Cullen sat down at the head of the table where his throne-like chair was situated.
Earlier, he had organized a meeting with the council members to fill them in about his journey to the non-changeling world and they in return, had also asked for his permission to speak to him concerning an urgent matter as soon as the meeting was over.
"What is it that you all want to say to me?" He questioned in a firm but calm voice. His eyes scanned the faces of each and every one of them seated present in the meeting at that moment.
What was the need of asking an audience if they weren’t going to say anything? He had been waiting for more than ten minutes and yet, no one had said anything to him.
"Permit me to say something, My Lord." Someone spoke up from the crowd. It was Adelel, the head Alpha of the wolf clan.
Cullen gestured to him, urging him to continue.
"As we all know, it has been exactly three weeks since the demise of Lady Natalia, your wife." He began and Cullen’s jaw ticked in slight anger, irritation and frustration.
He had no idea why they had brought up this issue now. Where exactly was this conversation leading to now?
"My Lord, we have all mourned and buried her according to the laid down rules and traditions of our pack. Lady Natalia was a good woman who had lived up to our expectations and served our pack graciously but unfortunately, she had failed to perform one of her most crucial duties as a wife before passing on."
They all nodded in affirmation confirming his worst fears. Deep down, he already knew where they were going with this and to top it off, he wasn’t prepared for it as well.
He knew that Natalia’s death would only be nothing but an avenue for the council to impose their wishes on him.
"She has failed to give you an heir."
"We have all decided to indulge and implore you, My Lord, to find a new wife that will produce an heir and take after you in the future, lest you stand a grave chance of loosing your position as the King of this pack." He concluded and rested back on his seat.
Cullen cringed. He didn’t know why but somehow he felt insulted.
"I do not want another woman, neither do I want a child. I have made that abundantly clear right from the very day I succeeded this throne!" He stated the obvious and they began to murmur amongst themselves.
From the corner of his eyes, he could see the smirk that played on Alfonso’s lips. Could it be that he was planning something?
Degar had mentioned that he wanted him dead and although, he didn’t want to believe it but he had already started to have his doubts concerning the matter.
"But why?" Adalwolf, another member of the council questioned "Your father and his fathers before him, all partook in this ritual. It’s a tradition as old as time."
"And I am simply not interested in that washed up, barbaric tradition!" He banged his fists on the table and they all flinched.
"What part of that sentence do you all not understand?"
"You might be the strongest Lycan in the land My Lord but we are your council." Coniel reminded him.
"The only reason why you are seated on that throne is because of the decision your own father had also made In the past. He birthed you and gave you that right."
Cullen scoffed mockingly. Bold of them to assume that he cared. His father was a ruthless king that ruled everyone with an iron fist.
He was nothing like that excuse of a man but he dare not utter those words in front of the council so he simply chose to remain quiet.
"Isn’t that something I should decide to do with my own woman? My own mate even if I wanted to?" He argued visibly.
"If you have trouble finding your mate, the laws of the land doesn’t forbid you from having more than one woman."
"Your father was married to a lot of women, including your mother who wasn’t his mate." They explained in a bid to make him see reason.
Cullen darted his eyes to the opposite direction where Degar was seated but the look in his eyes only told him that he didn’t want to get involved with the council. The bloody bastard!
"I will think about what you all have said." He told them.
"That won’t be necessary. The council have already made arrangements for you to get married to another woman to take Natalia’s place." Head sentinel Radah broke down the news to him.
Cullen’s eyes darkened In rage. His wolf prowled inside him in anger. How could they go behind his back to make decisions for him? How dare they play jury over his life?
"Just like the same arrangements you had made when you forced me to get married to Natalia?" He growled bitterly. He felt betrayed.
"We wouldn’t be having this conversation if you had done the necessary thing My Lord. This issue concerns everyone seated here."
"Do you really have to force him?" Alfonso, his beta, spoke up for the very first time that evening.
"He simply isn’t interested in fathering an heir. I believe that it is inhumane for us to force our wishes on him. He is not only the Lycan king of this pack but our leader as well."
"I, for one, will support whatever you decide My Lord." He inclined his head slightly to pledge his allegiance but Cullen could see right past his smile. It was nothing but a facade.
"This meeting is over!" He rose to his feet "I do not wish to speak about this matter ever again!" He warned them sternly before storming out of the courtroom.
Cullen walked towards the path that led to the tower’s garden, and the minute he arrived, he was approached by Moira who had been cleaning up the place before he interrupted her with his presence.
"Is everything okay, my Lord?" She had asked when she got closer to where he stood. His eyes were fixed on the flowers in front of him but his mind had already wandered far.
"I am not okay Moira." He replied after a brief silence "The council are asking me to get married again but I don’t want to. I do not want to get married." He repeated with a scrunched face.
He heard Moira sigh. He had expected that sort of reaction from her. She was the only one apart from Degar who knew the reason behind his decision.
She was the only one who knew why he didn’t want to go through with it. Why didn’t he want to let any woman get close to him?
"The council is only asking you to fulfill your duty as their leader Cullen." She touched his arm. "They are only asking you to follow the tradition."
"The same tradition that was made by my father and his fathers before him?" He threw her a challenging look, his jaw ticked in rage.
"The same tradition that killed my mother and rendered me useless? You are asking me to follow that tradition?" He blurted out in pure agony and hurt.
The pain he felt at that moment ran deep inside his bones.
"You amongst everyone is well aware of what that same tradition has done to me. I have lost a whole lot of people because of that stupid tradition."
"I have lost my sanity, my life, my sleep and myself in the process Moira." He yanked his hands away from her grip and took a step forward.
"I understand what you are going through Cullen." She started towards him. "I watched you grow up into the man you are now. I know just how much this has affected you but you cannot deny the fact that they are only concerned about your future."
"Your mother prayed desperately to the goddess to have you. Your senior mother crawled just so you could walk."
"She was insulted and received a lot of backlash from her fellow wives just so that you can be where you are now. Do not let their struggles be in vain." She advised him.
"Think about what they have said and make up your mind. You of all people should’ve known that this day would surely come."
"My Lord!" Degar’s domineering voice broke the sudden silence that had enveloped them.
"Leave us Moira." Cullen ordered and she immediately took to her heels.
"What have you decided?" Degar asked and he turned to face him. His frown was evident as he glared at him.
"I am not going to do it." Came his response.
"But the council—"
"Do you think that I care what they think?" He cut him short "I have never cared and I don’t plan on doing so now."
"My Lord, if you refuse to do this, you are not only putting your position in danger but your people as well." He addressed him. "If you are hurt in any way then they will suffer."
"Besides, I also have a feeling that Alfonso is up to no good and the only way you can secure your pack is to have a legitimate heir and you can only do that through this marriage."
"Think of it as a necessity to achieve your goals. You were recently attacked and I fear for the worse. This marriage will also give us enough time to figure out who attacked you and what they are up to."
Cullen breathed heavily. This wasn’t exactly how he wanted his evening to go.
The council had not only ruined his mood and now this? Just how much were they planning on taking from him? Just how much do they want him to give?
"I have found a woman from a good pack and I have formed an alliance with them. It’s up to you to decide if you want to go through with this or face the unpleasant music from the council which might not be favorable."
"It’s your call, My Lord but I will stand with whatever you decide to do."