Chapter 12
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Mal
The council meeting was supposed to be routine. Internal affairs only. A quick discussion about the Igryside threat and our plan to find Tyreen.
It was not routine.
A day later after the spell and only because Wen insisted she was fine already, which I knew she was not, I entered the council chamber with her at my side, our hands linked.
We took our seats at the head of the table, side by side.
The councilors stood and bowed before settling back into their chairs.
Most looked respectful, attentive. A few looked curious about why we’d called this emergency meeting.
“We have a plan to address the Igryside threat,” I began, keeping my voice level and authoritative.
Wen leaned forward slightly, commanding attention. “We know they’re hunting my family specifically. Our son and me.”
One of the older councilors, Lord Harwick, frowned. “What do you propose, Your Majesties?”
“We found someone who might have information,” Wen said. “Tyreen, from my family’s old coven. She knew my grandparents. She would know how they managed to fight enemies, might know how to fight Igryside, what strategies worked.”
Lord Petran’s lip curled slightly. “More witches? Is this wise?”
My jaw tightened but I kept my voice calm. “We trust Casimya. We will trust Tyreen.”
“Perhaps we should consider other options,” Petran said, his tone suggesting he thought we were being foolish. “Negotiations with Igryside, for instance.”
I fixed him with a cold stare. “Consider what, exactly?”
“Alternative solutions. Practical approaches. Negotiations with Igryside about their concerns.”
Wen’s voice was ice. “You mean give them what they want.”
“For the good of the peace, Your Majesty, perhaps certain concessions could be made. Perhaps if the queen herself offered to meet with them, maybe willingly surrender herself, they might be willing to call off their hunt and leave the heir alone.”
The room went very still.
The guards positioned around the room stepped forward in perfect synchronization, hands moving to their weapon hilts. The scrape of metal against leather was loud in the sudden silence. Several councilors turned to stare at Petran with open disapproval, shaking their heads.
Then Lady Sienna stood up, her chair scraping back.
“The queen has been ruling for years,” she said, her voice ringing through the chamber. “She is not incompetent. She has proven herself time and again. To suggest she should offer herself up to an enemy kingdom is not only foolish, it’s insulting.”
“Agreed,” another councilor said. “Queen Gwendolyn has our full support.”
Others murmured agreement around the table.
I stood slowly, letting my alpha power fill the room. The air itself seemed to thicken with it. Every wolf in the chamber felt it, their instincts screaming at them to submit. To back down.
Petran’s face went pale.
“Lord Petran,” I said, my voice dangerously soft. “Let me be clear. Wen is my wife. My equal in all things. We are a fucking team.”
“Your Majesty, I merely suggested that we consider all available options - and perhaps the queen’s unique perspective could be valuable in negotiations that might avoid conflict and preserve the peace we’ve worked so hard to maintain over the years - and I simply thought that maybe we should explore every possible avenue before committing to what could potentially become a very dangerous course of action that might put the entire kingdom at risk - and I certainly meant no disrespect to Her Majesty’s capabilities or judgment in these matters or any suggestion that she should bear this burden alone without the full support of the crown and the council behind her - and I apologize if my words came across as anything other than a genuine concern for the safety and well-being of our beloved queen and the realm as a whole and. ..”
He was babbling and terrified. I could not remember a single thing that came out of his mouth, except for the threat to my woman.
“I am not finished,” I cut him off. “If you ever speak about my wife with such disrespect again, I will have your balls mounted on the castle walls. Are we clear?”
Petran was shaking now. “Crystal clear, Your Majesty. My apologies.”
“Apologize to her.”
He turned to Wen, bowing so low his forehead nearly touched the table. “My deepest apologies, Your Majesty. I spoke out of turn. It will not happen again.”
Wen’s expression was cool, controlled. Regal. “See that it doesn’t.”
I remained standing, making sure every person in that room understood exactly where I stood. “We will find Tyreen. We will learn what she knows about fighting Igryside. And if they come for my family, we will be ready. Does anyone else have concerns they’d like to voice?”
Silence.
“Good. Meeting adjourned.”
The councilors filed out quickly, most of them avoiding eye contact with Petran, who looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole. Maybe he’d think twice before questioning Wen’s judgment or suggesting she surrender herself to the enemy.
