ever you want company…you know…to talk or anything.” She smiled.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Agnes.” I said and walked away.

“Needy, that one.” Aziz suggested.

“Insufferably so,” I murmured. Soon after, I approached the table where the lycan Alpha sat with his two officers standing by.

Before I could make my presence known, Ares stood in presence out of respect for my title. “Alpha.”

“Hello again,” I greeted and sat down across from him. Just as was protocol, John and Toran were suddenly standing by me as I sat.

“Hello, Alpha.” Ares Barbosa nodded. “I didn’t think I’d see you anymore after the mishap.

“Hm, you should know better than that, young Alpha. I am not moved so easily by such matters.”

“Yes, but your little human did not strike me as the type to be…insubordinate.”

“Usually, she isn’t.” I didn’t want to talk about it and I got the sense that he knew that, but I knew that Ares Barbosa would not stop his line of questioning until he was content with the answers.

“She will severely punished, I assume.” He said. “As is the way of the inhuman.”

“Do you not agree with this?” I asked.

The Alpha let out a dry laugh and then exhaled. “I do not care one way or another to be honest. A human’s treatment bears very little affect on my life.”

I was curious as to how he would have handled this situation but part of me knew what his solution would have been in the first place.

“You’re right. So, I guess there is no more need to discuss this subject.” He said.

He grinned and nodded, obliging my not-so-subtle request. “As you wish, Alpha.”

“Now,” I replied. “About your accommodations. Shadow Veil has a spare pack house near the city line of Shadow Veil. We also have a hotel but I’m going to assume that you’d prefer the former.”

“You would be correct in your assumption, senhor.” He said to me. “Now, I assume that with your…gracious offer comes a price?”

I smiled. “Not necessarily.” I countered.

“Necessarily means that while it may not be considered a big favor, there will be a favor nonetheless,” replied the Lycan Alpha.

“To be honest, Alpha-”

“Call me Ares, senhor.” He obliged.

“Alright, Ares,” I started once again. “To be honest, I already had something in the works, but…you and your pack…seem to have fallen into my lap, and depending on how long you have been here…I’m starting to wonder if your presence is the reason behind my current…conundrum.”

“Well, in that case, it seems that we have much to discuss.”

“I could not agree more.” I replied. “But for now,” I removed a key from my pocket and handed it to the Alpha. “You should get settled.” I said, standing up from the table. “I will find you when it is time to discuss things further. Until then, enjoy the evening.”

“Pressing matters to attend to?” He asked.

I simply replied with a small smile. “Have a good evening, Alpha Barbosa.”

“You as well, Alpha.”

I went home and changed. I noticed that Harlyn wasn’t hohome when I went to check on her and immediately, I linked with her.

“Harlyn, where are you?”

She didn’t answer immediately, and I started to call for her again when finally she did. “Hi, daddy,”

“Where are you?” I asked. “Why aren’t you home?”

“I needed some air, daddy. I’ll be back home in a minute. I’m sorry.”

I sighed. I was still upset with Harlyn but I knew that she was sensitive when it came to me reprimanding her. She wasn’t off thehook by a long shot but…I decided that I would not beat a dead horse.

“Be careful, Harly.” I said. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

I disconnected the link and left and put on some more comfortable clothes. I went into the kitchen afterward and grabbed a few things for Valene. Part of me knew that she would probably not oblige my request for her to come home. And if she didn’t, the least that I could do was bring her something to eat.

I left the house and quickly made my way to the place where Valene was confined. Fortunately, it wasn’t too far away from where I lived in the first place. When I went in and finally found her, she was in the shadows, sitting in the corner of the cell.

“Valene?”

I didn’t realize until she stirred that she was asleep. “Hm?” She tiredly replied. She didn’t recognize who I was.

I unlocked the cell and went into the cell. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Huh?” She wiped her eyes and when she saw me exhaled. “I’m staying here, Master Wade.”

“Valene.”

“Yes, Master Wade?” she retorted with clear aggravation in her voice. She stood up and stretched before wiping at her eyes again.

“Come home-”

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, lifting her head up toward the ceiling. “With all due respect…no.”

“Valene, you cannot possibly think that I would allow-”

“What?” She interfered in a soft voice. “Stay here and…take the punishment that every human in this ranshackle place has to deal with for disobeying their Keepers?” before I could respond, she continued. “Does that seem fair to you, Master Wade? Because it is not fair to me-”

“I have nothing to do with how others treat their humans, Valene. My only concern is you-”

“It shouldn’t be! You can change that-”

“I have no right to, Valene!” I snapped back. “The laws between humans and inhumans have been in affect for far longer than I have even been in existence! Just because I love you does not mean that I have to love every sympathize with every human that I come across! It does not work that way! That is not the world that we live in! And you need to accept that!”

