It didn't take long for everyone to see how ineffective and incompetent Cecil truly was as Alpha King. Unfortunately, to bring Cedric in to take over his brother's position was akin to a death sentence for Cecil.
The Alpha King position was something that could not be voted in or transferred with a simple decree. It had to be challenged and won by strength and power.
The only challenge that would be acceptable would be either a complete abdication by Cecil in acceptance of complete banishment—or the death of one of his sons on the arena round.
Truth be told, for Cecil to accept banishment from the capital city of Faria was the best solution for everyone involved. Sadly, he was not going to quietly slink away like an alpha that had surrendered without a fight.
Cecil had fired a final parting shot at his brother, the new Alpha King of Faria.
Cyrus sighed. "There is something more important than these documents Son. Evelyn is pregnant and she is pointing that fetus at you."
"I never slept with her Father. I don't think I even said two words to that woman."
"Nevertheless, you must deal with it because she has leveled the charge of fatherhood at you."
Cedric shrugged. "I'll just tell everyone she's a whore who slept with my brother."
He waved a dismissive hand and sat back down. With a heave of resignation, Cedric began again to look through the reams of documents that were in front of him.
Cyrus gazed at his son with tired eyes.
"That's not going to work, Cedric."
"Why not?"
"Evelyn's got solid proof that you're the father."
"That's impossible. I never touched her."
Cyrus shut his eyes. His poor second son…
"It's very possible if witches are involved. They have magicked the testing to show that you are the father of the fetus that Evelyn is carrying."
Cedric laughed. "Then they can wait till the bastard has been born to see who the father is."
"Even if it's not your son, the child is still your nephew!" Cyrus barked. "You cannot slander him in that manner!"
"Then tell your precious first-born to take responsibility."
Cyrus fumed.
Cecil was no more precious to him than his second son. He loved both his sons equally, but Cedric was never going to believe that because the throne had been passed down to his first-born, as tradition normally dictated.
"Do you not get it? Because you deposed Cecil, Count Edwin does not want him as the son-in-law. He wants you!"
"Not my son. Not my problem." Cedric threw back without care. "Furthermore, Count Edwin's wants and desires have nothing to do with me."
Cyrus took a deep breath. "You certainly seem to care very much for Devin, who is also not your son but has become your problem nonetheless. At least, care about this child as well!"
"There is a big difference Father. Devin is my nephew, the son of my twin sister. She has never tried to pin her child as mine. She and her mate are very much tied at the hips."
Cedric looked up at his father with steely amber eyes. "This bastard is the child of my half-brother, the same one who sent out a decree of marriage between me and the woman that he continued to sleep with. I am not going to accept that bastard as my child."
Cyrus shook his head. "To me, they are all my grandchildren and all equally important. You cannot let my grandchild be considered a bastard."
"You want me to do something about that? Fine. I'll do the right thing. I will send a royal decree, requiring Cecil to marry Evelyn."
Cyrus grimaced. "He will simply do the same thing you just did. Deny it and accuse you of wrongdoing. With Evelyn also pointing fingers at you, who do you think the people will believe?"
Cedric squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't have time to deal with this bullshit.
"Is there any way to invalidate the witch's test?"
"Yes, but it will also kill the fetus."
"Then wait until the child is born. At that time, test him or her again and prove otherwise."
"By then, Evelyn will have been married to you and there would be no point in it."
"Of course there would be a point. It would clear me of any wrong-doing and I will regain my honor as a man."
"Your honor would never be question if you simply married Evelyn. At that point, testing him would only be tainting the child for no further gain to yourself."
"Listen to me Father. I will NEVER marry her. And secondly, I do not want her or that bastard in my life."
"Might I remind you that the bastard is still your niece or nephew!"
"I don't care."
"But I do!" A voice cried out from the entrance.
Ingrid Blaxtone ran in, clutching at the front of her dress with frantic fingers.
"Cedric!" She cried in distress. "You cannot do this to your own family member!"
"Mother Ingrid. Not my child, not my problem." He stated once again, as if it was a mantra.
"Cedric. You are better than this!" She insisted with tears in her eyes.
"Better than your son who slept with the woman who is supposed to be my fiancée?"
"Son, what's done is done. Don't take the father's sins and smear them onto the innocent infant. Accept the child and give him a decent chance at life!" Ingrid implored.
"I can send out a decree that states the child is my niece or nephew, but that's the extent of my involvement with this situation."
"Cedric. Please! You are that child's only hope of a normal life! The child is my precious grandchild!" Ingrid grabbed onto Cedric's hand, pleading.
"Mother Ingrid." Cedric pulled his hand back, distaste clearly evident in his eyes. "Your son's lack of judgment and extremely poor choices in life do not necessitate an emergency response in mine."
"What would it hurt for you to claim the child? Just consider him an adopted one." She begged.
"Mother. I have a mate. She is the love of my life. I will not do anything that will affect her or our future children."
"Son. Marrying a Queen has nothing to do with the mate that you take." She reasoned. "Cecil has a queen that he never even sees!"
Cedric laughed. "Mother Ingrid. Do I look like 'a Cecil' to you?"
He said it in a manner that clearly spoke volumes about how little he regarded his brother.
Ingrid blanched. "Regardless of what you think about him and how you feel about your own brother, you have driven him from this city. You cannot also throw his child away!"
"Mother Ingrid. I understand that you love your son and will fight to the death for him, but remember this. I have a mother too and she loves me just as much as you love Cecil. What do you think my mother would say if she was standing right here?"
"I don't care what she says! This has to do with a child that will be born within the year!" Ingrid cried.
"And why does my son have to fix your son's mistakes?" The high-pitched voice of Athena called out from the entrance.