Kiel's expression remained unyielding as he spoke in a cold, calculated tone, "Very well, Cormac. Since you think you have the right to claim ownership of this land, I'll make you a one-time offer." He turned to Cormac and said, "Return the land to me, and I'll refund you the full amount you paid for it, plus all the expenses you've incurred in developing the property. As for the house, I'll give you half of its value as a gesture of goodwill. The remaining half will be considered as compensation for deceiving me.
Cormac's smile never wavered, but his eyes seemed to gleam with amusement. "I'm afraid that's not acceptable, Kiel. You see, I've grown quite fond of this place. And I think it's worth far more than what you're offering." Kiel's gaze narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "I'm not negotiating, Cormac. Take the offer or leave it. The choice is yours.
Cormac's smile faltered for a moment, and he took a step forward. "Why won't you allow us to enter your land? If you're concerned we'll harm your people, I'm willing to negotiate rules for our presence. We'll follow them, as long as they're reasonable." His eyes locked onto Kiel's, a hint of challenge in his voice. "Just don't ask us to harm ourselves."
Kiel's expression remained unyielding, his voice dripping with disdain. "Don't you get it? I said I don't want your kind in my land. Take the offer and leave."
Cormac's gaze intensified, his eyes burning with a mix of curiosity and possessiveness. "Even after knowing I'm your mate, you still want to let me go?" he asked, his voice low and husky, his words hanging in the air like a challenge.
Kiel's laughter was cold and mirthless, his eyes flashing with amusement. "Mate?" he repeated, the word dripping with scorn. "I'd rather go mateless than have you as my mate." His voice was laced with venom, his words cutting deep. "It seems the moon Selene is playing games with me, but I refuse to join in. I'll never have anything to do with you."
Ash's eyes widened as he watched the exchange, his gaze darting between Kiel and Cormac. He thought to himself, "It seems like Kiel is still holding onto the past, to the extent that his heart has become stone." The air was thick with tension, the silence between the two men .
Cormac's eyes narrowed, his voice taking on a hint of understanding. "Is that what this is about, Kiel? It because Some witch hurt you in the past, so you think we're all the same?" His gaze was piercing, as if he was trying to see into Kiel's very soul.
Kiel's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "What the hell do you know about me?" he growled, his voice low and menacing. "You think you can just say what ever you want.
The atmosphere in the hall began to shift, the air thickening with tension. The elders and guide in the room exchanged uneasy glances, sensing the rising hostility.
Elder Patrick stood up, his voice calm and soothing. "Ah, let's take a step back, shall we? We can discuss this further, alpha Kiel how about we all talk about this.
The other elders quickly chimed in, echoing his words. "Yes, let's not be hasty! We can work something out, I'm sure...
Cormac's gaze never left Kiel's, his eyes burning with intensity. "Then, I think I'll excuse myself, allow you and your people to come to a decision." His voice was smooth, but his eyes seemed to say, "This isn't over."
Kiel's scowl deepened, but he said nothing, his chest heaving with suppressed emotion. Cormac turned and walked out of the hall, the silence that followed his departure was oppressive.
Ash watched him go, his eyes troubled. He knew that Kiel's past had left deep scars, but he had never seen his alpha so... feral. The air was heavy .
(In the negotiation chamber.)
The room was heavy with silence, a palpable tension that seemed to suffocate everyone present. The elders and representatives of the various factions shifted uncomfortably in their seats, their eyes darting towards Kiel and then quickly away, as if afraid to meet his gaze. They knew that any misstep could ignite the fuse of Kiel's notorious temper, and no one wanted to be the one to spark the explosion.
But as the silence stretched on, Kiel's patience began to wear thin. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and his hands curled into fists. Finally, he slammed his fist on the table, making everyone jump.
"Enough!" he growled, his voice low and menacing. "I've had enough of this...game. You're the ones who summoned me here, so speak your minds. What's the purpose of this meeting?"
The room seemed to collectively hold its breath, the silence that followed Kiel's outburst even more oppressive than before. Elder Patrick cleared his throat, his eyes darting towards the other elders before returning to Kiel.
