Hey everyone! Sorry it took a while to turn this chapter out. I've been a little uninspired lately. I'm running out of prompts and would really appreciate it if you guys had any suggestions. I'd like to thank my friend, dralexbanner for helping me make the plot for this chapter.
All rights go to D.C. and Warner Bros. Lenora, the twins and Caira belong to me.
Exes
A man with slick black hair and a Cheshire grin stared at the scene before him. A few members of the Justice League, specifically Zatara and Wonder Woman, were busy fighting off some simple assailants. They took them down easily and the thieves were in police custody in no time. "Perfect timing," the man whispered as his black armor turned into a sleek, black suit. Hoping off the building he was currently on, he landed smoothly on the pavement and approached the two heroes. Zatara was the first to notice him. "Can I help you?" Eyebrow raising, Wonder Woman moved forward just in case. The man answered without missing a beat. "Actually, you can. I'm looking for someone, and I've been informed that the group you're a part of knows everything strange that happens in this world." The two heroes look at each other. "This world?" Wonder Woman repeats. "You had better come with us," Zatara ushers the man away from the growing crowd.
"What did you say your name was?" Batman stood eye to eye with the strange man, examining him. "My name is King Alaster Valan, of Underworld." The other members' eyes widen in surprise, but Batman doesn't even seem affected. "I thought that Luka was the King," Flash interrupts, earning a glare from Batman. "Actually Luka is the ruler of the Insuccubi," Zatara clarifies. "There are multiple races in Underworld. All have their own royalty," he adds. "It seems someone is very aware. Think of each race as owning their own country," Alastar continues, swiftly turning away from Batman, causing him to grimace. "I recently inherited the throne. I rule the Shifters." Grin widening, he places his fist over his chest and bows. "I thank you in advance for your assistance." Flash moves in front of him. "So uh…what's a Shifter exactly?" "Are you familiar with the monsters that live under beds or in closets?" Flash nods and as soon as he does Alastar's face contorts into that of a beast's. "That is a shifter." He laughs, but it sounds more like a growl. "We feed off fear," he says as his face returns to normal.
Batman had already called Lenora to come to the base, but when the zeta tubes announced the entirety of the Young Justice team plus her, he was unpleasantly surprised. "What are you doing?" His voice was stern even though he was speaking to his wife. "What?" Lenora began. "I was helping them clean up Mt. Justice, when you called. Plus, you said it wasn't an emergency and they wanted to come." Her smile doesn't falter even under her husband's annoyed gaze and rather than arguing, he sighs and leads her through the base by the arm. On the way he explains it's a shifter looking for a friend of his. Nodding, Lenora taps her chin as she wonders what branch they could be from.
As she steps into the room ready to help in any way she can, Lenora freezes in her place as her gaze lands on the man in front of her. "Well, isn't this lucky?" Alastar stands and walks over to her, hand grazing her cheek. "You are even more beautiful now, if that's possible." Lenora steps back, gasping. "How did you find me?" He smirks shaking his head. "It truly has been too long." Before anyone else can react, Batman is already pushing Alastar back into his seat. "You," he growls, pointing at him, "stay here." Turning to face a still shocked Lenora, he pulls her out of the room. Naturally, the collective Wayne children follow their parents into another room.
Pulling his mask off, Bruce starts questioning Lenora. "Who is he?" Having calmed down significantly in that short period of time, he is no longer shouting or growling. Rather, he sounds strong and almost jealous and if Lenora knew her husband, she knew he was right now. "Perhaps you should call everyone in. I don't think I'd like to repeat this story. It's quite…complicated."
As the League piles into the small room, Lenora begins her story. "You all know how I got here," Lenora begins with a sigh, "but you don't know why." Robin interrupts first. "I though you came here to explore. You…you said you were bored of life in Underworld." Lenora nods, while speaking. "I did want to explore, but I didn't just leave my home. I ran away." The atmosphere in the room thickens, but Lenora doesn't let it affect her. "Before I met any of you, I was living happily with my family. Everything was handed to me, and as much as I wanted to travel and explore, I was content in the palace. One day, the ruling branch of Shifters came to my family looking for a truce. You see, hundreds of years ago there was a war between our races, and even though the Insuccubi were victorious, the peace we wanted to keep was hard to maintain. So when the Shifters wanted to instigate peace for a change, my father jumped at the chance. As you could imagine, we were all ecstatic, but I didn't know what they really wanted. I don't blame my father. It was his duty to protect and keep the peace. Unfortunately, I didn't agree with the terms and ran away from my home one night and came here hoping to hide, and that's when I found you all." Lenora looks at the table, ready to finally tell the secret she'd been hiding for eighteen years, but Alastar suddenly appears beside her. "I imagined you wouldn't be too keen about marrying me, but you didn't have to run," his voice is honey coated. "Luhtael, I came as soon as I heard where you were. There is something I have to tell you." Lenora stands and shakes her head. "Alastar, I'm touched you came all this way, but I cannot marry you. I'm sorry, but I am already married."
Lenora imagined would happen next, but this was not at all what she expected. Alastar took her hand and kissed it. An audible growl was heard, and she assumed it was Bruce, who had quickly pulled his hood back on. "I am aware. Though I must say I'm surprised you married a human," he spoke with a soft chuckle. "I came to tell you that you need not hide any longer. It was not my intention to hurt you in any way or scare you off. The truce was kept even without the marriage, and I will ensure it stays that way. It is my duty as King." Lenora deadpans. "I-I'm sorry. Did you say King?!"
The two ex fiancés sat and talked in the middle of the base for what seemed like hours. Alastar told her of what had happened after she left and, in turn, Lenora had introduced him to her children and showed him pictures of her family and friends. "My, my, your children are beautiful. You must be very happy." Alastar looked and sounded sly and so Batman stayed close to him in case he tried anything funny. "Ah I bet we would have had beautiful children as well. I must say, your husband is very lucky," Alastar says as he points to a photo on Lenora's phone. "This is him?" Proudly, Lenora nods and he picks it up and shows it to Batman, who is slowly moving closer to him. "Look at that. What a beautiful picture." Before Batman can make one of his proud comments, Alastar speaks again. "Although I must say, the husband looks like he…what's the phrase you humans use? Oh right. He looks like he needs to take the stick out of his ass."
The entire League bursts into a fit of laughter as Batman fumes.