Mated to Her Alpha Instructor (Eileen and Regis) novel Chapter 89

Mated to Her Alpha Instructor

Chapter 89

As my father passed, he rested a firm hand on my arm–a silent promise in his eyes that he would stand beside me, no matter how ugly this became.

Once the last Elder disappeared, Kieran materialized at my elbow. “That went about as well as expected,” he muttered. “Which is to say, absolutely terribly.”

I forced my hands to unclench, flexing fingers that ached from the strain of keeping claws sheathed. “Cornelius won’t stop at blocking reform. He’ll come after Eileen directly if he thinks it will undermine me.”

“Then we make sure she’s protected.” Kieran’s usual levity had vanished, replaced by the hard–eyed strategist I’d served alongside in border campaigns. “Are you going to tell her? About what they said?”

The question lodged in my throat like a shard of ice. I thought of Eileen this morning, the way she’d touched her stomach with something approaching hope rather than fear. She was finally beginning to believe she had value beyond what others demanded of her, that she could contribute something meaningful to

the world.

How could I tell her that men with power and ancient prejudice had just spent an hour using her as a weapon against me, reducing her existence to a

political liability?

“No,” said finally. “Not yet.”

Kieran’s brow furrowed. “You’re sure? Cornelius isn’t the type to let this go quietly.”

“I know exactly what type he is.” My jaw tightened. “Which is why I won’t give him the satisfaction of watching Eileen crumble under his malice. She’s just starting to believe in herself–I won’t hand him that victory.”

*Fair enough.” Kieran’s expression shifted from concern to calculation. “Then we need to stay ahead of them. Cornelius and his faction–they’re not going to just accept the reform failure and move on. They’ll see your mate as your weak point.”

The wolf inside me snarled at the suggestion, but I forced myself to consider it rationally. “You think they’ll target her directly?”

“I think when cornered animals feel their territory threatened, they bite whatever’s closest.” He met my gaze steadily. “And right now, with their positions under scrutiny and their authority challenged, they’re very cornered. Do you want me to have some of my people keep an eye on Council movements?”

Relief loosened some of the tension in my shoulders. This was exactly why Kieran had been invaluable during our campaigns–he thought three moves ahead, anticipated threats before they materialized. “Yes. Especially Cornelius and anyone in his inner circle. If they so much as breathe in Eileen’s direction, I want to know about it.”

“Consider it done.” He paused, then added more quietly, “For what it’s worth, I think you’re handling this the right way. Let het build her strength in peace We’ll handle the wolves circling outside,

We walked in silence through the academy corridors, my mind already cataloging potential threats and countermeasures. The band hummed faintly at the edge of my consciousness–Eileen’s presence warm and focused, absorbed in whatever work had captured her attention that nightness, untainted by the ugliness I’d just endured, steadied something in me that had been wavering

“Just keep me informed of anything unusual, I said as we reached the training grounds. The moment any of them make a move toward her

“You’ll be the first to know.” Kieran clapped my shoulder. “Now go home to your mate. She’s probably wondering why you’re loadcasting barely contained homicidal rage through your bond.”

I hadn’t realized how much tension I was projecting until he said it. Deliberately, I smoothed out the jagged edges of my emotions, letting only calm

172

2:42 pm Pppp.

Chapter 89

determination filter through the connection. Eileen didn’t need to feel the aftermath of the Council’s poison.

Not while she still had that light in her.

Not while I could still shield her from it.

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