What's Left of Roth

Anastasia and the rest already knew that the father was giving it a chance. It seemed that his curiosity towards the human still outweighed his rage for what the human had done. For now, he was finding entertainment in someone outside their clan. Until when…? No one was sure.

As the father led everyone through the castle, Ainsley was wincing and apologizing with little voices towards Sinclair. Not only did he even say that he was not lying, but he was also trying to blatantly compare his friend to the scary yet revered middle-aged man.

However, Sinclair couldn't bring himself to admit that he was only holding his aura back because Ainsley would surely run away from him that night. It wasn't his intention to look so docile, like a mermaid rising from the sea.

The group then reached the dining hall. The entire Elder Council of the moonlight dragon clan was gathered there, and Ainsley was quick to get scared of them. These faces and silhouettes… were exactly from the strange dreams that he was having. Though he couldn't recall most of those, he just felt like he had seen them all in a dream at least once.

Sinclair didn't bother with them. All he noticed was that a chair near the head was vacant. "Where's Roth? Is he still sleeping in?"

"It's funny how you two hate each other but keep on asking the same questions every time." The father sighed. He knew that Sinclair wouldn't greet the Elder Council even… and that he would notice Roth's absence right away. "Roth isn't home yet. He must be doing something else at the moment. You did give him a phone, didn't you? Call him. He never answered my calls."

"I'll look for him in a moment." Sinclair frowned. That guy never skipped gatherings with the Elder Council, since he liked insulting those guys to their faces. After all, with Sinclair leading the clan and his father standing as overlord, what could they do to him?

Ainsley didn't say anything anymore. He only gave his gaze at the beautiful middle-aged woman who sat on the left of the family head. At this, he figured this woman was somewhat close to the father instead. He then turned to the vacant seat.

After sending a message discreetly, Sinclair then finally let go of Ainsley. He then swept his eyes around the elders. "I suppose you have something very important to say, Father. Else, they all didn't have to be here."

"Don't worry about a lot of things. They do need to see the person you shared your dragon heart with." The father then cleared his throat before smiling at Ainsley. "Ainsley, I welcome you to the Snowy Moon Cove, the home of the moonlight dragons.

"I am the head of the family, and I am known here as Full Moon Lupin. I believe you have met my wife, Waning Gibbous Calla. It's a shame Roth is not yet here. You would have met Rosen's brother." Lupin seemed to be quite too kind to the human, and everyone else was feeling strange about it. Their family head was cordial with the human who was responsible for what happened to his son? The real overlord of the dragons in the mortal realm?

Even Ainsley was feeling strange… but for a different reason. It seemed that the woman… was Rosen's mother? Was it a stepmother? Why was he not treating her properly? His smile was awkward, but he did behave like a good guest.

Seeing that things were advancing slowly and that he couldn't speak with his father privately like this, Sinclair was about to open his mouth again. However, his phone suddenly rang in his pocket. It was from Stuart. He then frowned. This secretary knew that he was in an important meeting; he shouldn't be calling… unless it's very important.

"Father, I need to take this. Please watch over Ainsley." Sinclair quickly got up and didn't even look at anyone else at the table. The elders might be displeased, but he just strode and pushed the door open. From start to finish, no one else was able to make a noise.

"…he doesn't do that even if it's about the company…" Ainsley murmured, but his voice was so clear in the silence. He then turned to the father with an apologetic smile. "Uhm, sorry about that. It's probably a habit he developed from working. He'll be back soon."

"Michelle." Lupin frowned deeply and laced his finger in front of him. Within that one word was a tone of complete oppression that the servant couldn't help but show up in a kneeling position just next to the table.

He then spoke again, "Bring me Roth. I don't care if he's asleep or drinking."

However, instead of assenting in a servile way, Michelle only hesitated and bit her lower lip. Her silence then warranted Lupin's death glare at her head. She then spoke out, "We found Roth, Master… or what's left of him."

A powerful slap of water circled all over, and everyone at the table was hit. The table and the food on it were destroyed, as well as the chairs that everyone sat on. Ainsley barely kept himself from screaming, a green mist protecting him from the blow. However, he was still thrown away like the others, including Anastasia.

Lupin couldn't help but shift into his semi-dragon form and grabbed onto Michelle's shoulders and neck with his huge claw. "What do you mean what's left of him?! My son is dead?!"

"M-Master, please calm down! We are still investigating!" Michelle felt her bones cracking at the simple grasp of the family head. "R-Roth is not a weak dragon. He can survive losing two limbs. Someone must have attacked him. We're looking for him…"

Lupin threw Michelle to the door and even broke it with her body. "Find my son, or else I will eat your entire family!" He then glared at the elders, who also ran off to contact everyone that they could. The family head was angry, and no one could appease him anymore.

First, the eldest stopped reincarnating. Now, the youngest met with great trouble. If something else happened, who knew how much destruction would be done?

Ainsley only laid seated on the floor. Tears were on his eyes as he clutched at his shirt. Monsters… this was a den of monsters!