BloodMoon: Captivated by the Forbidden Lycan Alpha
Chapter 74: THE COVEN RULES

Chapter 74: THE COVEN RULES

{"No vampire must commit to writing the history of the vampires."}

"The Coven rules are clear, no one is allowed to use our people for their gain," Amon Nessa declared as he stood. His voice was loud, commanding, and filled with the weight of authority.

"Lower your voice, old man," Cassius seethed, his tone dripping with irritation.

A sharp silence followed, but before Cassius could spew more venom, Aggrey Jade rose to his feet. He had been holding back for too long, and his patience had run out. His voice was laced with anger as he spoke.

"Bloodstone bugs have always been a forbidden taboo. They are outlawed in our Coven rules. So, why would anyone dare use them on our people? And more importantly, how long has this been happening?"

The weight of his words hung in the air, thick with accusation. Then he turned his gaze sharply toward Cassius. "Sierra is the wife of the former Coven Lord and should be respected. To send vampires to attack her is not only a violation of the Coven rules but an utter act of disrespect and disregard for our people."

Murmurs of agreement spread across the room. Some of the council members even voiced their support, nodding along with Aggrey’s statement.

I watched as the wheels turned in Lord Marcel’s head. His jaw tightened, his teeth grinding in frustration. Then, with a slow exhale, he spoke. "I agree with Sierra’s suggestion. Desmond Marcel, Amon Nessa, and Aggrey Jade will lead the investigation. They will be given all the support they need."

The stunned expressions on Cassius, Idris, and Tio’s faces were priceless. The power shift was clear. They had expected to control the situation but instead, it was slipping right through their fingers.

Sierra inclined her head slightly, her voice steady but resolute. "Thank you, Lord Marcel. I appreciate your agreement to my proposal. With your support, we will uncover who is committing this atrocity. Our people must remain safe, always."

Her words were met with another round of murmurs, this time filled with determination rather than uncertainty. The decision had been made.

"You have suspicion and no proof?" Byron Marcel, Lord Marcel, and Desmond’s uncle, spoke up, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Sierra’s eyes flashed. "Well, do dead bodies count as proof?" she hissed.

The hall fell into a heavy silence. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she beckoned the guards outside. They obeyed, dragging in several sacks, their rough fabric stained dark with rot. Then, the stench hit. Thick, putrid, suffocating.

The reaction was instant. Chairs scraped against the stone floor as the council members leaped to their feet, shouting in shock and disgust. "What the hell is this?" someone yelled.

I barely heard them. My eyes locked onto Cassius. He had been composed, arrogant, but now, for the first time, I saw it. Fear. His jaw tensed; his fingers curled tightly around the armrest of his chair. And in that moment, I knew. He had planned all of this. His target had been Aurora. But he had failed. And now, he was exposed. Across the room, Lord Marcel turned to face him, his gaze burning with fury. Then, his eyes shifted to Idris and Tio. Neither of them met his stare. Instead, they lowered their heads, silent in their guilt.

Sierra stepped forward; her voice now laced with ice. "I have stayed out of Coven business for a long time. I was grieving my husband, Lord Dunco Kayne. But it seems someone wishes to harm the Kayne family. And that means I will no longer sit on the sidelines."

Her words hung in the air like a storm ready to break. She took a measured breath before delivering the final blow. "When I fought the vampires, they were controlled. I dug deeper, and I found why. Their minds were infected, with Bloodstone bugs. From Bloodstone Mountain."

For a heartbeat, there was silence.

Then the council exploded into an uproar. Shouts filled the hall, accusations flying as the weight of Sierra’s revelation settled over them. Some demanded proof. Others cursed under their breath. But I wasn’t watching them.

I was watching Cassius and he was already planning his next move.

"Bloodstone bugs?" A council member shot to his feet, his voice ringing with outrage. "How did they get into our young vampires? This is treason! Who dares use our people like this?"

Sierra lifted her chin, her gaze steady. "Not only use our people," she said coldly, "but use them to attack."

A murmur of shock rippled through the room. Lord Marcel’s eyes burned with fury as he rose, raising a hand to silence the escalating voices. His gaze locked onto Sierra. "Are you certain?"

Without a word, Sierra strode to one of the sacks. The scent of decay thickened as she reached inside and pulled out a lifeless body. A second later, something small and shriveled tumbled from the corpse, a dead Bloodstone bug. The reaction was instant. Gasps filled the hall, some council members recoiling in horror. Lord Marcel hissed under his breath, his sharp gaze flickering toward Cassius, a silent, dangerous warning. Cassius stiffened, but the look vanished as quickly as it came.

Clearing his throat, Lord Marcel spoke, his tone measured but firm. "The council will investigate this matter."

Sierra wasn’t finished. She stepped forward, her voice like ice. "I sincerely hope the case will not be given to Cassius and his team. After all, they visited Kayne land just the other day. I do not trust them."