I had become so upset I had forgotten myself for a moment. I had to take a moment to gather my resolve once more before I spoke again.

“Valene, I know…that this may come off as heartless and cold to you but that is life. Not just in the world of inhumans but humans as well. Do you really believe that every human treats or loves their fellow human? Race plays a part in the lives of inhumans as well as gender. There is always a deciding factor in how one deals with another. That has always been the case for most every species-not just mine.”

She walked over to the other side of the unit and sat on a pallet of hay. I had to make note as she did this that these humans deserved far better accommodations than this.

“It’s unfair,” she murmured. “Life shouldn’t be so complicated.”

I stood and approached her and tried to respond with empathy. “What would life be if it weren’t, Val?”

“More tolerable, that’s for sure.” said Valene. “Boring…maybe but certainly easier.”

“Hm, I have to agree.” I chuckled dryly. We sat there in silence. I was thinking about our conversation and I’m sure that Valene was thinking beyond that.To take her mind off of whatever hardships she was thinking about, I handed dangled a bag of food in front of her; what she’d call, sweet treats. I knew that she’d probably not anything else. Sweets was the only thing that Valene could not resist.

“Sweet treats!” She whispered in exclamation. Then she paused. “I can’t-I can’t eat this. The others have no food and-”

“I will take care of them.” I said. If it would make her eat, I would feed every single human in the state of the Virginia territory had she asked me to.

“You swear it?”

“I swear it.” I smiled.

She sighed, and dropped her head on my shoulder. Honestly, her gesture caught me of guard. I sat there looking down at her head as it lay on my arm in disbelief.

As I always say, Valene was a daughter to me, but…I guess I never really treated her like one in the ways that should matter. Not for the last seven years of her life. We hadn’t sat like this since the night of Caris’s death, and then she was compleltely engulfed in my arms because of her grief. With night in comparison to this, I could not help but think that she must have really experiencing troubling feelings to display such vulnerability.

I kissed the top of her head and we just sat there for a few minutes more in silence, the only sound echoing is her silent chewing. After a few moments more passed, I broke the silence.

“What were you two talking about Valene?”

Her chewing paused, and so did she. Both her hands were holding chocolate cake split in half. “She seems to think that…that I have been trying to convince you to turn me into one of you.” She looked up at me. “Why would she think that?”

She asked this question as if she had already known. I turned my head, staring blankly at the wall as frustration, yet again, began to ignite in me.

“Well since, Harlyn brought it up, now is the perfect time to discuss, Alastair.”

Aziz was right but that didn’t mean that I wanted to do it. It was a hard and to be honest, I did not want to have the conversation with her.

“Then I will.”

Before I could rebuttal, Aziz pushed forward. And immediately faced Valene. She backed away subtly, surprised at the change in my eyes. My fangs had even grown out a little as was the case when Aziz was pushed through the forefront.

“Do not worry, little one.” Aziz said through me. “I only want to talk.” His guttural voice expressed. Once she settled again the conversation continued.

“Hello, Master Aziz.” She smiled and immediately I could feel Aziz’s satisfaction in Valene’s happiness to see him.

“Hello…Valene.” said Aziz. “You know that we have discussed many times what to do to make your life easier. We’ve even entertained…the aspect of…letting you go.” We wasn’t sure what the expression on her face meant but our only assumption could be shock. “The truth of the matter is…your life expectancy as a gold blood-even in the human world would not be long. In fact, it would, no doubt, be shorter than if you were to stay.” Aziz voiced the facts so easily even in it bothering him to do so. “Regardless, I know that it should be your decision to be set free but…to be honest, if I can protect you from such a fate, I will…whether you agree or not. I know that it is not fair but, logically speaking…it does not have to be and I would not have it any other way if I can save your life, Valene.” Aziz! I chastised mentally. His blatant wording was insensitive to say the least. “We are not here to mince words, Alastair.” He said to me and then Valene chuckled garnering both our attention.

“He always did try to handle me with kid gloves.” she said with amusement and she was right.

“Sometimes, he forgets that you are not built like Harlyn.” Aziz said truthfully.

“I know.” she said. “I guess…by all logic, I probably should be more sensitive than Harlyn…I am human after all.” She said.

With a sigh, Aziz continued the conversation. “I guess the point that I am trying to make…is that turning you into one of us…was the only path that we could see where you’d be safe enough to live your life. Whether you stay in Shadow Veil or live your life elsewhere.”