"Ah, alpha Kiel, we...we just wanted to discuss the, ah, situation with Cormac," he stammered, his voice hesitant. "We understand that he's...not exactly a welcomed guest in your eyes, but-"
Kiel's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "Not exactly a welcomed guest?" he repeated, his voice dripping with incredulity. "That...thing...is a menace, a cancer that's trying to destroy everything we hold dear.
The room was on the edge of chaos, the tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. It was clear that Kiel was barely holding onto his control, and it was only a matter of time before he lost it completely.
The tension in the negotiation chamber was tense as Liam spoke, his voice laced with concern. "But, Supreme Alpha, he's not willing to leave, and we can't force him to unless we go to war against him. And there's no guarantee we'll win. He's a powerful witch.
Elder Patrick's voice was calm and measured as he spoke, "Can't we just allow them in? We can set some rules for them to follow."
Kiel's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "Really? After everything this kind of people have done to us, you still want to allow them among us? Why are you people saying this? Why do you make it seem like I'm the only one hurt? Weren't you people there that day? Don't you see what they're capable of? They're heartless, they don't have feelings, they make fun out of killing people."
Elder Patrick's voice was gentle, but firm. "Even if we don't want them in our midst, one of them is your mate, Supreme Alpha Kiel. And you even confirmed that yourself."
Kiel's voice was laced with venom as he spoke, "What did I say? I will never accept him as my mate. I will never do that. I'm going to reject him."
Liam's voice was cautious as he spoke, "Your Majesty, why don't you just let go of the past and move on? These people are not the ones that hurt us. Yes, it's their kind, but they were not there that day. Having Cormac as your mate is a blessing to us. It's a huge thing. All of us know how powerful he is. It's a good advantage for us."
Kiel's voice was filled with emotion as he spoke, "Advantage? And you also say blessing? After everything? I can't believe you guys. We're not discussing this anymore. Hear my words, I'm not allowing them into my city. If anyone doesn't want to follow my rule, then they're free to leave. This gathering is dismissed."
The room erupted into chaos as Kiel stormed out, leaving the others stunned and worried .
Kiel stormed into his chamber, the doors slashing open as he made a beeline for the drink bar. He poured a glass of red wine into a delicate crystal cup, the liquid splashing against the sides as he grasped the cup and stepped out onto the balcony. The evening air was heavy with the scent of blooming flowers, and Kiel's gaze fell upon the moonflowers in his garden. He took a sip of the wine, the bitter taste doing little to calm the turmoil brewing inside him.
"Why did you follow me?" he growled, not turning to face Ash. "Got something to say?"
Ash's voice was cautious. "I understand you're not in the mood right now, but I have to say this-"
Kiel cut him off, his voice sharp as a knife. "If you're about to say the same thing everyone else is saying, I didn't appreciate it. Keep it to yourself."
Ash's sigh was barely audible, but Kiel's acute hearing picked it up. "But it's true, Cormac is your mate. You can't run away from that."
Kiel's grip on the cup tightened, the crystal creaking in protest. "I said I'm not accepting him as my mate."
Ash's voice was gentle, but persistent. "Then you should let them in. You know the elders, when they make up their minds, we've got nothing to do. Why don't you just let them in and be done with it? I understand you, but we really need to do something about this."
Kiel's laughter was cold and mirthless. "No, you don't. Everyone of you doesn't understand how I feel. I can't believe this.. even the flowers I love, I suddenly hate it." His gaze fell upon the moonflowers again, and his expression twisted in distaste. "It smells like him. Tell someone to burn all the moonflowers. I hate it, it's getting in my brain."
With a snarl, Kiel hurled the cup of wine against the wall, the crystal shattering into a hundred pieces. "Let's go," he growled, turning to Ash. "We're going to where he built his house."
Ash's voice was laced with concern. "This is a bad idea-"
But Kiel wasn't listening. He was already gone, moving with Lycon speed as he disappeared into the forest. Ash cursed under his breath and followed, his heart racing with anticipation and unease.