Zions' P.O.V.
As Christian and I discuss how things will work while we find a replacement for the Alpha position, I hear Rain and Jessica giggling about something, but before I can ask what they're planning, Orian walks back into the office with a smile.
"Looks like Nick might have to skip the council meeting." He says with a laugh.
"I kinda figured that. Did Mia introduce him to Annie?" I asked Orian.
"Yup, then she took him to her room." He answers with a sly smile making me laugh.
"Who is Annie?" Christian asks us.
"She is Mias' daughter." Orian answers and Christian nods his head in understanding.
"The meeting is about to start. Annie says she'll have snacks and drinks ready in the meeting room." Orian says.
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Rains' P.O.V.
We make our way out of the office and down the hall into a big room with a large table and chairs lined around it. Zion leads us to the head of the table, sitting in the biggest chair, pulling me onto his lap. Annie walks in, pushing a cart full of different foods and pitchers of drinks. Asking me if I would like hot tea or water, I tell her that I'll take the hot tea. She nods and pours me a cup while asking everyone else the same as my mother walks in and sits on the other side of Jess and Orian as other council members begin arriving and take their places around the table.
Once everyone is here, Zion begins the meeting, introducing Christian to the members and explaining what we know regarding Douglas and his army and how Max and Ian have conspired with him. He explains that he stripped Misty of her title for allowing slaves to be kept in their pack house and helping to plan executions that go against the law. He then explains the dreams I've been having about the war and how the Moon Goddess has given me a message about the upcoming war. Quite a few members scoff at the information before one decides to question me.
"Why should we believe you? How do we even know you are a hybrid?" Said the man who had been introduced as Sir Lerante, the former Elf King. Zion begins to defend me, but I raise my hand to stop him, feeling aggravated by the blatant disrespect of this man.
"My mother is the daughter of the late Witch King, and my father was the Alpha of a werewolf pack that no longer exists, thanks to Douglas. If you would like to see my powers for yourself, ask. There is no need to try to provoke me. There's also no need to feel inferior. But never doubt the Goddesses or my connection to them!" I say, making Zion and Orian both laugh.
"I can assure you, I do not feel inferior to you in any way. You may be the new Queen of the wolfs, but you are nothing to me." He says with a sneer, and I smile at him, making him even more uncomfortable.
"I can feel your emotions." I link him, making him jump in fear.
"How did you do that?" He asks out loud. Everyone looks at him like he's lost his mind.
"I can use mind link on anyone, no matter the species. It's one of my many abilities. I also have better hearing and can feel others' emotions." I say with a smile. "Any more doubts, Sir Lerante?"
"No, I believe you. But what's to stop you from taking control of everyone like Douglas is trying to do?" He asks.
"I do not want control, and I am not a dictator like him. I want everyone safe and free from the control of a man that will easily kill anyone who chooses not to follow him, and I will not allow him to continue to hurt the innocent or less fortunate. I'm not looking for control. I'm simply looking for allies to defend all supernatural species against a tyrant who will surely cause the annihilation of us all in his search for complete control. The Moon Goddess and Witch Goddess seem to think I can unite us all against him before it's too late." I say with determination. I look around the room to see everyone nodding in agreement and continue. "There is a war coming, and everyone in this room has been affected by his anticks in some way or another. I plan to meet him head-on, not only for what he has done to me and my family but also for what he has done to countless families and communities."
"So, are we in agreement to join forces to defend our people against this Tyrant?" Zion asks.
"I will follow the Queen!" Sir Lerante says, standing from his chair, placing his right hand over his chest, and bowing, pledging his loyalty to this alliance. Slowly everyone stands and repeats his actions, making me slightly overwhelmed and confused.
"What are they doing?" I link Zion.
"They are pledging their loyalty to you and this alliance." He answers with an impressed laugh.
"I thought it would be a lot harder to convince them," Dosha says, and I agree with her.
"I didn't ask them to pledge their loyalty to me," I tell her. "I just wanted an alliance."
"Well, looks like you got what you wanted and a bonus." She says with a laugh.
"Are you okay, my love?" Zion links me as he places his hand on my belly, rubbing circles around my belly button, making me giggle.
"Just overwhelmed by all of this." I link back. "We need to talk to Lord Demetrius about Odetts matting issue. I would feel better about the whole thing if we got clarification on when they can find their mate and all that stuff."
"I will ask him to stay behind after the meeting is over so we can discuss that and anything else we should know with him." He replies, and I nod my head. He then turns his attention back to the council member. They discuss plans for defense and agree to meet back in a few months with their armies. I wonder if it would be a good idea to bring most of their people who won't be fighting here to keep them together and protected, but I choose not to say anything about it until I talk to Zion privately.
After about an hour of discussions, they decide to hold their meetings within their species and get an exact head count of how many warriors they will each have. Zion ends the council meeting, and everyone begins to make their way out of the room. He calls out to Lord Demetrius, asking him to stay back for a moment. I can feel his anxiety about the situation, but he doesn't show it in his actions as he calmly approaches us before sitting in the chair on the other side of my mother.
"How can I help you, my King?" Lord Demetrius asks.
"I would like to ask you some questions regarding vampires and mates." Zion answers. Lord Demetrius looks from Zion to me in confusion.
"Why would you like to know, if you do not mind me asking?" He asks us.
"I'm not sure if you are aware, but our daughter is also a hybrid. She is a wolf/vampire hybrid who I adopted before finding Zion as my mate." I tell him and can feel his emotions change from anxiety to confusion and shock.
"The little girl from your mating and crowning ceremony?" He asks, and we both nod.
"Yes. She was brought into the orphanage I grew up in after I was kidnaped and abandoned at the border of the Blue River Pack by one of Douglas' minions when I was a baby. Max and Ian killed the rogue believed to be her father." I clarify. "Beta Jessica and I ran away with her the night she was brought in."
"I see. This is the first I've heard about your daughter being a hybrid." He says.
"We do not feel the need to clarify what species she is. She is our daughter, and that's all that matters. The only reason we're bringing it up now is that one of our men has felt the mate bond with her, and we want to know when she will feel it and how to explain it to her. I know very little about vampires and their ways and traditions, but we know it's important for her to know them as she gets older. We want her to know her heritage and grow to be proud of who she is." I say, and he nods in understanding.
"To answer your question, a vampire knows they have found their mate when they feel a deep connection with that person. It is more than simply physical attraction. There is a soul connection that goes beyond anything a vampire has ever felt before. We know we've found our mate when we see our reflection in the other person's eyes. It's like a deep knowing in our gut that this is the person we are meant to be with." He says. "She may not understand the connection she has with her mate yet since she is so young, but as she ages she will be compelled to be around her mate at all times. A vampire mate bond is much like a wolf mate bond. She will feel everything her mate feels as the bond grows stronger, and they eventually complete the bond."
"That would explain why she always wants to be near him," Zion says, and Lord Demetrius and I nod in agreement.
"How do we discuss the bond with her?" I ask him.
"We would usually wait till our young are a little older. Vampire children grow quickly and reach adulthood by the age of twelve. After they become an adult, they will begin to age extremely slowly. Though, I'm not sure how the aging process will work with her being a wolf hybrid." He says, shocking everyone. "I would recommend talking to her about it before she becomes an adult."
"Thank you for taking the time to explain the mate bond and aging process to us," I say with a smile as I shake his hand.
"You are very welcome, my Queen." He says while returning my smile with his own before bowing. "If you ever have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me and ask."