11. Poppy #2
"Well, I guess I have no choice but to go to the elders today and tell them the truth," Poppy said, setting down the sandwich with decisive finality. "I mean, not about the mate part yet, but that I'm working with Keiro, and we are going to build something on that pride land."
Neve's dark eyes sharpened with concern. "Do you want me to go with you?"
The offer hung in the air between them like a lifeline Poppy desperately wanted to grab.
For eleven years, Neve had been her anchor, the one person who could navigate the treacherous political waters of pride leadership with surgical precision.
But accepting help now, when everything hung in the balance, felt like admitting weakness she couldn't afford.
"No, I'll handle it on my own."
Neve's expression shifted to something approaching exasperation, the look of someone who'd watched the same self-destructive pattern play out countless times. "Fine. I'll go make sure the borders are secure and check in with you later."
An hour later, freshly showered and dressed in her most authoritative charcoal pantsuit, Poppy walked the cobblestone path toward the town hall.
The afternoon sun cast long shadows between the historic buildings that formed the heart of their territory, but she barely noticed the familiar beauty of the scene.
If Sander truly sent those rogues to kill her or Keiro, she would make him pay for it.
The thought burned through her mind with crystalline clarity, but without proof, accusations would only make her appear unstable and emotionally compromised. She couldn't afford to give the elders any more ammunition to question her leadership.
The town hall soon rose before her like a monument to tradition, its weathered stone facade bearing witness to generations of Mintz leadership decisions.
Poppy's heels clicked against the stone floor as she entered the building, each step echoing with the weight of eleven years of proving herself worthy of the authority she'd inherited too young.
The meeting room door stood open, revealing the five pride elders already assembled around the massive oak table that had hosted countless critical discussions.
Leon Hartwell, the head elder, occupied his customary position at the center, his silver hair and weathered face speaking to decades of pride service.
The other four elders—Marie, Thompson, Jamison, and Tarik—flanked him like a tribunal ready to pass judgment.
Poppy fought the urge to remain standing, to use her physical presence as a shield against their scrutiny. Instead, she forced herself to take the seat at the head of the table, the position that belonged to her by right of succession and years of earned respect.
"Thank you for meeting with me today," she said, her voice carrying the measured authority she'd perfected over years of leadership.
Leon's pale blue eyes studied her with uncomfortable intensity.
Poppy straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin slightly. "I want to be open and honest with you since I'm guessing you heard rumors about what happened at the auction and that I had a guest at my home last night."
The elders exchanged glances that confirmed her suspicions. Word had already spread through their tight-knit community like wildfire, carrying with it all the implications she'd hoped to control.
"Well, I want to set the record straight.
" Poppy straightened further in her chair, projecting confidence she didn't entirely feel.
"I went to the auction to buy that parcel of our pride land back that I had to sell two years ago, and unfortunately, I was outbid by Keiro Izell.
But he graciously met with me to work out an arrangement, and now I am co-owner of the land with him.
We are now in an active business partnership. "
The silence that followed felt deafening. Every elder looked stunned, their expressions ranging from concern to barely concealed alarm. Leon's weathered hands gripped the edge of the table as if anchoring himself against unexpected turbulence.
"That's not a good idea," Leon said, his voice carrying the weight of traditional pride values that had governed their community for generations.
Poppy continued as if their concerns were merely obstacles to navigate rather than legitimate threats to her authority. Her lioness demanded she show no weakness, no uncertainty that could be interpreted as incompetence.
"This is a great opportunity, and one we should have considered years ago. Not only will it give us the money we need to sustain our territory, but it could lead to a unique alliance with the Izell pack that would prove beneficial to both our pride and his pack."
Leon's skepticism radiated across the table like a physical force. "I don't see how that would be beneficial to us."
The moment had arrived.
Poppy took a steadying breath. "Well, it's not only beneficial to us but it's also vital because in ninety days, if we don't secure five million dollars, we lose everything."
The admission hung in the air. Years of carefully managed financial crisis, of sleepless nights spent juggling creditors and impossible budgets, of carrying the weight of potential failure entirely alone—all of it laid bare in a single sentence that changed everything.
Jamison's sharp intake of breath broke the stunned silence. "How come you didn't tell us how serious this was? How close our pride was to losing everything?"
"I didn't want to alarm any of you," Poppy said, hating the defensive note that crept into her voice. "And I'm telling you this now not to alarm you, but to let you know that this partnership with Keiro Izell will prove the very thing that will keep our pride intact."
Marie leaned forward, her intelligent eyes calculating possibilities with the strategic mind that had made her invaluable to pride operations for decades.
"It does seem like it's the only way forward.
And if you think this will prove effective financially and politically, then I support your decision. "
Two other elders nodded in agreement, their expressions shifting from alarm to cautious hope. But Leon's skepticism remained etched in every line of his face, a reminder that her authority balanced on a knife's edge.
"Very well," Leon said, his voice carrying the finality of judgment. "You have ninety days to prove this partnership with Keiro Izell is viable and sustainable. Otherwise, we will have no choice but to reevaluate your effectiveness as Alpha."
The words hit like a dagger to her heart. Poppy had known this possibility existed, had felt it lurking beneath every financial decision and political maneuver for years. But hearing it stated so bluntly transformed abstract fear into concrete reality.
Ninety days to save not just her pride, but her very identity.
"Thank you for your support and consideration," she managed, her voice steady despite the earthquake happening inside her. "I will keep you updated on the progress of the partnership."
She stood and walked from the room with measured dignity, each step carefully controlled until she reached the building's entrance.
Only when she was far enough from the town hall did she allow herself to lean against an ancient oak and release a shaky sigh that carried eleven years of accumulated pressure.
The mate bond pulsed through her like a second heartbeat, reminding her that somewhere out there, Keiro existed as both her salvation and her greatest complication.
How could she prove their partnership would work while fighting the very connection that made it possible? How could she resist a bond that grew stronger with each passing hour, especially when her lioness demanded she claim what belonged to her and damn the consequences?
How is she going to survive this?