Chapter 202: The Meeting of Supremes — Hall of First Oath

The Hall of First Oaths had stood for longer than any of the territories surrounding it, for no one knew exactly who had built it.

Some said the first Supreme Alphas had raised it with their own hands. Others claimed it had already existed before the first packs were formed, and that the earliest wolves had simply claimed it for themselves.

But whatever the truth was, every Supreme knew what the hall represented — Neutral ground.

No pack banners hung from its walls, and no throne belonged to any Alpha. There was only a massive circular chamber surrounded by towering stone pillars, each one carved with the names of Supremes who had ruled centuries ago.

At the centre of the room stood a wide blackwood table with thirty seats surrounding it. Today, twenty-five seats were occupied.

Alpha Cassian sat with his arms resting on the table, his expression hard as he looked around the room. To his left sat Malachi. The Supreme Alpha of Eclipse Crown had barely spoken since they arrived.

His expression had grown worse ever since Della stormed off that morning. Cassian could tell Malachi was fighting insanity every second of the day.

Across from them, Alpha Caelan of Stormfang leaned back in his chair, his arms folded across his chest.

Beside him sat Alpha Roderic of Frost Hollow. The older Supreme’s grey hair fell past his shoulders, and his cold eyes moved slowly around the room. He had been silent since entering, but his reputation alone was enough to keep several younger Supreme Alphas from speaking carelessly.

Alpha Varek of Bloodpine sat on Roderic’s other side, and there were others as well.

Alpha Theron of Blackmoor, whose territory bordered three smaller packs. Alpha Seris of Dawnreach, one of the few female Supremes in the room.

Alpha Garrick of Stoneveil.

Alpha Lucien of Redwater.

And several more whose territories stretched across the northern, Southern, Eastern and western regions.

They had all come because of the same thing.

The rogues.

The attacks.

And of course, the Moonfire.

"We have lost nine packs in just three days." Cassian finally broke the silence, and a murmur moved around the table.

There was no surprise there, because every territory had gotten their own fair share of extreme losses in the past few weeks. There was not a single Supreme seated on that table that hasn’t lost at least ten Packs from Moonfire and rogue attack.

"Three more have stopped responding." Cassian added as he pushed a stack of reports toward the center.

Varek picked up one of the reports and scanned it, "Did you have any survivors?" He asked.

"Not a single wolf. Those that could escape the fire itself could outrun its radiation," Alpha Cassian replied, then added, "But at least we all know the rogues aren’t behaving like ordinary ones anymore" Cassian’s voice became quieter, "They move together, they are coordinated, intelligent and...they follow orders,"

"Orders from who?"

Cassian took a second to reply, "Someone once spotted the silhouette of a woman riding a rogue wolf. We believe that person is who gives these orders,"

Another murmur spread across the room, "Like a rogue tamer?" Someone asked, "But that should be impossible,"

"Two months ago, the thought of a rogue becoming intelligent was impossible," Cassian locked eyes with his questioner, "My informant knows what they saw. There is someone out there capable of taming rogues."

A collective sigh passed through the gathering again, and then Roderic finally looked up, "And the Moonfire?"

"I don’t know how or where they are getting their Moonfire from," Cassian lied smoothly.

"But this... Rogue tamer is the one using the Moonfire," Theron asked.

"I believe so," Cassian nodded, and then he continued,

"We don’t know how much Moonfire they have," Cassian repeated. "But every report describes the same thing. The rogues attack strategically, and then once they’ve caused another chaos...they retreat right before the Moonfire is released,."

"So what exactly do we do about this?!" A Supreme asked worried, "How do we stop this?"

"Also, what is this rumour I’ve been hearing?" Alpha Varek questioned this time, his brows narrowed, "About...some fact that rotbloods aren’t what they are,"

That was the moment Malachi moved. He’d been waiting for someone to eventually bring it up.

He reached beneath his cloak and placed a long, weathered bundle onto the table. It was tied with faded leather, and Several of the Supremes stared at it.

"What is that?" Caelan frowned.

"Ancient records."

Malachi untied the leather, and several old scrolls appeared beneath it. It was the parchments that Rowan had brought back to him, and many more they had dug up afterwards.

The parchment was yellowed with age, the edges brittle, but the symbols written across them were still clear.

"I have seen those markings." Varek said, and leaned forward.

Malachi looked at him, "Then you know what they are."

"Records from the First Blood Era." Roderic replied quietly, and then looked up at Malachi with a bit of astonishment in his eyes. Those were difficult to get!

A few Supremes exchanged looks as they’d never seen the symbols before, and then Malachi spoke, "Records describing Rotbloods."

The reaction was immediate.

Many Supremes scoffed, and they immediately looked either angry or uninterested. But they had to listen.

Because Malachi was the one speaking now.

"Why are we discussing cursed blood when we have an army of rogues attacking our territories?" One of them asked either way, confident that others would back him up.

