MATEO POV
"Mateo, we know he's your only brother but he needs severe punishment now".
"I know, Joan. But he's all I've got".
"Honestly, if he wasn't your brother, I would've torn him apart long ago".
It was another member of the pack, Wilshire by name.
"Mat, he's becoming reckless. Because of him, we could have risked another Shize Battle. I mean, those are pure descent of Dracula".
"Plus, the treaty could've been voided".
I was beginning to get a banging headache.
They are my pack, sworn to devotion, but on the other hand was my brother.
"We're your guild. We'll never lead you astray. Trust our judgement".
"I'll think about it. I'll make my decision tomorrow".
"Fine. Have it your way. But don't let the clan lose faith in you. You trust rumors".
Joan and the gang left me alone.
I thought long and hard about it.
I wasn't going to let him off the hook this time but I didn't wanna hurt him.
"Mum, Dad, I wish you were here".
Remembering their last words brought tears to my eyes.
*FLASHBACK*
"Diego, you're going to a treaty with the very ones who killed Dad".
I was peeping via the keyhole. Uncle Ted and Dad were having a heated argument.
I was just a kid then, probably 6 or 7.
"They didn't kill Dad. He made the wrong decision. He chose war over peace".
"A just war!".
"No, a war borne out of revenge. And damn did he choose the wrong side!".
"Those wizards act as gods. Like they're the only pure beings created by Godan".
"We came from Godan, but we don't discriminate, do we?".
"But they do. And this is gonna cause another bloody war".
"I wonder, Diego. You were present at the treaty that day. And you're the only damn one who didn't understand that the Wizards need to be taken out".
"Yes, Ted. You're right. I was the only one not brainwashed. All I saw then was her insatiable quest for revenge. She just manipulated our minor differences against the Wizards".
"She meant good. Why can't you see that?".
"Really, good? Six thousand wolves, including Dad, struck to smithereens all because of her".
"It was just a spell".
"No. We were meant to lose. She wanted to change fate and what happened? Half of the North American wolf population turned to dust because they incurred Godan's wrath. She used the Cursed Scrolls for crying out loud, did you forget?".
"She was....".
"That killed Dad, did you forget?".
Ted bowed his head.
"No!".
"Good. We were lucky that we didn't join the war or our lineage could've winded up just like that".
"We attacked nobody because of that, did we? And now, we've recovered a quarter of the numbers, why?Because that's the tranquility that peace brings.
And I'll get it to the fullest".
"Think about the people. Think about what they want".
"It's not what they want, Ted. It's about what is right. If doing what is right is gonna make me go against public opinion, then I'll happily be a tyrant".
He turned to leave.
I quickly ran away to avoid been spotted.
*****************
They waved us goodbye. They never returned.
Rumors say that they were killed by the vampires but their bodies were never found.
*FLASHBACK ENDS*
Suddenly, Joan rushed into the room.
"Hey, Joan. Can't you...?".
I noticed that she was bleeding on her arm.
"Why are you...?".
"Your brother!!".
"What happened to him?".
I was beginning to get scared.
"He's REBELLING!!!".