Beta Stephen wishes to initiate the discussion about the dampyrs...
"Pardon me, Julian, but if I may?" The alpha nods; allowing the beta to proceed with the matter of the unexpected two dampyrs. "Thank you, my alpha. Now Felicia, I'd like to begin by asking why it was so imperative that the three of them stay together … and what exactly are the 'dire circumstances' that surround these dampyrs?"
Felicia begins to reveal the story behind Irena and Countess Ardelean's grandniece...
"Well, I suppose I should start by telling you that the insistence for the three of them to be kept together was requested by the infant's great aunt. Mostly due to the internal splintering of hierarchical power caused by the formation of several factions within their clans and opposing political viewpoints, her grandniece may become the target of physical harm; including assassination attempts."
The beta cuts in, "Pardon the interruption, Felicia; but you said 'mostly due'...? So, are there other reasons she may be targeted?"
"Before I go on, I should just let you know..." Felicia clarifies, "I'm not aware of the specific details regarding the circumstances … for that, perhaps Irena knows more about them. But as far as the other reasons, I believe it involves a falling out between the infant's great aunt and Princess Analiese Vodrak; who is probably one of the most powerfully influential and feared members sitting on the Council of the Immortal Ones."
"Just a minute, Felicia..." The alpha cuts into the discussion, "I'm aware of who Princess Vodrak is … and what you mentioned, it sounds like these 'dire circumstances' revolve around some sort of political strife … so, I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that that dampyr's great aunt is someone of great importance and notoriety as well?"
Felicia takes a moment to take in a breath before informing Alpha Julian, "Yes … she's Countess Esmeralda Ardelean..."
Beta Stephen can't contain himself, and abruptly blurts out...
"Holy shit! Not only did we agree to take in the daughter of the luna of the Shadow Hunter Pack … but now you're telling us we're also taking in the grandniece of the Matriarch of the Clan of the Old Order … the most renown and influential clan in all of eastern Europe."
Felicia nods. Elder Elliot displays that distinctively nefarious smirk set upon a Machiavellian-like visage as he mutters aloud under his breath...
"Looks like we really did hit the jackpot with this bunch. This wound up being a smart decision by the alpha, after all."
Suddenly, he hears an all too familiar voice... and it does not sound pleased with his last verbalized opinion ...
"What was that?"
His attention is quickly drawn towards Teresa, who is displaying yet another fiercely malevolent glare directed at him. His scheming visage vanishes almost as quickly as the coloring in his face, while his body begins to tremble because of his growing trepidation. Fearing another possible bodily attack, the elder quickly looks to the alpha with beseeching eyes conveying a merciful plea for him to intervene and keep his sister from pouncing on him.
With the message received, in an attempt to quickly diffuse the hostility with a touch of levity the alpha jocosely quips...
"Easy there, Teresa; let's not decapitate Elder Elliot just yet. After all, if you rip his head off now … taking away his mouth along with it … where would he put his foot?"
Success … the alpha's intent prevails, and the tension is immediately dispelled; even evoking a smile and chuckle from Teresa. In fact, everyone seemed amused by the alpha's quip … everyone that is except the elder, who complains...
"Excuse me, Julian … I realize that you only said that for your sister's amusement, but quite honestly, I'm becoming a bit tired of being the butt of everyone's jokes tonight. I'm an elder in this pack and should be respected as such. How long is this insolence going to continue?"
The beta now 'jumps on the bandwagon' and chimes in, sprinkling in a hint of sage advice with his quip...
"Perhaps Elder Chandler you'd stop being the butt of people's jokes if you ceased from butting into the conversation with inappropriate, 'foot-in-mouth' comments."
Coloring in the elder's face suddenly returns as he's irately perturbed, and his countenance turns a pronounced shade of red. Meanwhile, the uptight delta is also becoming a bit perturbed at the direction that the conversation has taken, which clearly has strayed off the topic at hand.
Risking possible rebuking, the delta ignores the warning from the alpha to essentially 'wait until spoken to' and boldly speaks up...
"Ahem … excuse me, Julian; but it seems to me that we've somehow forgotten about the severity of the discussion at hand."
The alpha turns to his delta and raises an eyebrow. "Meaning?"
"Meaning that we've already foolhardily accepted taking two dampyrs into our pack without knowing anything about them; and now that we're supposed to be finding out their details, it appears that everyone would rather get into petty squabbles with one another instead of letting the witch over there finish telling us about them."
At first, the alpha displays a stern visage at the delta, but it soon softens subtly. The alpha replies...
"Though I don't appreciate your choice to use the word 'foolhardily' regarding the decision to accept the dampyrs, Colin … you do make a valid point. We have seemed to have gotten off topic." The alpha looks to Felicia. "Felicia please, let's get on with it. Tell me, why did Countess Ardelean insist that they stay together? I understand her niece wanting to stay with a fellow dampyr; but why the werewolf child?"
Felicia immediately emphasizes, "The Acrilian werewolf child. … It's only a matter of time before she will be recognized for being a proficiently skilled fighter. After all, her kind are inherently wired to ultimately become the most tenaciously fierce wolf-warriors. It's their destiny."
Teresa interjects, "I get that; but she's just a baby herself. I mean, surely Countess Ardelean must realize that she'll need time to grow up to the appropriate age, and then spend years of training to learn how to fight"
Felicia informs her...
"Teresa … again … Acrilian werewolf. I'm starting to get the feeling that you really have no idea of what they actually are. … Essentially, they're born demon killing machines. They require no formal fight training; because as I said, they're inherently wired for it." She pauses briefly before continuing, "Fact is, your typical Acrilian she-wolf is able to shift between her forms as early as age three. And by age four … no later than age five … they're on the cusp of being fully combat-ready; capable of assisting their older pack members with fighting demons."
