25: Theodore

As we turned toward the dining room doors, I stole one more glance at her profile. My fingers tingled where they had touched hers, but I felt a warmth in my chest that outshone any physical sensation. Two centuries of waiting, and I had found my mate in this strong, fierce woman who stood her ground against centuries of prejudice with unflinching courage.

The political ramifications would be complex, the path forward uncertain. But in this moment, watching her walk beside me with her chin lifted and her shoulders squared, I knew with bone-deep certainty that she was worth whatever challenges lay ahead.

We returned to the breakfast table in a strange procession—the Lycan King, the werewolf Alpha, and the gamma who had just faced down a royal minister without flinching. The dining room's gentle hum of conversation faltered as we entered, curious eyes tracking our movement before politely diverting. My hand still tingled where Emma's fingers had rested in mine, a phantom sensation I couldn't shake. Aeson purred his contentment beneath my skin, pleased at having defended our mate, even if the defense had been more political than physical.

Christian's eyebrows rose in silent question as we took our seats, his gaze flicking between Emma's still-flushed cheeks and my carefully controlled expression. Elena leaned forward slightly, her posture radiating concern.

"Everything alright?" she asked, the question directed at Emma though her eyes included me in its scope.

"Minister Stavros was being his usual charming self," Emma replied, reaching for her abandoned coffee cup. The liquid had cooled, but she sipped it anyway, her throat working as she swallowed. Such a simple movement, yet I found myself watching it with an intensity that would have embarrassed me had I been able to tear my gaze away.

"He blocked military engineers from helping Eclipse Moon," Elijah explained, his voice low enough that neighbouring tables couldn't overhear. "And was typically condescending about it."

Christian's mouth tightened. "Stavros has always been... resistant... to inter-species cooperation."

"That's a diplomatic way of saying he's a prejudiced relic," I muttered, surprising myself with the uncharacteristic bluntness. The confrontation had left me more unsettled than I cared to admit—not because of the political tension, which was familiar territory, but because of the emotions that had flooded through the bond. Emma's anger I had expected; the undercurrent of humiliation and old pain had caught me unprepared.

Emma glanced up at me, something like appreciation flickering across her features. "I may have mentioned the northern mountain rescue," she admitted. "The one where my team pulled his elite strike force out of a blizzard they weren't prepared for."

Christian choked slightly on his coffee. "You didn't."

"She did," Elijah confirmed, a hint of pride colouring his voice.

Elena pressed her fingers to her lips, though they failed to entirely conceal her smile. "I'm sure that went over well."

"About as well as you'd expect," Emma said dryly. She set down her cup, her composure fully restored now. The shimmer of Alpha power that had surrounded her in the foyer had completely dissipated, though Aeson still sensed Artemis close to the surface of her consciousness. "But more importantly, the Eclipse Moon border will get the reinforcement it needs."

"I've approved the engineers," I confirmed, directing my words to Christian. "And I want a comprehensive review of all similar requests that have been denied over the past five years."

My brother nodded, his earlier amusement replaced by the sharp focus that made him such an effective administrator. "I'll handle it personally. Stavros has too much autonomous authority in these matters."

"He's not the only one," I said, thinking of Bennett and the diverted relief funds. "Which brings us back to our original discussion." I gestured toward the documents spread across the table. "The earthquake relief situation extends beyond Eclipse Moon."

Emma leaned forward, her earlier tension transforming into purposeful energy. "Seven packs requested aid after the earthquake," she began, slipping naturally into the role of information provider. "Two received full funding, three partial, and two were denied completely."

"Eclipse Moon and Silver Lake were denied," Elena added, her fingers tracing a map that Christian had spread across the table. "Blue Mountain, White River, and Pine Ridge received partial funding. Only Northern Crescent and High Peak received the full allocated amount."

"And coincidentally," Elijah noted, "Northern Crescent and High Peak are the only two with formal trade agreements with Lycan territories."

The implication hung in the air between us, unspoken but unmistakable. The pattern wasn't random—it was systematic prejudice codified into bureaucratic decision-making.

"This stops now," I said, the words emerging with quiet intensity. "I want a complete reassessment of aid allocation, with immediate relief dispatched to those still struggling." I turned to Emma, whose green eyes had sharpened with focus. "You mentioned families staying with Blood Moon—how many are we talking about?"

"Three families from Eclipse Moon," she replied without hesitation. "Twelve wolves total, including the twin cubs. Two families from Silver Lake—seven wolves. And we have four lone wolves from various packs who lost their homes."

"Twenty-three displaced wolves," Christian murmured, making a note in the leather-bound journal he always carried. "All from territories along the eastern fault line."

"And those are just the ones with us," Elijah added. "Northern Crescent has taken in nearly thirty from small outlying packs that didn't have formal aid applications submitted."

"Because they were told not to bother," Emma said, a flash of the earlier anger returning to her voice. "The smaller packs were discouraged from even applying."

Anger stirred within me at this fresh evidence of corruption, but I channeled it into determination rather than rage. "Christian, I want a simplified emergency application process created immediately. One that doesn't require ministerial approval for basic needs."

My brother nodded, already writing. "I'll have a draft by this afternoon.”

"I can provide our tracking system as a template," Emma offered. "We developed it for inter-pack aid distribution after the flash floods three years ago."

Our eyes met across the table, and something electric passed between us—not just the mate bond, but a shared purpose that transcended personal connection. In that moment, the diplomatic complexities of our situation receded, replaced by the simpler truth of two people united in wanting to help others.

"I'd appreciate that," I said, my voice softer than intended.

Our fingers brushed, and we both felt a spark—static from the dry air, but it jolted us nonetheless. Aeson surged forward in my consciousness, responding to the contact with a wave of possessive pleasure that nearly overwhelmed my carefully maintained composure.

‘Mate touching us,’ he purred, the simple observation weighted with satisfaction. ‘Helping us. Working with us.’

The sentiment wasn't just primitive territorial marking—it contained genuine admiration for her competence, her commitment. Aeson didn't just want her as a mate; he respected her as a partner. The realization settled something within me that I hadn't known was unsettled.

"The most urgent need is housing," Elena was saying, drawing my attention back to the conversation. "Eclipse Moon lost nearly forty percent of their dwellings. The communal areas have been converted to temporary shelters, but with winter approaching..."

"We'll need construction teams," Christian noted. "The royal engineers could be reassigned from the ceremonial grounds project—"

"Do it," I authorised without hesitation. "And add additional crews from the capital renovation budget."

Christian's eyebrows rose slightly. "The council won't be pleased about that."

"The council exists to advise me, not dictate policy," I replied. "And I'm increasingly aware that many of them have been acting contrary to my explicit directives." I turned to Elijah. "Could Blood Moon spare some of your construction specialists? They'd be compensated at royal rates, of course."

"Absolutely," he agreed. "But our pack's greatest strength is in security and reconnaissance. We've created detailed maps of the damaged territories with structural assessments—those might be more valuable than our limited construction resources."

"Any assistance is welcome," I assured him. "This needs to be a coordinated effort across species lines. The artificial divisions between Lycan and werewolf territories have hampered effective response for too long."