Crimson Tears: A Werewolf's Dirge (Book 2)

Chapter IX: Revolution

Werewolf Head Council

A week later

Alistair states "All the preparations are done. You can begin the announcement at your leisure my lord."

"Thank you, Alistair. You have been a great help." Replies Catherine.

"I've only done as you asked, I don't deserve the compliments, my lord." States Alistair.

"Alistair, I want you to look me in the eyes when I say this, understood?" Asks Catherine.

Meeting her eyes, Alistair says "I understand."

Taking off her council garments, Catherine says "I'm no longer going to be your lord, nor am I your master. You are free to do as you wish. If you don't agree with me telling all of our kind the truth and they too can do as they please, you can kill me right here, right now and I will not fight back."

With disbelief, Alistair asks "What am I to call you then?"

"Since you've made your choice, you can call me lady Catherine. I am a noble, I'm just renouncing my title as the leader." Replies Catherine.

"As you wish lady Catherine." States Alistair.

"Now that I got that out of the way, I have one thing left to do." Replies Catherine.

Hallowed Dream

Haven

"I need you to hurry up and get my brother and Kayle here as quickly as possible. The head council is making an announcement I think they'll want to hear." Says Elizabeth.

"As you wish." Replies Castella as she leaves the room.

Jerick/Kayle's room

"It sounds like the whole haven is in a hurry. I wonder what it's about?" Asks Kayle. "I don't know, but it must be pretty big." Replies Jerick.

(Knock, knock)

Jerick calls out "I'll be right there!"

"Castella? What's she doing here?" Asks Kayle nervously.

Opening the door, Jerick asks "What's the matter Castella?"

"You and the mistress need to follow me now. I don't have time to explain." Replies Castella hurriedly.

"Jerick, let's go see what's going on." Says Kayle with a worried look in her eyes. "You're right, let's go." Replies Jerick as they follow Castella to the main hall.

Once they reach the main hall they see on a large monitor someone getting ready for an announcement.

Speaking into the microphone at the podium, Catherine says "For all of you watching this, I want to formally introduce myself. I am the previous leader and head of our council. To some of you, if not a mass majority of you I am a ruthless monster who has taken away countless friends, family, and loved ones. I know full well there is no amount of apologies I could give for that, but nonetheless, I want to apologize. I am making this broadcast to let everyone know that I am stepping down as the head council leader.

I also want you all to know there has been a dark hidden secret that only a select few have known about. As we have all been told when the war between us and the vampires ended there were twelve noble families that survived. That was a lie. There were thirteen. My great-grandmother was the thirteenth noble that survived the war, but she had died shortly after giving birth to my grandmother.

On my mother's death bed I vowed to clear our family's name of any wrongdoing, which I have done. When our previous leader was about to die he had no one to take his place, so I was appointed to the position. My daughter, like many others, was killed in cold blood. I had to make the hard decision to hunt down and kill my own grandchild due to him falling in love with a vampire. I have come to realize after six hundred years of making that kind of mistake, I would renounce my title as your ruler. I will bear the sins for the countless number of our kin I myself have ordered to be killed. To die as payment. I will not fight anyone who wishes for my head, all I ask is that you spare the life of my grandchild."