The members of the Rainier Pack are instantly taken aback, nearly flabbergasted. These astonishing traits about Acrilian werewolves are relatively unheard of within the general werewolf population. They had absolutely no idea how incredibly remarkable this specific breed truly was. And frankly, these extremely young ages seem utterly absurd when spoken aloud. … Shifting by three-years-old? … Fighting by the age of four or five-years-old?
After a bout of momentary speechlessness Teresa is finally able to muster up...
"That young? Seriously?"
Felicia nods. "Yes … that young."
"That just seems so unbelievable. I mean how is that even possible?"
"Well, just because something may seem unbelievable doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't true. And I don't know how it's possible, all I know is that it is. Because that's how Acrilian she-wolves are."
Delta Colin is starting to grow impatient again. "I'm sure we all agree that these facts are incredible, but can we switch the facts back to the dampyrs?"
"Of course." Felicia continues, "So knowing that about Acrilian she-wolves, it's clearly obvious why the countess had chosen the luna's daughter to act as her grandniece's protector in the future. Countess Ardelean is hoping that she will safeguard her grandniece until things settle down back in Romania, and she's able to return."
This quickly caught Teresa's attention … stirring up some agitation within her … and she immediately blurts out...
"Wait a minute Felicia, what are you talking about? Are you saying that Countess Ardelean plans on taking her grandniece back; that she won't be with me forever?"
Felicia steps over to Teresa and gently takes hold of her hands; delicately squeezing and tenderly stroking them in hopes of soothing her...
"I'm sorry Teresa, but yes, that's her intentions. Once she feels that Katarina is no longer in danger of physical harm, they plan on bringing her home. Ideally before she turns sixteen."
Teresa is in a momentary daze, with everything around her appearing almost surreal-like. She speaks aloofly in an almost monotonic tone...
"Katarina … is that her name? It's beautiful … just like her. It really does suit her." She goes silent for a brief moment as she tries to collect her thoughts. And when things become less surreal-like, "Hold on, you said before she turns sixteen. Why before sixteen?"
"The countess is hoping to enroll her grandniece in the Eastern European Vampire Royal Academy. Katarina is of royal lineage, after all; so, it's expected of her to attend."
Beta Stephen cuts into the conversation, "Not to sidetrack the discussion again too much; but Countess Esmeralda is the Matriarch of the Clan of the Old Order … a full-fledged vampire from royal lineage … so how is it that her grandniece is a dampyr? … I'm guessing that fact is what's stemming all these problems for her?"
"Yes, that is one of the driving issues that's creating those dire circumstances. … Now as far as how Katarina wound up being a dampyr … the rumor that we heard was that Countess Ardelean wanted to procreate a more powerful family member for the clan, so she talked her nephew into having a child with a witch in hopes that their offspring would not only have the attributes of a vampire but also possess magical attributes like witches do."
Felicia takes in a breath before continuing...
"For decades, some of the newer generation vampires have crossbred their breed with other races to procreate hybrids that have attributes from both races; thus, the existence of the various dampyr breeds. Historically, dampyrs were only hybrids of vampires and humans designed to be the servants of vampires of nobility. This is the type of dampyr that Irena is."
The alpha asks, "So then she is of no relation to Countess Ardelean's grandniece? Not even of noble or royal lineage?"
"No, she's not. Countess Ardelean just sent her along to take care of the infants … and, of course, to help raise Katarina; keeping her in touch with her vampire roots."
A pretentious Elder Elliot blurts out in a haughty manner...
"So, it's like she's nothing more than a lowly omega. What's the point of bothering keeping her around then?"
Just like a heat-seeking missile being fired, the moment the oblivious elder finishes that remark, the alpha's sister makes a beeline towards him. Luckily for Elder Elliot, Gamma Ray is in close proximity and immediately rushes over to intercede her path; grabbing hold of Teresa just before she was in reach of the elder.
"Back off, Teresa!" The alpha bellows out in that authoritatively commanding alpha-tone to gain control of the room. "And you, Elliot, you never learn, do you?! Apparently, I sent away the wrong elder; but I'm about to rectify that mistake right now … get out of here!"
The stunned elder cries out, "What are you saying, Julian; how could you throw me out of here? I'm a member of the Tribunal of Elders."
"Yes Elliot, I'm well aware that you're a member of the Tribunal of Elders; so, there's no need for you to keep repeating that to me. … But apparently you have forgotten that I'm your alpha..."
The elder brusquely cuts off the alpha, "But I have forgotten you're..."
The alpha snaps, "Don't you dare cut me off when I'm speaking to you! You see, this is what I mean; you've become so complacent in that position of yours that you don't even realize you're disrespecting my authority! … I've told you several times to stop saying things that would rile up Teresa, and yet despite those warnings … despite a couple of attacks from Teresa … you remain obliviously ignorant and continue to do as you please."
Elder Elliot is infuriated, feeling wrongfully demeaned as the alpha essentially emasculates him with that rebuking. He once again reacts without thinking and interrupts the alpha...
"Me due as I please? I believe it's your sister that does has she pleases. You should be reprimanding her for her actions against me, Julian; and throwing her out of the meeting, not me."
The alpha is instantaneously enraged. Seeming as if in some sort of crazed frenzy. he violently jumps up from the wing chair, grasps a wrenching hold of the chair's arms, and wildly throws it across the study; smashing it into wall across from where he sat. Alpha Julian then takes another wrenching hold … palms upward … along the edge of the large mahogany desk and furiously flips it up into the air; just barely missing hitting the ceiling by a mere inch or two. It comes crashing down to the floor a few feet in front in front of the trembling elder.
The alpha emanates a resounding growling roar, "Elliot, get out now!!"
The elder frantically scrambles out of the study for dear life.