Chapter 222

The last thing that Andrew wanted after the night he had was to start his morning with a combined advisors/Werewolf Council meeting. Yet there he was, waiting in the meeting room with a mug of coffee as everyone grabbed their seats in front of him. He wondered if he looked as frustrated as he felt.

These meetings were becoming far too frequent for his liking lately. They used to be only for big emergencies, like possible vampiric insurgencies, but it seemed as though they were happening at least once a month now. He also knew that it was just going to be about him dating Crystal, again, and he would have to tell them to sod off, again.

He tapped his fingers against the table as the last of the Werewolf Council trickled into the meeting room. It was nearly time for them to start, and the members of the Werewolf Council were always the last to come in. Andrew normally tried to not let this bother him, but with the previous night’s issues with King Frederick and Crystal and the annoyance of this meeting, he found himself more easily agitated that morning.

“If everyone is here—” Andrew stared at each advisor and member of the Werewolf Council, letting his eyes linger on Louis Beaumont’s empty seat and wondering when they would elect a new member— “let us begin. Would anyone like to tell me why we are here?”

Head Wolf Antoine stood and faced Andrew.

“Your Highness,” he began, “I received a phone call from King Frederick late last night saying that you refused a reasonable negotiating point for our trade agreement with the human world.”

Andrew rose to his feet, slamming his palms down on the table.

“Reasonable negotiating point? He gave me an ultimatum! He told me that either I should break up with Crystal in favor of Princess Aurora or he would stop exporting crucial goods to the werewolf world!”

“And you chose your personal preferences over the good of the werewolf community, again,” Head Wolf Antoine said.

“I was not going to let anyone—let alone a supposed political ally—bully me into a decision that would clearly favor him.”

“Actually,” Michael said, his voice hesitant at first but growing stronger with each word, “this agreement would be preferable for both sides. Having a half-werewolf Luna for you would serve as a bridge between the human and werewolf worlds, a bridge that would be strengthened by the fact that she is also the princess of the human world. That’s not to mention that people here in the werewolf world already see her favorably, referring to her as the ‘People’s Princess’.”

“You have some of those things with Crystal,” Andrew argued. “She’s half-werewolf, and people love her, too—”

“Not enough,” Dennis piped up. “She is disliked by a fairly high number of people for her criminal past and seemingly promiscuous nature—”

“She is not promiscuous!” Andrew snapped.

Dennis shrunk in his seat.

“I’m just saying how Crystal is perceived by some of your constituents,” he countered. “Princess Aurora, on the other hand, has a pure, innocent image that is almost universally adored. She could only improve your image.”

“You need to leave Crystal immediately and start a relationship with Princess Aurora,” Head Wolf Antoine said, stabbing the table with his finger. “It’s what’s best for the werewolf community.”

Andrew gripped the edge of the table tightly. The muscles in his forearms clenched, and his jaw tensed. With a sigh, he shook his head.

“No. I can’t. I love her too much.”

Head Wolf Antoine narrowed his eyes at Andrew.

“Then you have left the Werewolf Council with no choice,” he said, his voice eerily calm and steady. “We will have to find another suitable candidate to support for Alpha King.”

Andrew laughed dryly.

“You mean like the last ‘suitable’ candidate that you and the Beaumonts supported instead of me?” he asked. “Or did you forget that Bob is currently rotting in a cell, waiting for his murder trial?”

Murmurs broke out amongst the members of the Werewolf Council. Head Wolf Antoine’s eyes did not leave Andrew. He raised his hand to silence the other members, and the murmurs immediately died down.

“There are plenty of other, younger candidates waiting to get their paws on your throne,” Head Wolf Antoine said.

“I would love to see them try.”

Head Wolf Antoine tilted his chin up slightly and cupped his hands behind his back.

“That would also be the perfect time for some confidential information to be leaked about you,” he said matter-of-factly.

Andrew glared at the other man.

“What are you getting at, Head Wolf Antoine?”

“I only mean that there is some information that we in the Werewolf Council—and among your advisors—have that the public would want to know about that could be incriminating to you.”

“Like what? I have nothing to hide.”

Head Wolf Antoine arched a brow at Andrew.

“Oh, really? You have nothing to hide? Not even your involvement with a certain werewolf crime boss?”

Andrew’s blood ran cold.

“I explained that situation to the public already.”

Head Wolf Antoine smirked like the cat who caught the canary.

“But not honestly, did you?”

Andrew did not answer.

“You might have forgotten to mention that you actually did make a deal with Mr. Barone to get rid of Bianchi in exchange for legal immunity.”

Again, Andrew did not answer.

“Of course, you might be able to count on your constituents seeing it as a romantic gesture since you did it to protect Crystal Blanchard from Bianchi’s vendetta against her. Hopefully, they won’t look past that to see the fact that you essentially gave one of the werewolf underworld’s top criminals license to do whatever he pleased without having to worry about consequences whatsoever.”

“Get to your point, Head Wolf Antoine,” Andrew growled.

“You know my point, Alpha King Andrew,” Head Wolf Antoine replied. “The Werewolf Council won’t reveal what it knows about your involvement with Mr. Barone—the truth about your involvement—but only if you agree to at least break up with Crystal and pursue a more suitable marriage candidate.”

Andrew stood tall and straightened his shoulders. He lifted his chin and stared Head Wolf Antoine down, his glare cutting right through the man’s skull.

“I will tell you what I told King Frederick,” Andrew growled as loudly as when he spoke to King Frederick. “I will not be bullied by anyone, most especially the likes of you.”

Head Wolf Antoine stepped up to Andrew, locking his eyes on the Alpha King’s.

“Think carefully about what you’re doing, Your Highness,” he said through gritted teeth. “Think about your constituents, about the good of werewolf kind.”

“I always have, and I am not stopping now.”

The two men glared at each other for several minutes. No one in the room seemed to be breathing. Finally, Head Wolf Antoine broke his gaze and turned away.

“Very well. We accept your decision, for now,” he said.

Andrew nodded firmly.

“Good. If there is no other business, I declare this meeting dismissed.”

As Andrew left the meeting room, Head Wolf Antoine stared after him.

“Watch yourself, Your Highness.”