from his chest. The sadness and fear didn’t fade, but if Zelda said they had a shot, he was going to cling to it.
“It’s time, Aiden. You’ve put this off for far too long,” Zelda said, turning her laser-like focus on the oldest vampire in the room.
“Things are not inevitable simply because the Great Zelda says they are,” Aiden said in a harsh voice. Winter watched his father’s face grow red, but he also refused to look any of them in the eye.
“What’s she talking about? What have you put off?” Winter asked. He returned to the seat he’d been sitting in, while Wyatt and River were once again wrapped around Bel as if they wanted to protect their mate from any ugly words that might be flung around the room.
“Aiden is incredibly old. He’s more than powerful enough to wipe out Damon and scatter his minions if he chooses not to slaughter them,” Zelda explained.
His father glared at Zelda as if his dark looks alone could silence her. If she’d proved anything tonight, nothing shut Zelda up when she wanted to speak.
“My fear is not taking out Damon. It’s what happens after Damon is killed.” Aiden paced to the center of the room, his attention largely turned toward Sofia and Zelda. “Who rules the vampires afterward? The Ministry has been destroyed, and it was largely corrupt when it did exist. Are we to let all the various clans and vampires run roughshod over the humans and each other? It will be chaos.”
“No, the vampires in the Americas need a true leader. A king, even if it is only for a short time. Someone who can be firm and strong when needed, but also someone with enough common sense to help form new leadership to oversee the clans,” Zelda said.
“Someone who would be willing to listen to those who have been voiceless for so very long,” Rafe added.
“Someone who understands the dark history of the vampires and werewolves, but who also understands the benefits when we’re joined in brotherhood,” Wyatt said.
“Oh, thank God!” Sofia exclaimed, shoving out of her chair. “I was afraid I was the only one who was hammering against the brick wall of his mind.”
“You want him for a king?” Marcus asked, surprise widening his eyes.
“Yes!” she said with her hands balled into fists. “He wouldn’t even listen to me when I mentioned it.” Sofia was easily more than a foot shorter than Aiden when she got right up into his face. “Aiden, you soft-hearted, stubborn fool, you are the only one most of us trust to look out for what is best for our people. Yes, you’re going to protect your sons, but your sons aren’t the type of men who would tear apart our kind for their own pleasure. In the end, we know you’re going to look out for all of us.”
Aiden spun around and started for his chair, but he stopped short when he stood before the chair that had been made his as head of the clan. The chair that resembled a throne at the center of the room.
“ ‘Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown,’ ” Zelda quoted.
Aiden snorted. “Shakespeare was a prat.”
“I would not have wished this on you, my old friend. But this truly is the best way to protect your family,” the witch murmured. Her eyes shot over to Winter and she winked at him before she said, “And while I’m sure you’re tired of my prophecies, I do have one more for you.”
“Oh, fuck no,” Winter groaned. He couldn’t complain too much since her last one got him Fox, but there had to have been a better way for him to meet his witch.
“Really, no more prophecies, Zelda,” Aiden quickly said.
Of course, Zelda ignored them all. “The crown puts you one step closer to your heart’s desire.”
Aiden shook his head. “No, I had my heart’s desire and she’s gone now. I have my sons and their happiness. I don’t want anything else. Nor do I need anything else.”
Zelda just smiled smugly at him, and Aiden cursed softly under his breath. In short, this was coming for Aiden whether he thought he wanted it or not.
And Winter found that he wanted it for his father. He wanted the man who’d protected him and his brothers, who’d given so much of his life for nearly two centuries, to have some happiness for himself. Maybe after all this insanity was done, he and his brothers could put their heads