- a few weeks ago -

"We're about to witness a few changes," the supreme elder announced, her voice as soft as silk. 

It always amazed Iliria how controlled and strong the elder was, despite her old age. Madame Esmara folded her hands into each other, placing the twisted knot of fragile bones onto the table. Iliria saw the age spots, although there were not many. 

She was only one-hundred-and-forty-five years old, after all.

"I presume you've read the letters I sent over to your homes," she continued, sighing deeply, something she did frequently. 

Dark grey curls framed her oval face while her icy blue eyes went through the round. She glanced at both elders and all six council youngers. Iliria was one of them and probably the most invested.

She cleared her throat and placed her right hand onto the left part of her chest, just above her steadily beating heart. "I have reviewed the situation. I also expect the rest of my fellow members to have done the same. Furthermore, I suggest discussing inconsistencies."

Sir Francis, the immortal elder, frowned upon hearing this. "What inconsistencies are you referring to?"

Iliria felt Madame Esmara's scrutinising gaze upon her, as if she were asking for Iliria to contradict her. She wanted to roll her eyes at Madame Esmara's hostility, but she knew it was a quick way to get thrown off the council. Disrespect in any form was not tolerated.

That woman always took offence in every little thing.

Iliria kept her facial expression stony and neutral. "We haven't seen or heard of any new settlers since the dark ages. It is more than just suspicious we should suddenly welcome some now," she started, quickly being cut off by Nicholas.

Nicholas, one of the two humans representing their kind within the council, placed his hand above his heart like Iliria had. "We should not keep our barriers closed forever. It would be good to have new faces around here."

"They are from the eastern side of the Denhid Forest. They bring a lot of knowledge to us that we would not have access to otherwise," Madame Maxine added, the elder of the humans.

Iliria refrained from scowling. Of course the humans would welcome new humans into their community with open arms.

It was typical. Greetings with open arms but knives hidden in their friendly demeanour, ready to use if the newcomers would prove to be useless.

The keyword was 'knowledge'. It was the only reason they wanted the new family to be allowed safe passage into the village with the possibility of residing here.

Iliria wasn't one to be fooled. And neither was Madame Esmara. "I ask you to let Iliria finish her point," she said sharply, causing the humans to stiffen in their place. Iliria didn't waste another moment and continued.

"My point is that there haven't been any travellers who stumbled upon our village for centuries. Everett Valley is extremely secluded, we are hidden by the Great Mountains, as you all know. I don't believe it to be a coincidence that they are applying to live here, out of all places." Iliria straightened herself.

"And as it is stated in the letter I received, should the vote to permit their arrival exceed the votes for dismissal, they are to be kept in the unknown of our ways. You need to help me understand how that makes sense. Why should the humans be welcomed into our homes but know nothing of how we live? We might as well dismiss this now."

Iliria let her words sink in until she continued to speak. But before she could utter another word, Sir Francis' voice cut through the brief silence. "We shall not harbour prejudice so strongly, Iliria. While we clearly stated certain reasons for them to be allowed safe entrance, you should have also read the lines that state reasons for caution. And that is what our secrecy option is—a precaution. We cannot be certain they are trustworthy and will keep our ways within our borders. But ignoring—what you have referred to as not a coincidence—would be just as unwise."

Now it was Iliria's turn to let the words sink in. She withdrew herself, even when the discussion continued, and instead surveyed the hall.

All nine of them were evenly seated around the large, obsidian table. It was more of a heavy plate placed on one thick, short pillar, than the classic dining-table. 

The round plate had a diameter of at least two meters and was coated in ancient carvings.

The first elders of Everett Valley had found the plate where the Iarhus stood now. According to the scrolls that told stories about Everett's history, it had once been the ritual grounds of the little village when there had still been witches here. 

But the witches had long left Everett Valley when the shifters and vampires overthrew them.

The shifter council member placed her hand onto the cool, black surface of the table and inhaled steadily. She felt Loana's gaze upon her, along with Madame Esmara's, but she ignored the lot of them. The pain was making itself feel-able inside her again. 

It pulled at her soul, ripping it further apart than it already was. If Iliria could compare her soul to anything, she would compare it to a worn piece of fabric, torn and falling apart, only existing because there were tiny little threads keeping the pathetic excuse of fabric together.

It may as well just tear for good, she thought to herself.

All it caused her was pain. She felt it ripping every single day for the past seventeen years. Some days were worse than others.

"We shall each place our votes," Madame Esmara announced, pulling Iliria back into the discussion and out of her lingering thoughts.

It was the exact reason she'd signed up to be one of the two shifters representing the wolves within the council. It distracted her.

It kept her away from home. Away from the three reminders of the pain that she carried with her every waking moment of her miserable life.

