The Hybrid

The Plan

We sat around the conference table quietly as everyone finished eating. I barely touched my plate, my nerves we eating at me in anticipation of how the meeting with the consul went. The silence was so loud it could be seen dangling in the air.

Mason and my brothers arrived shortly after the others, their moods dark. I could tell I'm not the only one nerve for the news. Axel looks ready to explode at any moment, and Mason won't even look in my direction since they've returned.

I push the food around my plate for a few minutes longer, before I can't take it any longer. My fork clatter onto my plate catching everyone's attention. "What happened?" I asked not looking at anyone of them. It was a simple question on the surface, but the response would be a loaded one that could change my entire life, again.

Dustin sighs, the stress evident in his shoulders. "Let's not ruin this meal with business." His demeanor stoic.

"No! I won't sit here another minute wondering what the hell went so horribly wrong that you won't even look at me let alone tell me. This is my problem. I caused it and I'm going to have to fix it." I growl.

The room went quiet, all eyes on me. "Honey, this is not your fault." Toni's voice was soft but still firm in his statement.

"What did the consul say." It was a command, not a question. My teeth grinding against each other as I wait for someone to yield to the command.

It didn't take long for it to work. Within seconds Levi was spilling the news. "They want you to give up the throne and any other title you have or will have."

I sat there shell shocked. The room burst into an uproar, but I could hear anything they were saying. It was like I was shoved underwater with the magnitude of the demands. Give up any title I received. Not only would I have to give up the throne, but I also couldn't be the Luna to Arron's pack or help lead Axel's cove once his parents wanted to retire. Not to mention the witches wouldn't listen to the consul's jurisdiction when it comes to the next elder witch.

"No!" The voice broke through my flooded mind. "Baby, we told them no." Axel's eyes were locked with mine. The crystal blue eyes held my with devotion and love, bring a smile to my face from the intensity of his emotions.

"What happened?" My voice softer this time. When Axel adverts his eyes my anger surges as I demand the answer again.

"They threatened my pack..." His head hung in defeat. He's been unusually quiet until now. "If you don't comply they threatened to go to war for not complying with the consul's ruling." The proud alpha was gone and in his place a broken looking man.

"We'll figure this out," I assure him. "No one's going to get hurt." I tasted the lie slip through my lips.

"You're not giving up your title. They wouldn't be satisfied with that." He was right again. There's no way they would let me roam around unrestricted, even if I didn't have a title my abilities would still hold power.

"So what's the plan son?" Toni attempts to be sympathetic to the new alpha, giving him some of the control he lost at the meeting.

"They gave us five days. If Kelsie doesn't renounce her claim they'll attack." Arron further explains. "My warriors are strong but we're severely outnumbered." The consul has unlimited resources, including disposable warriors that are trained as assassins.

"I only have five platoons to deployed," Toni informs. Arron nods in gratitude and to accept Toni's offer. "They'll deploy in two days." The details of the war to come filled the room.

The thoughts had my mind spinning. "Are we sure this is the only way?" I didn't like the idea of people die because of me. "My title is not worth hundreds of people dying."