Reject (mxm)

Chapter Thirty-Four: Ciaran

wah! i was hoping we'd reach 50k before this chapter comes out but we still have something to celebrate. we're #4 in paranormal now. again, a big THANK YOU to all of you who're are following Ruari and Ciaran's story. I LOVE YOU ALL! k",)

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I knew from the moment I heard about Ruari's family that they're going to be trouble with a capital 'T' and I was right.

It's not so much about his chaotic parentage. Those things happen especially with pledged mates. No matter how planned a pledged mating is there's always a possibility that a true mate might appear down the line.

Of course, with different packs scattered across the globe and living on different territories finding your significant other is like finding a needle in a haystack. Those who finds their true mate are considered blessed by the spirits and very few in number.

It's common practice for a true mate to take precedence over a pledged one except if one or both parties don't consent to the separation. In which case the matter shall be brought before the high council for review and verdict. This seems to be what happened with Ruari's parents.

I have not had the pleasure to personally meet the former alpha king but I have to say, Lavon Ulfric is a calculating bastard. He wanted to have it all and at one point he did have it both ways. It's a tragedy to those close to him that he was greedy. He could have manned up and stuck with one choice, be fulfilled and happy with it for the rest of his life. But he didn't.

It is true that the high council governs most disputes between packs and royals but the alpha king has the power to veto the decision of the council whenever he deems appropriate.

If Lavon really wanted to leave Eloise for Alessandra he could have done so and no one, not even the high council, would be able to stop him or fault his decision. The spirits themselves chose Alessandra as his true mate and it's not up to us mere mortals to question fate. Unless he did not want to be mated with Alessandra, it would have been a done deal if he'd pushed for the mating hard enough.

But Lavon knew if he choose to be with Alessandra and discard Eloise he would lose the support of Eloise's pack. And he'd gone to extreme lengths just to acquire that support. He wouldn't be willing to let all that hard work go to waste when there are ways that he could have both his true mate and the power of the pack.

It was easier to hide behind the obvious. The simple fact is, the threat of a war was imminent but not unavoidable. Lavon was crafty. Most people would not assume the king's hands on the matter at hand are not as tied as they appear. No one would question the high council if they bring up talks of war and broken treaties that could destroy the peace the werewolf community is currently enjoying. Certainly not a small pack that could easily be obliterated and wiped out if they showed any form resistance.

In the end, Lavon Ulfric did what any hardhearted bastard would do. He kept both his mates. He kept Eloise as his queen because she was convenient. She'd been bred for the position and she'd already given him a son, a successor. Allowing her to stay beside him and rule as queen would keep her pack satisfied. Alessandra's case was more complicated for him to manipulate. Lavon probably romanticized their situation in her mind and possibly kept everyone who could turn her against him away. He then took Alessandra under his wing to isolate her and hide her away.

When Alessandra gave birth to two sons instead of one and Eloise bore a girl instead of an anticipated spare boy all his cunning actions blew up on his face. The biggest miscalculation on Lavon's part was not anticipating one of his sired sons to show outstanding potential at birth.  That he would be a cut above all his other children and possess the strength and abilities that could help him easily acquire the crown should he wish to.