They reminded her of what tore at her morals. The sorrow that kept her up at night. The grief that ripped her insides apart. And the anger that surged between it all.

"As the elders of the sacred council, we shall watch in silence as our youngers decide the Thrakos family's fate. We will place our votes and seal it. Begin."

Six heads nodded. Nicholas, the representing human along with his wife, Carolina, placed their hands onto the sun that was carved into one of the dozen mandalas. It was their deciding sun and there was an identical mandala at each of the nine seats. 

Although there was space for a tenth, no one had ever been able to figure out what the carving on the tenth seat meant. 

So for centuries, the seat had always been empty.

Iliria and Loana made their votes clear. Ivan and Huntington, the representing vampires, voted as well.

- Present Day -

The Great Hall was drowned in chaos. The only solace she could find in that place was when Iliria accidentally fell asleep. It had happened to her twice, since the screaming and shouting had started six hours ago.

It seemed to last forever.

"This is your fault!" someone said, causing Iliria to stir in her seat, suddenly wide awake. Although pain seared through her, anger soon followed.

How dare he blame me?

"You know nothing of what you speak!" Iliria shot back, biting back the venom in her voice. She would have ripped his throat out if she could have.

The bloodsucker deserved it. He had probably taken more lives than she could ever begin to count. Damn those blood bags—they were all just a pathetic charade!

Ivan stared holes into her, his black eyes fitting to the cold face that they belonged to. His expression was one of rage. But he didn't scare Iliria. Vampires didn't scare shifters. Especially not wolves.

"I know that this whole mess started when your son decided to go rogue," he spat, Nicholas and his wife agreeing with him with quiet murmurs.

Iliria snapped her head towards the pair, staring them down with the hardest glare she could muster. Without giving them the satisfaction of an answer, she steered her attention back to the lifeless piece of bones. Ivan.

"I feel more shame for what Reece has done than you do anger, believe me. He is not my son. He is a fool of a child who knows nothing of responsibilities. If I ever see either of them again, I will take severe actions. Don't you doubt me, old one."

"It does nothing to the fact that they still are your children. How could you let this happen, right under your nose?" Nicholas accused.

It was hard to keep her cool when everyone was throwing accusations at her like she was the dummy at target practise. It annoyed her immensely, too. She deserved more respect than that. And if she had to draw blood to get it, she sure as hell would.

Starting with the imbecile staring at her, fangs bared.

"Enough!" a voice boomed, cutting off all further discussions. The hall grew silent, something Iliria had almost forgotten had ever been possible.

Only then did she realise how long ago it had been since these halls had been calm.

They'd left three days ago. Hell took over the second it was discovered that a third of the pack had gone missing.

Madame Esmara's curls were more of a mess than Iliria's feelings were—and that was saying a lot. It was clear that the supreme elder hadn't taken her granddaughter's absence very well. All of them were ashamed. Disgraced.

It was pure outrage.

"No one leaves their homes after nightfall. Starting tomorrow, we will restrict outdoor activity, this applies especially to shifters. Iarhus hours will be increased. We will have meetings every day until this has been dealt with. There is no way in all of the gods' names that this will happen a second time. We have learnt our lesson. From now on, there shall not be an alpha. There shall not be a coven leader. And there shall not be a managing officer anymore either. We are the council. And only we will decide what happens in this town, down to the seemingly most unimportant decision. Everything."

Madame Esmara's voice was hard and cold, quite like Iliria had grown accustomed to. She too left little space for emotions when she was here and even less when she met pack-mates outside of Everett Hall. Iliria didn't particularly like the woman, but she understood the necessity of being distant when distance was needed.

There was a slither of doubt passing through Iliria when she thought about the repercussions these drastic actions would probably have. She didn't think Everett Valley would react understandingly to the new rules. Iliria even feared it might cause a greater uproar than if they'd keep it quiet. But it wasn't her place to decide, Madame Esmara's tone was final.

"Now, we step in. Patrols will be provided from each of the three races and placed at the borders of our land. No one enters or leaves Everett Valley without the council knowing the second someone tries. Also, Van'heda will be cancelled this year. There will be no celebrating the end of winter or celebrating anything in general for the time being." Her icy eyes scanned the room, almost daring anyone to oppose her.

The entire table sat in silence as the tension within their walls only grew more intense.

Iliria tried to suppress the doubts sprouting within her.

Madame Esmara was not finished. "Lastly, we will be monitoring everyone more closely. Including council members."

Iliria knew that now was the moment Madame Esmara would have said: This meeting is adjourned.

But she didn't. Instead, she dropped one last bomb.

"To make matters worse, the Thrakos family has gone missing, too."