Blackfeather Woods You were both born to be kings

Burke stood before his members with a quiet expression when all expressed how he was not loyal and how he was not even a dark brother anymore. Couldn't they see that everything he had done in his life ever since joining Black Feather had been for them? Burke gave them each enough respect and listened them without interrupting. First there was the matter of food, Damien pointed out. To then start about the tenets. Burke kept his face straight, because he did not broke the tenets of the brotherhood. Potema helped point that out too how he broke tenet II.

He could not reply yet because then Nemesis had something to say too, once again accusing that he had betrayed their tenets. Did they even have proof he did? They were open to perception, most of them at least. Then on top of that Kove went back to his old ways and used his past against him once more. Somehow that didn't surprise the alpha. It seemed that his past triggered something with Kove that kept him to repeat it even though Burke had worked past Kove's own mistakes he made in the past. Cicero followed with a decision, him stepping down or him leaving. This was nonsense, he was not going to step down. Both would feel like he was thrown out by his own loved ones and friends.

Burke cleared his throat. "The tenets are open for ones own perception. I cannot be blamed for something that is not stated clearly in the rules. Tenet I. Never dishonor the Night Mother. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis. In my perception if I would have fathered pups with a female and not raise them to be loyal servants to the night mother, that would have been a dishonor. Now the night mother has two more recruits and one that will fight for her." Burke kept his eyes roaming over all of them as he spoke. If they would blame him on breaking this first tenet that would not be fair, then all could be blamed under that rule. Burke could also say Kove broke that rule of dishonoring the night mother by starting a pack and not being alpha or having any of his members follow that religion. After all he had failed that time just as well.

"Tenet II. Never betray the Dark Brotherhood or its secrets. To do so is to invoke the Wrath of Sithis, as you pointed out to me Potema, I have not done this either. Malice doesn't know anything about the brotherhood or the night mother. All I talked about with her are personal things, nothing related to the brotherhood or its secrets," he continued on a calm tone. He raised his chin a bit to address further matters because now he did have the time to explain himself so he damn well would take his time.

"I did not betray any of you, nor did I betray Meldresi. I would never even think of doing such a thing. Every day I've mourned her, guarded her resting place till her bones were ready. It has been more than half a year since her death and I think that now is a time to continue living. I have been a solid leader for about a year now. My scent never lacked on the borders. There has not been a day I've stopped working for this pack each day from the moment arrived here. Not even when Meldresi died, or when my own son was murdered. I never wavered to think about you all first instead of myself. I have been a leader, a mentor, a counselor and a friend for each one of you. For three of those standing here I've even been a father too," he pointed out, looking at the first batch of spiderlings. "I took Malice in for myself. For one moment in my life I chose for myself. I did not intend to replace Meldresi. Malice won't be queen. She is here for me, not for any of you, or to take over the pack in any way. As cold as I may seem sometimes. I am not. And I am stick and tired of being alone. There was no one in the pack for me to grow close with in that way. If I would done so to Nemesis then I would have broken tenet IV. And other females were not there at the time that came even close to catching my attention. I should be happy too, and not be in constant mourning or working mode. As for the famine, I am allowed to accept new recruits but I am not allowed to accept Malice in our pack? That is very hypocritical. She has proved herself to me, but you are not allowing to prove herself to all of you."

He took a moment to take a breath seeing that he was not done resting his case. "None of us are perfect. I myself are not perfect, but you aren't either. Kove, it seems you are fond of starting about my past. That is behind me. I thought we had been over this as I have accepted your pasts mistakes too. The pack and even Meldresi accepted you mistakes, Kove. We worked past it and allowed you back in these ranks, even your son was allowed in this pack to prove himself. You here you are still a dark brother today. Still ready to serve after you proved yourself," he pointed out on the same calm tone. After all Meldresi herself had not been happy at the time to hear that Kove had failed, at least Meldresi had never been mad at him. "Nemesis, my hard working Beta, and the one I confide in. I made an exception for you too. There was no specialty done yet, still isn't, yet you call yourself a dark sister. Only because of the sole reason that you proved yourself. And I believe in you. I still do," Burke continued. He had no ill words for any of them. Even though their accusation hurt him deeply, and he felt horribly betrayed Burke had spent long enough of his time looking back at his past and feeling bitter about it. Last time he had turned his back to his pack, but not this time. Because he didn't want to leave his family and close friends. Instead of starting about the spiderlings he started about himself.

"I decided for myself that the brotherhood needed a strong leader ever since Meldresi went missing. Each moment that things were difficult I kept going, providing for this pack. With the floods, when Meldresi went missing, when all three spiderlings were gone. When Meldresi died, every day on afterwards I had to live without her, and then on top of all of that followed with my own son being murdered. Instead of being emotional about life I've kept going, for all of you and this pack. I've became lonely, as I did not want to share any weaknesses with any of you all, not wanting that you guys would have to doubt leadership, ever. To question if I still am a brother or even loyal to this pack, then you all have been blind. Have any of you ever seen how hard I've been working? You are all very close to me, friends and most of all loved ones. And maybe that worked against me know, keeping things private. Maybe I have not shared enough with you all, because the moment you saw a fault in me you all came here for my blood. That is what I am assuming what you are doing, surrounding me around my home without an escape, and with such hatred filled in your eyes. At least I hope you aren't here to kill me." He eyed at Damien, because at times he really was not sure about his own son and his thoughts.

Burke did not know what they came here to do, or what their goal was. Did they came here to kill him? Did they came here to kill Malice and the young? Cicero seemed against it. They wanted him gone, that was clear. Burke pushed away those feelings how much that thought hurt. "I do not want to step down. I don't think I deserve to be told to leave or even step down just because I let a female in our pack you guys don't like or approve of. I've been there and loyal to all of you, providing nothing but selfless actions and decisions before Malice came here. If that is how you want to treat me then I can't deny I would be more than disappointed." In fact, the mere thought of all of his friends and loved ones casting him out did something very strange inside of him. But Burke knew too that if they did not want to follow him as a leader anymore then he could not be alpha either. He almost wished he didn't go after his feelings because if he knew this would have happened he might have thought harder about taking Malice to Black Feather. "My decision with taking Malice in was not to upset you. It seems I have, and I am sorry. I know sorry might not mean a lot, but please look at the past year and what I've done for each of you standing here this moment. I want a second chance."