Chapter 212: The Unraveling (i)

"She said that?" Ares stared at Damon.

"Yes." Damon leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. "She thinks you both believe her to be dangerous."

"Of course not," Cassian immediately countered.

Damon’s eyes narrowed.

"So you said nothing about her powers being dangerous?"

"I..." Cassian sputtered. "Wait... she heard that? She was asleep. We did not think..."

His eyes shifted to Ares who had a straight, tight expression on his face.

"Exactly." Damon scoffed.

Cassian rubbed a hand over his face in resignation.

"She wasn’t supposed to hear that. I would never say something like that about her. I would never make her feel that way."

"But you are and you did." Damon countered. "We are supposed to be protecting her."

"And I will always protect her." Ares finally spoke. "I would put my life between her and anyone who tried to hurt her but I also have to look out for my people too." he muttered.

"Spoken like a true Alpha there, brother." Damon cut in "You cannot force her to..."

"We are not forcing Ayla to do anything," Cassian interjected. "You have not seen what she is capable of, Damon. She could fell the entire territory if she so pleases."

"But she will not." Damon looked at him. "Because it is Ayla... it is Ayla... fucking think about that for a second."

Cassian fell silent at this.

Damon looked between both brothers in disbelief.

"That is what you are missing." He shook his head. "You keep talking about her powers like they are some separate creature that is waiting to take over her body. She is still Ayla."

He looked at Ares.

"You know that better than anyone."

Cassian sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I am afraid I am with Ares on this, brother. Ayla has to master her powers no matter what. We cannot have a repeat of Soren and I know you mean well, and we do too. But she is powerful, Damon. What if she turns that power on herself? What would happen then?"

"What?"

"What if she loses control and instead of hurting someone else, she hurts herself?" Cassian swallowed. "That is what scares me."

For the first time, Damon could see the fear underneath his brother’s argument.

It was not simply fear of Ayla... it was fear for her. The same fear that had been haunting all of them since they found Soren’s body.

Damon understood it but he simply did not agree with the way they were handling it.

"So she trains with the witch." He emphasized the last word. "And you trust her?"

"Amara has Ayla’s interest at heart." Ares frowned.

"Does she?" Damon scoffed.

"She helped us with Lucius and she helped us."

"That doesn’t mean she is incapable of having another plan." Damon said. "Ayla thinks she has something planned."

That made Ares pause.

"Why would she think that?"

"Soren’s death and her memory gaps." Damon held his brother’s gaze. "She thinks Amara has a hand in it. Ayla mentioned Soren told her, the day he came to see her, not to trust the witch."

"But Ayla believes Amara may have used magic to make her do it."

Ares stared at him.

"She never mentioned..."

"Would you have listened to her?" Damon cut in. "Or would you have considered what you think is best for her, and nodded along, and done things your way anyway?"

Ares’ gaze dropped.

"I don’t want her to ever be in that situation again." His voice was quieter now. "She was taken from under my nose, Damon. I stood in that cave and watched her drive a knife into a man’s chest to save herself, and I could do nothing. Nothing. I have carried that every day since."

Damon suddenly understood.

"Ares." He said it softly.

"I am Alpha." Ares muttered. "I am supposed to protect her. I am supposed to protect all of them and I keep failing."

"You did not fail her." Damon took a step closer. "She is alive, here with us. She is stronger than you give her credit for and we need to start listening to her."

Ares stared at him for several seconds then he nodded.

Cassian nodded too.

"So what is the plan?" he asked.

"The training will not be holding first of all and you both owe Ayla an apology for your stink-ass behaviour."

Ares chuckled. Cassian joined him, shaking his head, and reached for the glass of water on the table.

"Right." Ares said suddenly, leaning back in his chair. "I forgot. Father is in love."

Cassian immediately choked on his water and Damon looked downright stupefied.

"Excuse me?"

"With Brenna." Ares supplied.

Damon stared at him.

"He is joking."

"I do not think he is." Ares smirked. "And you know what? He has my blessing, if he wants to take it further."

"He does?" Cassian wheezed, still coughing.

"Yes, he does." Ares looked between his brothers. "He deserves to be happy."

"But with Brenna?" Damon’s disbelief was almost comical.

"I mean, I understand that she has changed..." Ares cut in. "She does seem different. Less mean and more smiles..."

"Father’s work, I presume." Cassian smirked.

Damon stared at him.

"You are taking this surprisingly well."

Cassian’s smile faded slightly. "If Father is happy, I am happy for him."

Damon’s expression softened.

"That is actually..." he paused, grappling for a word to use. "Nice."

"Agreed." Ares nodded.

For a brief moment, the weight in the room lifted. They were three brothers sitting together, talking about their father and love.

But the peace did not last.

A knock sounded on the door and all three brothers looked toward it.

"Come in." Ares called out.

The door opened and a guard stepped inside.

He bowed immediately to them.

"What is it?" Ares asked.

The guard held out a parchment.

"A letter, my lord." he said. "From Emberfall."

Damon took the parchment and passed it unto Ares who opened it up, scanning the page.

He raised his head.

"It is from Willow. She is returning for Soren’s funeral"