Final Decision

The people in the room felt chills run down their spines and some people's eyes shot to the man while the others who had their backs facing the door turned in their seats.

They all sensed it, his charisma, aura, stature, gaze, demeanor, everything about him screamed royalty. He was a king in his every right.

Alois who had been sitting in silence felt the same sensation he had felt during the midnight ball. He hadn't gotten to see who it was then but now that the man stood in front of them, he could tell. The previous king of the werewolves was no ordinary night creature.

Mael's eyes swept across the room. So this was the upper echelon Xacier spoke about. His eyes moved to Integra who sat at the head of the table, he was impressed she could make it this far.

His eyes moved to the empty seat on her immediate left, he preferred to sit in a position where he could see who came and went but he would bear with it for today.

He walked to the seat with Xacier behind him. Xacier pulled the chair out for Mael to sit and after he sat he pushed the chair forward a little.

Apart from Integra, Sebastian, Nicholas, and three others, the rest of the upper echelon did not know the previous king of the werewolves, so they were intimidated by his presence but also curious as to his identity.

The sudden tension almost made Alois laugh, the man did live up to his reputation.

"You have been graced with my presence, so let us continue," Mael broke the silence and Integra cleared her throat,

"Any objections to reinstating the previous king, Mael Dechen, to his former position?" It was better to strike when the iron was still hot. The matter had been under discussion for quite some time and she needed to tick it out of her long list of pending work.

Silence echoed through the room, no one had the voice to object. Integra waited patiently for their opinions and finally, one of the few people that was around during Mael's rule raised his hand and said, "I have something to say,"

"And what is that, Mr. Lucien?" Integra asked.

The man turned to Mael, "I do not oppose your majesty's reinstatement but I speak from the point of view of the masses. Pardon me if I come off as rude but, Your Majesty, you abandoned your throne a century ago. Then Your Highness shows up out of the blue wanting to claim it back. If I may, it comes off as nonchalant and arrogant and doesn't leave a good impression, My lord," he concluded.

Mael leaned back into his chair and placed one arm on the table. He remembered the man, a former Duke known for his sly tongue and mind. He had just tactfully raised the dying voice of the masses, a well-thought-out action.

After the man's comment, other hands also shot into the air, signaling their objection. The number of hands in the air was greater than those down.

Integra sighed internally, well, the matter couldn't be solved that fast, "Can we hear your reasons?" she asked them. They needed plausible reasons for their objections because just the rumors of Mael's return had solved two tough cases with the rogue werewolves, if that wasn't impressive she didn't know what was.

Most of them didn't speak. Some did not like the fact that some man who had just appeared suddenly held so much power over them but that reason wasn't good enough. It only showed their fragile ego which they weren't willing to accept.

One of the men cleared his throat and spoke, "The situation with the werewolves has gotten more complex over the years. How can we be certain that the previous king would be up to the task?" a good question indeed.

"Reinstate me to my position and see for yourself," was all Mael said in reply.

"And should you fail?" A man named Crowley Eusford sitting at the very edge of the table asked. He had witnessed the previous king's rule so he knew that Mael was fit for the position but the times had changed. Ruling wasn't as easy as before and neither was this a child's play. He needed the assurance if he was going to get his approval.

"Then off with my head," came Mael's reply and Crowley's eyes widened,

"Very well," he resigned into his seat.

Mael was confident. Confident in his ability to reclaim the throne that belonged to him but the members of the upper echelon were hard-headed.

"Shall we vote again?" asked Integra.

"Those in favor of reinstating the previous king to his throne?"

"And those objecting to the reinstatement?"

It was a tie, Integra sighed internally. There were sixteen people on the upper echelon excluding her, the addition of Mael would make them eighteen in total, an even number. 

Sebastian raised his hand in the air, gaining all their attention and Integra asked him, "What do you have to say, Mr. Michaelis?"

"The matter between the werewolves is a delicate one as their affairs function differently from the rest of the world," he started.

"My Lord, your sudden disappearance threw the previously established system between the werewolves into chaos which caused a lot of problems that did not cease until the emergence of the alphas. Stronger than most of their kind, they had the power to control their fellow creatures which led to the creation of packs,"

Mael nodded, he already knew about the current system between the werewolves and also where he was headed with his suggestion.

"Where I am headed is that a new system has already been established between the werewolves, so your sudden reinstatement would only lead to chaos. I have two suggestions for factors we can use on His Highness's reinstatement.

One, we let the previous king and his ex-subjects decide on the matter, after all, we as the upper echelon also have little say in the leadership affairs of the werewolves. It was our agreement," Sebastian reminded them of their pact with the werewolves.

"Two, the previous king should prove his competence to the upper echelon since there are members who doubt his abilities and for the upper echelon to make a faultless decision. That is my suggestion," he concluded.

The room went silent, all were in awe of the man who had spoken. A wise suggestion that benefited all the parties.

"What do you think of that, your highness?" Integra asked Mael.

"I see no problem,"

"And the members?" she asked the members of the upper echelon who seemed satisfied with the current turn of events. It was the best suggestion for all the parties.

"Then it is decided. The previous werewolf king, Mael Dechen, would be reinstated to his position after he has proved his competence to the upper echelon and if his previous subjects agree to it. That brings our meeting to an end. Thank you for your time," Integra stood from her chair signaling the end of the meeting.