Kaden yawned as he looked at the elders whom he was standing before in the throne room. They looked at him with awe and well…fear. He was directly facing the eldest of them all, Matthias. From a young age, he had grown to know that they were the wolves who guarded and held up the principles regarding Rivera whole directing the royal family, most especially his father who was the King and him.
He looked at the rest of them and his ears picked up hushed chatters that he knew they dare not say it to his face.
"I heard you were awake, my boy. You seem to look a lot better since you have awoken," Kaden heard Matthias say as he stroked his white beard, "But you are cursed by the moon goddess and now you're unable to have a mate or have an heir. "
Those words pricked Kaden by the ears as he reasoned within himself that this was the core reason why he was summoned.
"What would the people think about a cursed prince? It would only drive panic and trepidation into those people." Another elder whom Kaden was lucky to recognize, Hiro who had a smaller build and had no beard but he did have a lot of white long hair on his head.
"Then does that mean, I'm unable to ascend and take over from my father….. "
"You do not speak unless you're asked to," Matthias stated firmly as he banged a short wood against the table, "You may think you're still the same but Rivera isn't. You need to understand why you are here so keep your mouth shut, unless you want to be judged here. "
Kaden tightened his lips as he remembered their crude customs. When he was far younger and was naïve, he got judged by the elders because he glared at one of them who kept pointing his rod at his neck. He ended up being rewarded with twenty lashes on his back.
Not even his father could stop that.
"We have reached a conclusion even begin you woke up suddenly, taking all of us here by surprise. "
Didn't they expect him back or what was they referring to?
"Aros, who is now the commander in chief of your fleet has warmed the people's heart and has done a lot to help Rivera in the past three years. He has shown dedication, bravery and determination even when he's just a human. But a human like that can stir the heart of the people and stop the rivalry between humans and werewolves like us. He's the most capable for a companion and from this day, he would be made a Prince and your adopted brother. "
Kaden's mouth was half wide open in shock as he tilted his head to each and every corner of the room in despair we he watched the elders all nodding in agreement.
How could they betray him?
"But he has no royal blood. Neither does the wolf blood run in his veins. He's incapable of shouldering the weight of the crown as a Prince. " Kaden muttered as he looked at them with his hands clenched Into a fist by his sides.
"He doesn't need to have a royal blood running in him. All he has to do is keep up with being a Prince of Rivera as a human and show that humans and werewolves are equal." Hiro retorted sharply as he pointed his index finger toward Kaden.
"Dear elders, " Kaden turned around once more as his eyes landed on Matthias as his knee sank on the floor and his head faced the ground, "We all know that humans will never be like us. We are far stronger, smarter and much better than them. We outweigh them in strength and even on the battlefield. Making him a Prince is a total mockery of Rivera. "
"You have no right to object since Aros has already agreed to it. Why not accept him as your brother and work hand in hand? You grew up with him, is this any different?" Matthias thundered as his pulled his white clothe over his shoulders, "And Aros can help you in getting a heir as well."
Kaden wished his hands could sink beneath the ground as his chest vibrated with seething anger. It had already been planned from the onset, from the moment he was awake and they realized that he was cursed.
"Leave my sight, Kaden. How dare you try to defy my authority?" Matthias asked and Kaden rose to his feet slowly as he fought the urge within him, not to snap the old man's neck.
Kaden turned around like a helpless beast, looking for a prey to make it stronger. His eyes turned defiant with rage once more and he mouthed, "Aros."
Kaden walked toward the training field as the sound of his men reached his ears. He moved closer, walking through the empty tents and he got even angrier when he noticed his fleet watching Aros sharpen a sword.
He had showed him that before when he was younger and now he was showing it off to his fleet of men without his consent.
Kaden stomped his feet angrily and walkes over to a stunned Aros who dropped his sword in a haste once their eyes met. Without saying a word to his fleet, he walked first while Aros followed and as Kaden walked, the place began to feel more familiar as he stopped around an empty field filled with green long grasses. The tip of the grasses tickled his fingers and Kaden stared hard at Aros for a long while.
"You agreed to be a Prince?" Was the first statement that Kaden uttered, "You know it's forbidden for a mere human to be given that title, you don't even have the blood in you. How dare you agree to such nonsense? Was stealing my men not enough for you?"
Kaden moved closer to Aros who stopped him by drawing out his sword.
"I didn't want it. It was given to me and I had to take it at all cost. You know I can not defy the elders. " Aros retorted.
Kaden looked at the sword that Aros put on his left shoulder. He slowly picked it up the tip as he flung it aside.
"You expect me to believe you, Aros?" Kaden circled round him, the way a predator does to his prey, "You once told me that you knew your place in Rivera. "
"I know my place but I have a duty now. I have to do it and it would be better if you can understand me. You should know it's for the better good of Rivera, don't you see that?" Aros countered back.
"The good of Rivera?" Kaden drawled, "You were never interested in the good of Rivera. You cleaned the soot and grime off my clothes, that was your place. You were always behind me, never in front of me. That was your place, Aros. You don't deserve to be called a Prince. It's an embarrassment."
"An embarrassment to you? You have treated me with disdain for so long and I will not treat you the same. I have always seen you as my brother." Aros retorted sharply as he picked up his sword.
"You will never be my brother. Do you hear me?" Kaden pointed his index finger at Aros.
"But what will you do now that I am your brother?" Aros countered back, "Will you kill me? I can give you my sword and let you do it. "
Kaden marveled at how much Aros had changed.
"You are taking everything away from me." Kaden started as he moved closer to Aros, grabbing him by his collar.
"You have everything, Kaden. You have everything at the sole of your feet. I have taken nothing away from you. " Aros screamed.
"What did the elders promise you, Aros?" Kaden finally asked.
"Nothing."
"I don't believe you, Aros." Kaden retorted.
"Even if I was telling the truth, you will never believe me. You have always doubted in me and have seen me as nothing. " Aros spat on the ground.
Kaden breathed in deeply as he looked at Aros. In that moment, he wanted to shift into a wolf and tear him apart but he didn't have the strength to. In his tan, he was able to turn into a wolf once Lily left but now, he could feel that his strength wasn't as before.
"Mark my words Aros. You will never be my equal. Neither will you be my brother. You are simply a mere mortal."