Once we were alone in the hallway, Wen squeezed my hand.
“Thanks for the backup,” she said.
“You did not need it. Sienna and the guards made that clear. The council respects you.”
“Still. I appreciate it.”
I allowed myself a small smile. “I enjoyed it. Petran needed the reminder of his place.”
“You really would mount his balls on the wall?”
“Without hesitation.”
She laughed, the sound washing away some of the tension from the meeting. My hand found the small of her back as we walked.
***
That afternoon found me in the training yard, sparring with Torin while teaching younger guards combat techniques. Routine work, something I did regularly to keep our forces sharp.
But today I was distracted.
I could feel Wen watching from the balcony above. The bond between us hummed with her attention, her focus on me as I demonstrated a particularly complicated disarming technique.
For the third time.
Torin, who knew me too well, raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Smart man. If only my brother was anything like him.
“She’s watching you,” Aurion said from where he leaned against the wall, arms crossed, looking far too amused.
“Don’t you have a kingdom to rule or a mate to be with?” I executed the move again, slower this time. More deliberately. Making sure my muscles flexed visibly.
“I am on vacation. Don’t ask. And Daphne is on Earth having girl time with Bella. She doesn’t want me around when she’s with the girls. Believe me, I’ve fucking tried. So many times.” He grunts, his expression longing. “Back to the present: Wen is very much staring. At your ass.”
“I am aware. That is why I am demonstrating this technique repeatedly.”
“You are ridiculous.”
“She likes it.”
I could feel her eyes on me through the bond. Warm, appreciative. It made me want to do more complicated moves, show off my strength and skill like I was a young wolf trying to impress a potential mate instead of a thirty-something king.
Then I missed a block because I was too focused on the balcony instead of on Torin’s incoming strike.
His training sword caught me on the shoulder. I stumbled, catching myself before I fell but not before everyone saw. Torin stepped back, wisely keeping his expression neutral.
Aurion had no such self-preservation instincts. “You suck, brother,” he said, barely containing his laughter.
“She makes me nervous,” I admitted, rolling my shoulder where Torin had hit me. Aurion laughed harder.
“After five years?”
“Especially after five years. She gets more beautiful every day.”
Aurion just shook his head. “You are completely hopeless. I get it, though. But I’m still going to give you shit about it.”
“Thank you. Happy to fucking receive it.”
Movement at the edge of the training yard caught my attention. Wen was descending the stairs, walking toward us with that confident stride that made my heart beat faster. She was wearing a simple training dress, her hair pulled back, and she was the most distracting thing in any realm.
“Can you teach me some self-defense movements?” she asked when she reached us.
I tried to act casual. “Of course. Come here.”
She stepped closer and I positioned my hands on her waist to show her proper stance. Purely instructional. The fact that I wanted any excuse to touch her was irrelevant.
“Where do we start?” she asked.
“Stance first. Feet apart. Like this.” I guided her gently.
“Like this?” She adjusted her position.
“Yes. Exactly like that.” My voice came out rougher than intended. My hands lingered on her waist longer than strictly necessary.
From behind me, I heard Aurion mutter to Torin, “This is painful to watch.”
“They are focused,” Torin said diplomatically.
“They are utterly unaware anyone else exists.”
“I AM hearing you,” I called over my shoulder without taking my eyes off Wen.
Aurion just laughed.
I showed Wen basic blocking techniques, guiding her arms through the movements. She learned quickly, picking up the patterns with that sharp intelligence I loved. The other guards had suddenly become very interested in their own practice, studiously looking anywhere but at us.
The training continued. Wen was a natural, her movements becoming more fluid and confident with each repetition. She already had had lessons, but from time to time she liked to be reminded of the techniques, and I was a very willing professor.
Then, mid-demonstration, she leaned in and kissed me.
My brain stopped working. “What…”
She swept my legs out from under me before I could finish the sentence. I went down hard, landing flat on my ass in the training yard dirt.
Aurion absolutely lost it. “OH MY GODS!”
Wen stood over me, looking extremely pleased with herself. “All’s fair in combat.”
I stared up at her from the ground, not even mad, just impressed. And hopelessly in love. “Where did you learn that?”
“You. Just now. I improvised the kiss part.”
“Effective strategy.”
“Thank you.” She offered her hand. “Need help up?”