Aston blinked, realizing that it had been Rhea that had made a beeline for the two elders, her eyes glowing and nails extended in order to do harm to her target. Before Rhea, being held back by a panicked Lydia, stood Catherine with her brown waves flowing freely highlighting her blue halter dress, the wolf’s eyes glowing with rage towards Rhea. The wolf elder bared her canines at Rhea, stating her intentions as a snarl roared from her throat, the other occupants of the room zeroing in on the commotion of the two women.

“Who let this bitch of a tiger in here!?” Catherine screech, her eyes bleeding from a deep brown to a glowing yellow, “Remove her at once! A woman like her needs to be out of my sight.”

“Oh I still see that you’re still mad that it was me that put you to sleep the last time we saw each other. It’s not my fault that trash like you can still be considered council material after taking a beating like that” Rhea hissed with a grin. 

Catherine gawked, “You stripped whore.”

“At least I’m not a cunty mutt” 

“HOW DARE YOU!” 

Catherine’s face began to transform in rage, her snout contorting her human face into an abnormal sight for the rest of their audience. Rhea smirked cheekily at the reaction that she had received from the elder, Aston making his way towards the two women, knowing that if the situation had continued it would not end well. Out of the corner of his eye, Aston witnessed a tall blonde figure with a charged walk walking towards the altercation. The man stood tall with a ruling presence, his hard blue eyes boring into the two women with visible displeasure, his heated look differing from his clean appearance.  

“Catherine.” A deep controlled voice escaped the man’s lips as Aston approached Rhea from the side, giving River a sympathetic look. Catherine had froze in place, her features becoming instilled with a silent fear that could be felt by the tigers, the tiger alpha knowing the look that had spread across her face. The wolf’s eyes looked to the side, not sparing a glance at the tigers before her, tilting her head down signifying something that the tiger alpha did witness often in the packhouse. 

Submission. 

“Rhea, you’re done. Drop it.” Aston’s voice short and powerful, his hand finding its way onto her shoulder.

Rhea angrily pouted, her body relaxing into River’s notifying her mate that she had intended to stand down, a sigh of relief escaped the dark man. Aston looked towards the three elders coming into contact with hard crystal blue eyes, his hazel eyes changing to match the tone of the man. 

“Edward” His tone clipped. 

“It is nice to see you again, Aston” the man stated coolly. 

“The feeling is mutual”

The air between the tiger alpha and the wolf elder seemed to become very thick, not with power, but with a tension that was very evident to the others within the meeting room. The stare down of blue and Hazel silently battling as Lydia directed Catherine towards the other members of the council, the female wolf having started to revert back to her more human features. Aston paid no mind to the women, his eyes never leaving the wolf’s remembering that he was the man that had, not long ago, stated his concerns for him becoming king.

“Good to know that the feelings are returned” Edward muttered, not breaking eye contact, “Please make sure to keep your personal guard under control this time.”

“Well, yes of course. We wouldn’t want a repeat of last time now would we, maybe this time the dog will know her place as my guard should know hers” Aston stated coldly, feeling Nicolai approach from behind. 

Edward’s expression changed into a heart warming smile, a smile that Aston knew was used for all visitors that came to the packhouse. 

“Yes, well of course” 

The wolf elder walked away, his actions motioning for the other elders and council members to take their seats, the smile never leaving his face.  The expression sent ice through Aston’s veins, the tiger being aware that the smile he had witnessed was not what it conveyed. That it was something that many people feared, something that some, like the tiger alpha, had been subject to more often than not. Aston felt the presence from behind him get even closer, his body relaxing from the feel of the closeness of Nicolai. 

“We should probably join the others at our seats” Aston watched as the other leaders assumed their places at the lion's words, their seats staring back at them vacantly empty. 

 The tiger nodded making his way over to the others, meeting the eyes of Ransom and Bianca as he took his seat in the middle of the table, his mate at his side. In front of them sat their councils, their blank stares taking in the sight of their leaders sitting so close amongst each other. Aston peered following the eyes of Edward, his eyes looking from Ransom and Nicolai on his right to Bianca and Valentine, who sat at his left hand.  

“Welcome all” Edward’s voice echoed through the silence of the room. 

“And all be welcome” the people of the meeting room answered, Aston noticing that his mate had remained silent .

“We will now commence our yearly Gathering” Edward started, his eyes addressing everyone, “May we welcome faces of old and those who have recently risen to power.” 

Heads nodded at the acknowledgement.

“Ransom, the Alpha of the Falcon Haven Pack.”

Ransom puffed out his chest, preening with pride.

“Bianca, the Queen of the Falcon Haven Coven.”

The vampire smirked acknowledging the intimidated glances of some of the elders.

“Aston, the soon to be King of the Falcon Haven Tiger Clan”

Aston looked around at the familiar faces, his head nodding in respect to the elders, the tiger catching a sly smirk from Vitkor.

“Nicolai, the King of the newly instated Falcon Haven Pride.”

Nicolai smirked at the elders, gaining some more than noticeable warnings to behave, the tiger hiding a smile at his mate’s teasing smirk. Isadora shot them both a warning look, their bodies instantly stiffening from the heat of the look.

“And lastly, we welcome Valentine the Leader of the newly instated Jaguar Clan”

Valentine squirmed in his seat at the stares, his eyes silently peered at the other side of the table. The action did not go unnoticed by Aston, his head turning towards his friend noticing that the wolf was not paying attention to anyone. Ransom had seemed to be lost in space, not aware of the leaders that blatantly stared upon him. A slight warning growl grumbled from the front of the table, Aston and the others turning their eyes to the front tip of the table. Edward stood tall at attention, his cold hard eyes staring at the Alphas, the fake smiling persona having dissolved from existence only leaving an austere look on the head council member’s face. The distracted Alpha’s straightened their stances at the look, the smile appearing once more on the mouth of the blue eyed man. 

“Alright Alphas, let's get started.”