𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐗𝐈𝐀, Volturi Kings

CHAPTER 24

Astraea's POV

The fact that I'd gotten a dress and people were sending out letters was enough to prove that a ball would indeed occur at some point in time. I was looking forward to meeting new people, despite being slightly worried that my mates would be attacked by the older vampires.

Why the hell did they have to be treated poorly for being bisexual anyways? It isn't like the concept of bisexuality hasn't existed for the past... Oh, I don't know, since animals came onto land. Unless it came before... the idea of gay fish isn't sitting right.

I will never get that image out of my head.

Nevertheless, I headed down the hallway to where I'd promised my mates I'd meet them for yet another discussion on what we were doing for security. As much as I appreciated that they wanted my input, I know nothing about how the guards work in the castle. I know Jane and Alec are off on Tuesdays and that Demetri takes Felix and Ambrose out on a dinner date every Saturday night.

Caius was the one who wanted to lead this discussion. He had the pen and paper right in front of him when I walked into the office.

"We still have to figure out how to make the ball safe for everyone here," Caius insisted.

"Only a certain percent of events are allowed to be missed to guard every decade. We have had a record low in the amount of events we've hosted here in the palace," Aro tried to explain to his mate. "Unless we are planning to make up for that in the next four years... we are tied."

"We could always make an exception," Marcus added. "We have done it during times of war, when we still needed to host weddings and proper mating ceremonies. It has been hundreds of years, but I am sure none of the guards would object if they understood the state of things."

"The guards can never know the true state of how fucked we are if we get into another war. The morale would crumble up and die and you know it," Caius insisted. "We have always kept certain things secret. Our battle plans, our finances..."

"Our family trust us only because we are honest. I am sure they wouldn't protest."

"And I am saying that it is both dangerous to prepare for a war when we are supposed to be showing off our final mate and it is worrying to change precedent," Caius began to scribble onto the paper in a language I didn't understand. "What's the point of the ball if it isn't safe?"

"I feel like we've had this conversation before," I admitted. "Caius, we have two newborn guards at the front who are both gifted. They can be there for the first shift and join the party afterwards. Or they can work the second shift. Whichever one will make sure that things aren't awkward."

"Jane, Alec, Demetri, and Felix have fresh bonds. Fragile and volatile. They will be dangerous if provoked by a force such as the Romanians or Cain. I doubt the man has enough people after multiple gifted members of your family have escaped him, Caius," Marcus reasoned.

I knew Caius was anxious about the potential for a fight during what should be a happy moment, I did. He'd always been, despite him trying to hide it, the most sensitive one of my mates. Marcus and Aro could let things bounce off of them, but Caius couldn't. I can't. I'd grown up in a family that let me be sensitive in my own way. It wasn't beaten out of me like some of my human friends.

There are very few things that can soothe the sensationalism of a sensitive mind. Reason is not one of them.

"Caius, you make them promise to be on guard. You make them make an oath to protect me. Have them do it in the beginning. Make it a part of the ball. Vampires do not go back on their oaths. You've already told me that," I said in my best efforts to soothe Caius' anxiety over the ball. "The ball is happening, whether or not you are ready for it. Have every vampire make an oath to protect me. If they refuse, we know something is wrong."