A Different Breed ▻ Legacies [1]

23

 At the council's table, Josie, Kaleb, Rafael, and Emma all sat together at the table. Soon enough, Valerie and Hope entered, causing everyone to frown in confusion, "Sorry we're late," Valerie apologized on behalf of herself and Hope.

 She was representing herself because she was the only werewolf-witch hybrid in the school. Hope was representing tribrids because she was the only one of her kind besides Ophelia. Josie represented the witches while Kaleb represented the vampires, and Rafael represented the wolves. 

"Hold up," Kaleb spoke up with a frown on his face, "Who voted for them?"

"We ran unopposed," Hope informed him as she and Valerie took a seat at the table with the rest of the honor council.

 Emma began to chant a spell, which lifted up the balance scale midair before she lifted up a small weight with the Salvatore School seal on it, "We're here to discuss if Landon should be allowed to stay at the school. My vote, on behalf of the lower school, is to err on the side of inclusion. We exist to help kids like him." She explained before placing her weight on the yes side, "Which is what I'm going to do now. I have a search party out looking for Jed. As you've all seen, violence leads to more violence. If you'll excuse me."

 With that, Emma walked off, leaving the supernatural teens alone, "All right, who wants to go next?" Valerie asked the group curiously as she everyone shifted in their seat.

"Landon has to go," Hope spoke up, causing Valerie to stare at her with wide eyes.

"Never thought I'd be saying this, but..." Kaleb trailed off, "Hope's right. Humans refuse to make a place for us in their world. We start letting them in, it's only a matter of time before they take this place from us, too." He informed them before picking up his small weight, placing it down on the no side, making the sides equal, "Landon goes."

"Landon is my brother. he's the only reason I'm alive. He can't go back to human life knowing that magic and dragons exist. We took his whole crappy life from him. It would be awfully selfish of us not to give him one to replace it." Rafael explained before placing his weight down on the yes side, "That's two one."

"It doesn't matter how much we want him to stay," Hope spoke up, "Look what one mad wolf did to him. Earlier, I asked him if he felt safe here. He said, 'yes'. He was lying. This place is dangerous for him, and even he knows it."

"I will protect him," Rafael tried to tell her, but Hope quickly interjected.

"And where were you an hour ago?" Hope retorted with an attitude and Rafael deemed unable to answer, "That's the point. If he stays, it's on all of us. It is all of our responsibility to protect him. Can we honestly say we believe everyone one of us can handle that kind of a responsibility?" She paused, placing her weight on the no side. 

 Meanwhile later, Josie had taken her turn and voted on Hope's side, which left Valerie as the last one to vote.

"Looks like you're the last vote, Valerie," Kaleb spoke up and Valerie couldn't help but feel guilty for what she was about to do. All eyes were on her as she picked up her weight, causing Valerie to feel awfully uncomfortable.

"Val," Rafael spoke up, causing Valerie to stare directly at her, "Please." He pleaded and Valerie gave him a sympathetic look.

"Raf, this isn't about who's friends with who or who you get along with at this school. Everyone at this school is considered family to me, and I refuse to put my family in danger by allowing Landon to stay here. I'm sorry." She explained, quickly placing her weight down on the no side.

Angered, Rafael abruptly stood up from his chair, causing Kaleb to stand up defensively just in case Rafael's anger got the rest of him.

"Raf, stop. Just calm down," Valerie warned him quietly.