**Ch 352: Divided

Morbius balled his fists so tight that droplets of blood bled from his knuckles. "Fine! After Emily heals, she will Marry Dwight Mills! But heed my warning, Gaston. One day, I will make you and your future wife pay! You best keep an extra eye on that offspring of yours." He threatened, then he walked through the young alphas who stepped aside as his wife started to follow him while he yelled. "Any Coven who are allies with the O'Donnell Coven is not invited to my daughter's wedding! And don't anticipate for me to attend any of yours ever again!"

"Aurora, please talk to him!" Serena pleaded to Morbius's wife before she could get too far.

Aurora turned back, and she gnashed her teeth angrily. "I will not have anything to do with you ever again! You sided with Gaston's tramp and betrayed my daughter!"

"Could you honestly give up your grandchild if you were in our position?" Serena implored in her empathy for her to have an understanding of the situation, but Aurora greedily stuck up her nose and then she continued following her husband. The young alphas moved aside for her as well. While her sons pursued behind her. 

One by one, all of Morbius's allies started to follow them. Minus, the Slithers, who had all joined Morbius, the other Headmasters, and their followers were divided equally by their species between taking Vlad's side or Morbius's side. Even their followers were divided, and a handful of them switched sides. Gaston had lost twenty-four guardians who chose to follow Mr. Mill out, as at least seven of them had wives and offspring whom went anywhere their husbands would go. 

Between the shapeshifters, the panthers, the mountain lions, the black bears, and the tigers all sided with Morbius, which left the wolves, the brown bears, the lions, and the cougars had stayed with Vlad. As of now, I could easily recognize who Kai's Alpha friends were related to from when I met some of them at the Masked Ball. Elizabeth looked like her grandma, which is one thing I had to say to myself.

I outwardly noted for Kai to hear me. "You've been friends with everyone for this long."

"Yes."

"What happened to the lion shapeshifters?" I asked, wondering. "I can't recall seeing them with you or with your dad at the Masked Ball."

Kai replied as his tone had saddened. "The lion shifters never made it through the war. The members who did have joined different Covens."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I frowned before listening back in.

"If we get divided, the war will be at our doorstep sooner than you think!" Edgar warned, as it was his last attempt to keep the harmony between them.

Upon hearing his voice, Morbius and his Headmaster allies swerved around. Out of everyone, Morbius's eyes were darkening a tenebrous shade from the rage searing them into black ashes. From the loveable grandfather, I knew him to be, he was now a demonic creature ready to strike any unfortunate soul that was to cross him.

"Then let this world burn with my wrath!" he roared like a sadist maniac, and then he vanished with everyone who took his side.

"The council is dismissed," Edgar announced to everybody else who remained in the council room. Almost everyone started to depart except for a handful of guardians, and their advisors stayed behind.

"Aaron, take your sister back to the guest bedroom," Vincent ordered.

Aaron gently picked up his sleeping sister like a princess from out of Gaston's arms, and he vanished as his mother Rihanna, his sisters, and his brothers went with him, same with Serena as emotional tears dripped from her eyelids.

"I almost didn't see this coming," I remarked in relief since it's been so hard to watch.

Kai informed me. "Vlad might be strict, but he'd never let anything happen to his grandchildren. He loves his family. If it didn't happen like this, then who knows what would've happened to my older brother Chester and my mother."

"She was pregnant with Chester!" I exclaimed, and Kai laughed at me to realize this now.

"Who else would she be pregnant with?" he teased. "My parents only had three offspring up until recently."

I could only laugh as I chose to ignore his tease.

"I will talk to Morbius once he's calmed down," Vlad declared to whoever remained in the council room.

"Father, I am sorry—"

"To the dungeon!" Vlad gnashed his fangs before he snapped his fingers for his guardians to seize him.

Two of Vlad's guardians pulled him off the floor, but then Gaston yanked his arms away after he stood. "I accept my punishment willingly! You don't need to treat me like a prisoner!"

"Very well, my son." Vlad grimaced. "Go, and I'll deal with you after you've been whipped."

"If you plan on punishing Morticia, I will take her punishment too," Gaston notified Vincent.

"Once I think of what that might be, I'll inform you," Vincent declared sternly. "Until then, you and my daughter are to be supervised until you are married. Then I will step aside and let you both raise your family."

Gaston bowed his head, and then Vlad admonished him. "If there are any more mistakes from you, like if you cheat on Morticia or do anything else ludicrous, you will be exiled from my Coven."

"A vampire could never cheat on his destined mate," Gaston replied earnestly.

"Good, I was hoping you didn't mark her out of stupidity," Vlad grumbled as his words were harsh.

"Cheating on Emily was wrong, but I could never wrongfully mark Morticia because she is rightfully mine." Gaston vouched.

"God set his commandments to be obeyed. Sin spreads like a plague, as you just witnessed. I hope now you understand why we must and should obey His ten commandments. However, I am glad to hear you found a destined mate." Vlad lectured sternly.

"I understand better now than I did, Father. Just because I didn't love Emily didn't give me the right to cheat on her, and I should've spoken to you earlier about how I felt about her. And I should have been there to save her from what she went through. I should have come to you all along." Gaston conceded, and he took full responsibility for his actions.

Not letting him off the hook, Vlad sighed before he censured him. "Indeed, you should've Gaston. This could've been avoided if you had come to me first about Morticia being your destined mate. I would've handled Morbius. Anyhow, you still disobeyed my Coven rules. You've disappointed me, son."

Gaston vowed. "Because I failed you, Father, I vow if I have any sons, I will make sure they do greatness. They will please you with their accomplishments and make you proud where I failed you. They will never have mistresses or do all the wrongs I've done in my life that made you shun me and caused my mother tears."