A charged silence fell over the room. Every council member turned to Cassius. I watched as Lord Marcel clenched his fist, his knuckles white with suppressed rage, while Desmond muttered a curse under his breath.

I rose to my feet. "I second Sierra’s concern." My voice carried across the hall. "Cassius, Idris, and Tio, along with the royal guard, have visited the Kayne home not once, but three times. It would be inappropriate for them to lead this investigation. Instead, I propose that Desmond Marcel, Amon Nessa, and Aggrey Jade, the elder Coven council members, take charge."

The room fell into hushed murmurs. Lord Marcel’s surprise was almost comical, his eyebrows lifting as if he hadn’t expected me to speak. But he said nothing, and for the first time, I felt the tides turning.

"The Coven rules are clear, no one is allowed to use our people for their gain," Amon Nessa declared as he stood. His voice was loud, commanding, and filled with the weight of authority.

"Lower your voice, old man," Cassius seethed, his tone dripping with irritation.

A sharp silence followed, but before Cassius could spew more venom, Aggrey Jade rose to his feet. He had been holding back for too long, and his patience had run out. His voice was laced with anger as he spoke.

"Bloodstone bugs have always been a forbidden taboo. They are outlawed in our Coven rules. So, why would anyone dare use them on our people? And more importantly, how long has this been happening?"

The weight of his words hung in the air, thick with accusation. Then he turned his gaze sharply toward Cassius. "Sierra is the wife of the former Coven Lord and should be respected. To send vampires to attack her is not only a violation of the Coven rules but an utter act of disrespect and disregard for our people."

Murmurs of agreement spread across the room. Some of the council members even voiced their support, nodding along with Aggrey’s statement.

I watched as the wheels turned in Lord Marcel’s head. His jaw tightened, his teeth grinding in frustration. Then, with a slow exhale, he spoke. "I agree with Sierra’s suggestion. Desmond Marcel, Amon Nessa, and Aggrey Jade will lead the investigation. They will be given all the support they need."

The stunned expressions on Cassius, Idris, and Tio’s faces were priceless. The power shift was clear. They had expected to control the situation but instead, it was slipping right through their fingers.

Sierra inclined her head slightly, her voice steady but resolute. "Thank you, Lord Marcel. I appreciate your agreement to my proposal. With your support, we will uncover who is committing this atrocity. Our people must remain safe, always."

Her words were met with another round of murmurs, this time filled with determination rather than uncertainty. The decision had been made.

"There is another matter I would like to discuss with you, Lord Marcel," Sierra pressed on.

I didn’t miss the way Lord Marcel’s nostrils flared, irritation flashing across his face at her persistence. It was clear that her presence alone was grating on him, which only seemed to please Elders Amon and Aggrey. I, too, felt a sense of satisfaction, finally, I had found allies willing to stand up and help protect the Kayne family.

"Go ahead," Lord Marcel said, raising a hand and motioning for Sierra to continue.

She nodded, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips before she spoke again. "Lord Marcel, my son Freyr recently announced that he is dating Aurora. Since then, I have taken her under my wing. However, it seems that your brother Cassius refuses to let her go. He keeps coming to the Kayne estate under the guise of various excuses, but we all know he’s looking for her. If I remember correctly, it was you who paired them together in the first place. My son was reluctant at first, but when he finally agreed, I was happy. As a mother, I welcomed Aurora into our home. Qadira brought her to me, and she has been accompanied by Nessa, who keeps her company and ensures her safety. For the sake of both the Kayne family and Aurora, I ask that you warn Cassius to keep away from her."

The hall fell into complete silence, so thick and heavy it was suffocating. The only sound that broke the tension was a muffled cough, Aggrey Jade, Aurora’s father, disguising the laughter that threatened to escape.

"Sierra Kayne, what are you saying?" Cassius yelled, his voice echoing through the hall.

Sierra turned to him, her movements slow and deliberate, before stepping closer. She stood just inches away, tilting her head up to meet his gaze without an ounce of fear.

"Cassius," she said, her voice calm but sharp as a blade. "Do you want me to tell the coven council what you did to Aurora Jade?"

A loud hiss cut through the silence. Aggrey Jade’s eyes blazed with fury; his entire body tensed as he took a threatening step forward. Cassius flinched, barely perceptible, but I caught it, the way he recoiled, his jaw tightening, his lips pulling into a thin line of displeasure.

"Leave her alone. Never approach her again." Sierra’s words were not a warning. They were a command.

She didn’t wait for a response. Instead, she turned on her heel and strode toward me, her expression unwavering. When she reached my side, she glanced up and said simply, "Come on, walk me home."

I nodded, then turned to Lord Marcel. "Allow me to escort Sierra Kayne home."

His response was nothing more than a curt nod.

As we stepped out of the council hall, I felt a smirk creep onto my face. The tension in the room had been suffocating, but now, with Cassius put in his place, I couldn’t hold back the chuckle that escaped my lips.