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CARLISLE DIDN'T GIVE MUCH IN TERMS OF HIS DEFENSE, BUT ARO HAD FIGURED THAT HE WOULDN'T.
When has he ever? As he looked into the eyes of the man who he'd once shared a life in the castle with, he wondered if letting him start his own Coven was a bad idea. Could he have stopped him, given him the advice that he needed a few hundred more years to create a family?
The nature of why he did what he did wasn't what mattered to him, but rather the impact of the decision and how it was affecting the Pack mattered. The young boy who couldn't physically age reminded him too much of his Alec, a boy trapped in the age and maturity of an eleven year old.
Aro didn't have his authority questioned very often, but Carlisle had done that. He knew that Aro wouldn't like these children being forced to shift to defend their home! So he kept it from him, hid it so it could fester for over a hundred years. Never again, Aro thought, I am never going to allow the people to hide these things again.
They would have to put the people under closer eyes. With Andrei and these new wolves, what more was out there? What more had been discovered? Anything could be covered up, clearly.
Yet Aro did not want to think like that. He wanted to believe everything Carlisle said, that the Cullens were doing the people of Forks a service by being a doctor in the area. He really wanted to believe him.
But he didn't, and that was really terrible for Carlisle.
"I acknowledge here and now that I have heard both sides of this hearing and as acting Queen I will oversee the discussion section. Both sides and their members may question anyone on each side, but note that anyone who is not adherent to the rules of the room will be taken out kindly. If not willing to leave you will be taken out by a guard," River said with grace.
He loved hearing her speak. Aro adored how her hair was done today. Her voice reminded him of that feature of hers. It was beautifully curled and had gotten longer. Only by a centimeter, but he noticed.
"I would like to ask Carlisle Cullen why he thinks that the people of Forks matter more than the people of the reservation," said Leah. She was a sharp young woman, the mate of Chrissy who Aro knew would do anything for her. She had previously put a jacket on her mate to keep her warm.
"That is not a good faith question!" Edward exclaimed.
"Good faith or not, it is understandable and I will allow it," River said with a sigh. "A discussion has been opened between Leah Clearwater and Carlisle Cullen. Edward Cullen, this discussion is between the two of them, I do not want you to interfere."
The telepath was forced into silence. It made Aro giddy to see him silenced.
"I do not believe that the people of the reservation matter more than the citizens of Forks, Washington," Carlisle responded to Leah.
"If this is the case why did you ignore Billy Black when he told you to move out? He told you that your kind would cause pain and suffering in our community."