"Because your understanding of Rotbloods is wrong." Malachi’s voice wasn’t loud, as usual.

He unrolled the first scroll, and continued, "Rotbloods aren’t cursed."

Caelan gave a humourless laugh, "Every pack has known otherwise for centuries."

"Every pack has been wrong for centuries!!" Malachi’s voice suddenly took a dark edge, louder, like he’d just snapped, and even Roderic felt his wolf shiver.

Malachi placed his finger against one of the ancient lines, "These records were written before the current laws surrounding Rotbloods existed. Before they were hunted. Before they were branded as cursed. They describe Rotbloods as wolves born with dormant abilities." He looked around the table, "Their bodies can absorb substances that would poison ordinary wolves."

"Poison?" Seris leaned forward.

"Yes, and Moonfire included."

The room exploded into whispers but Malachi did wait until they quieted. He simply continued to speak and everyone zipped their lips shut.

"Rotbloods don’t spread rot, and neither do they don’t create curses. Their bodies absorb corruption and poison, then neutralise it."

Roderic’s gaze remained fixed on the scroll, "As authentic as that scroll looks, it’s quite difficult to change our minds over what we’ve believed for hundreds of years. Moreover...," A flicker of suspicion came over his face, "How are we to believe that you didn’t just make this up after...the incident regarding your rotblood wife?"

Cassian’s eyes shifted to his side this time, his fingers scraping against each other under his garments. He was already expecting to see fire in Malachi’s eyes, but Malachi looked... like the epitome of self-control.

How...scary.

"I admit it," Malachi replied, "Living with her triggered me to dig into the past and discover more about Rot-bloods," Then, he threw the parchment over, and it landed right in the middle of the round table, where everyone could see, "And you can keep doubting it if you wish. Keep doubting something that can save you...and watch your people burn when they come for you,"

That definitely shut them all up, especially since he sounded extra-vicious with that last statement of his.

"Weeks ago I never would have believed it," Malachi continued, "Then I saw what was written in these ancient scrolls,"

Roderic’s expression changed slightly.

"Then I witnessed it."

"Witnessed what?" Caelan asked.

"A Rotblood absorbed Moonfire."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Varek slowly leaned forward, so curious his eyes were literally birthing stars in them, "Who?"

Something painful crossed Malachi’s face, and his hands tightened so hard they started to vibrate, "Someone who can no longer be reached." He replied..

"That’s not an answer." Caelan said.

"It’s the only one you’re getting."

"You brought us here to tell us that some mythical cursed wolf can save us?"

"Not mythical." Cassian’s voice was firm. "Real."

"Where is this Rotblood?" Another asked.

Cassian didn’t respond.

Malachi didn’t either.

And that silence told the Supremes far more than an answer could have.

"You know where the Rotblood is." Roderic asked.

Malachi looked at him, "Yes."

"Then bring them here."

"No." The answer came so quickly that several Alphas blinked.

"Why?" Saelis asked.

"Because they do not want to save you." Malachi replied.

A strange silence followed

"Why?" Someone asked again, and Malachi almost broke the ancient rule and let blood be shed because that had to be the stupidest, most careless question ever known to Mankind.

Malachi’s eyes dropped to the ancient scroll in the middle of the table, "Because this person spent their entire life being taught that that they had no reason to care whether you lived or died."

No one spoke.

"We called Rotbloods cursed," Cassian said, "We hunted them, abused them, and treated them as though they were less than wolves." His eyes moved around the room, "And now that you need one, you expect them to come running?"

"Then what do we do? Perish? If they aren’t willing to help, it means we haven’t found our solution!"

Then Roderic asked the question everyone had been circling, "Who is this Rotblood you’ve been talking about? I thought every one of them was dead,"

Malachi didn’t answer, and then Cassian looked at him.

The two men shared a brief glance.

They both knew what revealing Della’s survival would mean. Her enemies would come, and her plans would collapse.

Every pack that had once hunted her would begin searching for her. And if Della discovered that they had told the world where she was...

She might never forgive them.

"You’re withholding information from this council." Roderic stated.

"No." Cassian’s voice was cold, "We are protecting someone."

"You expect us to risk our territories while you protect one Rotblood?" He said the word ’Rotblood,’ in a nasty drawl.

Malachi’s eyes lifted immediately, "Roderic. You better start saying that title with respect,"

Everyone stared at him.

"Because right now, that Rotblood is the difference between your packs surviving this war and becoming another pile of ash."

No one answered.

Malachi slowly rolled the ancient scroll back up to his side, and then he looked around the table, "You want to survive?" He looked at every person on the table, and his voice dropped, "Then for starters, stop demeaning the title. And whenever you can’t control what you think about Rot-bloods... simply remember that they are your only means to Salvation right now. Maybe that would help you realise you are not, and have never been in any position to question them,"