My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 195

Sera

Fenris slid the heavy parchment across the cracked wood toward Vane. "Sign it. The pack is united. The Blood Vows are done".

Vane picked up the quill, but he didn't dip it. He looked around the table at Thorne and then back at Bram.

"The pack is united," Vane repeated, his tone dripping with a new, dangerous kind of realization. "Because Kael here suddenly decided he loves the South? Because we heard he already signed away the Eastern ridge rights without a single word of protest?".

He looked at Bram again. "Tell me, Kael. What did she do to you? Did she find your favorite bread to shove down your throat? You look hollowed out".

Bram didn't flinch, but I felt the tension in the room spike. He looked at me, then at Vane. "I signed because I'm not a fool, Vane. The Alpha has his mate. The treaty is sealed. Pushing against it now is just asking for a grave".

"It's an abomination," Thorne spoke up. He stood up so fast his chair screeched against the stone. He pointed a shaking finger at me.

"Thorne," Fenris warned, his voice dropping into that dangerous, sub-bass register that usually preceded someone losing a limb.

"No, let him speak," I said, leaning back and crossing my legs. "I want to hear exactly what the 'abomination' is."

I looked at Bram. He was playing the part perfectly—looking down at the table, his jaw tight, looking exactly like a man who was being blackmailed. It was a better cover than the magic. As long as they thought I was blackmailing Kael, they wouldn't look for a dead body.

"I didn't break him," I said, my voice a soft, lethal purr. I stood up, leaning my palms flat on the table. I leaned toward Thorne until I could smell the stale ale on his breath. "I just reminded him that the world is changing. Ironmaw doesn't need old men who mumble in the dark while the world is evolving. You want a leader who plays by your rules? Go dig up Viktor. But while Fenris is in that chair, I am the Luna. And if you think I'm just a 'princess,' go ask Taya how my fist feels".

Thorne looked at the other elders, looking for support. "Vane, tell him! Tell him it's not safe! If she can turn Kael into her puppet in just a little time, who’s next? Is she going to blackmail the entire council until we’re all southern puppets?"

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