“Hm,” She looked away from me, her stare turning distant as she leaned over, her elbows on her knees. “Before you made this decision for me…were you at least going to ask?” Valene inquired. “Or were you going to make the decision for me…to save me…as you claimed before?” she looked up at me. There wasn’t malice as we thought it would be, just sincere curiosity.

“No.” both Aziz and I said simultaneously. “Valene, this…life change is…is not something to be taken lightly. It is a life or death decision and it is no right of mine nor Alastair’s to make such a decision.”

She nodded and looked away again, finally popping one half of her partially eaten cake into her mouth. “Okay.” she simply said and then she simply laid her head back down on my shoulder.

“If I asked what your decision is now…would you have one?”

There was a lull, Valene didn’t answer right away and then I felt her head shift from side to side. “No, I wouldn’t,” She replied. “I need time to think about this, Master Wade. And apparently, if my decision is to go through with it, so does Harlyn.”

After Valene gave her answer, Aziz took a step back from our conscious mind again. “She isn’t happy about it.”

Valene glanced up at me again, seeming to realize that I was back at the controls. She smirked and laid her head down again. “No, she’s not. I think…I think that Harlyn believes that I feel I am deserving of the title of inhuman.”

“But aren’t you?” I asked as I thought that she was.

“Deserving the title of a human is purely an subjective point of view.” she said. “Who’s to say that being an inhuman is more…an honor or meaningful than being human?” she asked.

Suddenly, I wanted to know what she thought about the idea as a whole. “Do you think that…my way of living is a curse?” I asked her.

“Subject…to opinion, Master Wade.” she said without reluctance. “The lives of inhumans seem…glamorous in a sense, but there are cons; outliving generation after generation. Sure, finding the love of your life could make things easier but what if you never did find that special person to make life worth living? Then there’s the whole needing flesh and blood to sustain your lives.” She laughed. “I’d also wager that having such a superiority complex would be tiresome in itself. I don’t know.” she said. “Maybe those cons aren’t big enough to be cons.” Valene shrugged. “I guess the fact that being turned is not a one-hundred percent success says something about being worthy enough to be an inhuman.” she exhaled. “It’s just all…so complicated to me, Master Wade. I am human when it is all said and done, and I will be taking the biggest risk of all in this endeavor. I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t concerned about the potential repercussions.”

“I get it.” I said though I could not resist pointing out. “But at least you wouldn’t be in a situation like this,” I added. “And even if you were in a bad situation, you’d heal.”

“Well, how fast…that is subjective too, isn’t it?” She asked with sarcasm as we both knew that being injured by an inhuman, depending on how powerful they were, could have one on their back for a prolonged period of time.

“Valene, I do not want to see you get hurt simply because of a disagreement with Harlyn.”

“It was more than that, Master Wade. It is always more than that.” she said. “Harlyn, I get the feeling, has begun to resent me for some reason but besides that, I am tired of being made to feel bad for the littlest things. Even if that means that the end result is a lashing.” She looked up at me. “Please…let me do this…let me live with the choices I’ve made.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You don’t realize how hard it is to accept what you are asking me to do.”

“I think we’re both at an impasse that neither of us are necessarily happy about.” she said. “But whatever happens from here on out will not dictate life going forward.”

I scoffed. “I just..do not understand how you were even able to sleep, knowing what is going to happen Valene.” I needed to understand why she was so okay with what she was about to have to endure.

“Because,” she said. “It is easier to sleep when the path you’re on is the one that you’ve chosen for yourself. No matter how hard that path may be.”

“That’s a subjective opinion, I’m sure.” I used her words and she laughed.

“Maybe….” countered Valene. “But for me…it is fact.”

We sat there a moment longer as I resonated on what my vassal had said. “You remind me of someone…a woman that I met…years ago.” I said.

“Oh? She must have been something if you remembered her-whether good or bad.”

“Oh, it was good…definitely good.” I said as I thought about the woman.

Valene chuckled. “I see. She must have been some inhuman. You should go and seek her out…maybe you’ll find happiness again.” She lifted her head off of me. “You should go home and get some rest. Whatever happens, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Yeah, but in what shape? I sighed and kissed her head. “I will be coming to get you myself.” I stood. “Eat and rest,” I opened the gate. “And if they’re too hard on you…I will be taking heads, Valene.”

“I’ll be fine.” she said. “Just go.”

I forced myself to take a step outside of the cell and close it behind me. I started to leave before and the thought about something. “Oh, and that remarkable woman…she was a human.” when I saw the surprise on her face and then a smile it made me feel at least…a little better about leaving her to her own decision. “Despite the superiority, humans can be remarkable creatures as well. I’m staring at one now, and I’ve known two in my lifetime.” I locked the cell. “Good night Valene.”