Twelve elders sat in a semicircle in the council chamber.

  Torches flickered along the arched walls, casting long shadows.

  Each elder wore the crest of their bloodline, and each had already made up their mind.

  Fin sat higher than the rest at the center. Jax sat at his right and Cael was on his left.

  The oldest of the council, Elder Rhun, slammed the bottom of his cane against the floor. "You're endangering a hundred-year peace accord for a girl who isn't even a member of this pack!"

  Fin kept his voice even. "She was attacked and abducted on my land by an armed force without declaration or warning."

  Elder Kaelith snorted. "Ashbane made no formal claim. You're the one harboring their blood."

  "She's not Ashbane blood," fin said sharply, "and even if she were, that doesn't give them the right to breach my borders with armed soldiers. The treaty Ashbane agreed to was he would summon her back if he needed her. That never happened."

  Another elder leaned forward. "She's not bonded to you. She's not mated. She's not in this pack. And she's certainly not royalty. The bloodline she comes from is gone. Why not return her quietly and solidify the marriage with Princess Meredith? It was the plan already in place."

  Fin's expression darkened. "Because in my pack, anyone who chooses to stay and contribute is under my protection. I don't care if they're an omega, royal, or wandering ghost. I will not hand over someone to be murdered because it's politically convenient."

  The room stirred with outraged murmurs and mutterings of "idealism" and "recklessness."

  Elder Thornewald cut through it all. "So you'd risk war? For her."

  "I'd risk war," Finric said, stepping forward, "for the principle that any Alpha who thinks they can march fifty soldiers across my border and attempt to abduct someone will face consequences. They attacked Gamma Thorne and myself. Additionally, we had 4 students running in the forest today. What if they attacked one of them instead?"

  Jax cleared his throat. "Why are we acting like this wasn't a military action? We were blatantly attacked. Mindlink blocked. They were armed with silver weapons, cuffs, and poisoned blades. This wasn't a diplomatic visit. It was a strike. I was stabbed."

  Cael folded his arms. "Alpha Riven Ashbane was on the field. Masked, yes. But his scent was undeniable. He ran past me and the four students."

  The room hushed.

  Fin let that silence sit for a long moment before speaking again.

  "We increase border security effective immediately," he said. "And I want a summit with Bloodmoon of the southern borderlands. If Ashbane is expanding his reach, he will not use our shared border as a foothold."

  Elder Rhun slammed his cane again. "And what of the princess?"

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  Fin turned to face him fully, voice like sharpened ice.

  "She stays as our guest. Not as my mate."

  There was another ripple of outrage — louder this time. But Fin didn't flinch. He met every gaze, unleashing his alpha aura. Daring them to challenge him.

  Elder Thornewald narrowed his eyes. "We're not asking you to march her to her death, Alpha. We're asking you to avoid war. You keep Meredith as your chosen until tempers settle. She's royal. She's still your best leverage."

  Finric didn't speak at first. He folded his arms slowly and looked toward the flames licking the far hearth.

  ??"The real question is, why haven't you marked Meredith or held her Luna ceremony?" Elder Corvell said, voice cutting through the chamber.

  "Her brother wouldn't dare attack this land if she were bonded. But as it stands, she's not even a member of this pack."

  "Those aren't things I'm willing to rush," Fin replied flatly. "A few months of courting a chosen mate isn't unreasonable."

  He knew full well he'd never do any of it with Meredith.

  Corvell scoffed. "Then at least initiate her into the pack. Mark her and feelings will follow. Sometimes it works in that order."

  A murmur swept through the council, low but rising.

  Corvell raised his voice over it, loud and biting. "Oh, come off it. We all know if he actually wanted her, she'd be marked, mated, and wearing a crown by now."

  There was a pause. Fin decided to disclose some additional information.

  "She has been writing to Ashbane trying to turn him against our pack. We've intercepted a few letters. She claimed Nova Moonveil attacked her, but it was the other way around. Elder Norrin witnessed the princess choke Nova and threaten her." Finric said.

  "Why is this just now being brought to our attention? And why is Moonveil still here if she is the root of discord between our pack and the princess? If the princess wants her gone, let's move her out of this castle." Elder Greyborne said.

  Whispers erupted again with the elders.

  "That is not how a Queen and Luna of our pack should act," Cael piped in. "Her act of sending those letters puts our pack in danger. Regardless of her feelings."

  "If you sever the tie, you lose a valuable resource. Queen Velora is very fond of her daughter. She still holds power there, including over her son, Riven Ashbane." Elder Luceris said, speaking for the first time.

  The words marinated. Fin knew it was a valid point. A point that he couldn't deny.

  "I see that it would be rash to sever ties with her completely," he admitted after a moment, defeat in his voice. "But it would also send a message they won't forget. He attacked our lands. Did he forget his sister is here?"

  Fin paused for a moment before continuing, tone resolute. "Keeping her here... it's becoming a liability. Redmoon and Bloodmoon both have heirs. We could arrange a clean transfer of alliance, keep relations intact."

  "No," Elder Corvell cut in, voice sharp. "Moonveil is the liability. Make Meredith your queen. Hand over Moonveil. Avoid war."

  Fin didn't respond immediately. But the weight of it settled like stone in his gut.

  "Fine. The Princess stays." he said at last, voice tight. "For now. We won't sever the relationship, yet."

  He didn't like it. But he knew when he was boxed in. There were too many moving variables.

  Some of the Elders nodded — satisfied for the moment.

  But then the pressure shifted.

  Elder Duroth spoke, "Let's compromise. Nova moves out of the castle and into omega housing. Meredith won't need to see her."

  Fin spoke, "I don't want Nova moving off these grounds where she can be ambushed again. If Meredith stays, Nova stays."

  Elder Rhun banged his cane on the ground, cranky as ever. "If she is what he's after, hand her over! What is her value to our pack?"

  Fin looked back at him, face unreadable.

  Elder Rhun continued, "She has no mate. No status. Not even a house lineage. No ties to other packs to bring value to us. No deep ties to anyone here yet. Her presence puts a target on Shadowclaw. Let's return her quietly. Keep our pack's hands clean."

  The silence stretched, long and heavy.

  Finric didn't move.

  Didn't blink.

  No.

  That was the answer screaming in his chest.

  He paused and took a steadying breath. That wasn't going to happen, so if he needed to overrule this entire council he would.

  Just as he was about to overrule. Another voice spoke. Calm. Measured. Shockingly steady.

  "I'll take her as my mate."

  knows is his own mate?