Single Mother of a Werewolf Baby
Chapter 119: The Council Meeting

Chapter 119: The Council Meeting

After all the members were seated in their respective seats, the Heir Apparent, Prince Erevan Brontes Lychos, finally lifted his gaze to look at them. His eyes lingered on each council member for a brief moment. The throne room was tense, and a heavy silence filled every corner.

Finally, the silence was broken by the prince himself.

"Thank you for attending this meeting on such short notice. This matter is of great importance, and I appreciate the effort each of you has made in setting aside your personal duties to be here," his voice echoed through the throne room, steady and commanding.

Everyone listened quietly as he continued, "My father, Damon Brontes Lychos, the King of Werewolves... the one you have followed for decades... is presumed dead in the other world. His life crystal shattered yesterday."

He paused, giving them time to absorb the devastating news. As expected, a range of emotions crossed the faces of the council members.

Although many had suspected the purpose of this emergency meeting, especially when summoned without provocation or war, the confirmation still landed like a blow.

They had not seen their king for the past thirty years, but knowing he was alive had been a comfort. Now, the sudden news of his death created a hollow in their hearts... an unexpected sense of loss, as if a vital part of their identity had vanished.

Erevan knew better than to rush them. These were the companions his father had worked closely with, and Erevan himself held them in a measure of respect. It was they who had called him from the other world three decades ago, guiding him in leading the council and governing the werewolf society.

So he waited for them to make the next move.

Eventually, Baatar Erdene Altanshagai broke the silence. Rising to his feet, he said, "I am sorry for your loss, Your Highness. We all are. But in this time of sorrow, we have responsibilities we must fulfill. We cannot ignore our traditions."

He paused, sweeping his gaze across the room. Seeing agreement reflected in their expressions, he continued, "Our king perished while still on the throne. As per custom, we must enter a one-year mourning period immediately. A mass prayer to the Moon Goddess must be held on the next full moon. In accordance with Lychos Clan tradition, we must erect a statue of our late king in the ancestral hall. We also need to compile and approve a written biography of our king through a council meeting. Lastly, it is our duty to formally notify other supernatural forces of his passing."

Once Baatar sat down, Lucien Marceau Valemont rose to speak.

"I agree with the Lorekeeper. We must follow the rules laid down by our ancestors. There is one more thing... I believe the Lorekeeper forgot to mention the funeral. According to tradition, a funeral must be held within ten days of the death of a king or queen, whether they are reigning or retired. The funeral day should be declared a day of mourning so that all werewolves may pay their last respects."

Amir Anpukhet Ahmose, the Scholar, stood next.

"Thank you, Treasurer. I wholeheartedly agree. I would now like to hear what our Ambassador, Fiona Elizabeth Raynor, has to say on the matter."

Fiona stood with quiet grace. "I was waiting for the program details to be finalized before taking action. As the ambassador, it is my responsibility to inform the world. But to do that, I need confirmed dates and plans. In addition, the Raynor Clan will contribute one billion U.S. dollars to the treasury for mourning expenses."

The Treasurer stood quickly. "Thank you, Ambassador. I was concerned about funding such a significant event. Your support is immensely appreciated."

Fiona nodded. "You are welcome. Once the dates and locations are decided after this meeting, my clan will handle invitations and logistics. The funds will be transferred to the treasury by tomorrow."

Both of them took their seats. Then the Warlord, Stellan Ragnar Fenroth, rose.

"The army will take care of event security. However, I propose that we hold the funeral in the secular world for better accessibility. Given the significance of our king’s passing, other supernatural forces may attend to pay their respects. Among them could be spies. We must be cautious. Holding the event on Brontes Island may not be wise under the circumstances."

Then the Watcher, Yara Arara Neblina, stood up.

"If we are relocating the funeral, I suggest the king’s vacation home in Green Village, New Jersey. We won’t need to transport ceremonial items. Morristown Airport is nearby and relatively quiet. We also hold certain privileges there due to the Lychos Clan’s contributions to wildlife preservation and infrastructure development in the region. The surrounding forest will allow my clan to secure the area efficiently."

The Warlord nodded and stood again. "I agree. From both a security and connectivity standpoint, that location is ideal."

He paused, then added, "My Fenroth Clan will contribute one hundred million dollars to the mourning ceremony."

The Treasurer rose next. "My clan will contribute five hundred million dollars as well."

One by one, the others began to declare their pledges to fund the ceremony. The room echoed briefly with numbers and solemn affirmations... until, at last, silence settled over them once more.

Finally, Prince Erevan spoke again.

"I agree with the proposed location. However, I don’t want the funeral to be a large public event. After thirty years of disappearance, such a ceremony could spark questions we are not ready to answer. Keep it simple and limited to werewolves only. If others wish to attend, they may, but we will not send formal invitations."

He paused, letting his words settle in the room, then continued.

"I want the primary focus to be on the mass prayer. Every clan under my rule must participate. Send sufficient funds to smaller clans so they can prepare and take part in the ceremony appropriately."

The room fell silent again, but this time the atmosphere was different. Though grief still lingered, a sense of unity and purpose had begun to form among the council. Each member silently prepared themselves to honor their deceased king and fulfill the duties that tradition demanded of them.