Chapter 708: Two Storms & A Poker Face

Serena didn’t flinch. She had already killed one man this week and taken out an army of Dark Fae last night. If she could do that, she could do this. She would take zero pleasure in it. If this man was bluffing, she would call his bluff. If he wasn’t, this man was in for a surprise.

The moment she opened her mouth to accept, Dexmon Drakenfell shot out of his chair. Apparently their matebond gave her away before she said it.

"No. I will stand in for her."

The chamber went silent.

Serena turned to look at him. His eyes were blazing wolf gold. He looked livid. She could feel him loud through the matebond and pushed calm into him without letting it show on her face.

He blinked a few times, confused.

"I appreciate my Beta and Drakenfell’s offers," she stated, her eyes still on Dexmon. "However, I will not ask another person to bleed for a seat I claimed. This challenge was directed at the representative in this chair, and the representative in this chair will answer it." She turned to face Hollowcrown. "I agree to the challenge."

Dexmon’s nostrils flared so hard his entire face rearranged.

Tiberon’s head turned. The look arrived. Third time tonight. The success rate held.

Dexmon sat.

Two matebonds simultaneously erupted.

Dexmon’s was wildfire. Pure rage, scorching through the connection so fast her pulse spiked before she could stop it.

Gavriel’s was an earthquake of fury. He was pissed at her in a way she had never felt before. But underneath it was fear.

Two men. Two matebonds. Two storms inside her chest at the same time.

Serena sat perfectly still in Finnick Shadowclaw’s chair and shoved calm into both of them.

Neither storm reached her face.

The composure was not natural. It took great effort. More effort than she had given so far. The room required it because the woman in this chair could not afford to look like she was being pulled apart from the inside by two men who loved her.

"If this is what the table needs to see in order to move forward," Serena continued, her voice level, carrying zero bravado and maximum pragmatism, "then I will indulge it. We have eight kingdoms that were attacked last night and a council agenda that requires every seat at this table focused on the enemy rather than each other. If Alpha Hollowcrown’s challenge is the cost of that focus, the cost is acceptable. I am not here to argue about chairs. I am here because my kingdom was attacked and my wolves deserve representation at this table. If the fastest path to that representation runs through Alpha Hollowcrown, then I will take that path and I will take it now so we can begin the work this council was called to do."

Aeron: I want it on the record that I advised against this.

Gamma Knox: I also advised against it.

Beta Sharpe: Neither of you advised against it.

Across the room, two growls erupted. The chamber could not identify the source, only that it was near Drakenfell. Upper tier. Two distinct wolves, two distinct frequencies, one deep enough to vibrate the armrests and one raw enough to scrape against every instinct in the room.

Aeron squinted at the pews.

Hyran Thornfell, one of the most brilliant mages on the continent, was currently staring at the ceiling like he was negotiating with the gods before the great flood. On his left, Dexmon looked like he was passing a kidney stone. And on his right, Gavriel was undergoing an exorcism.

Ah, there it is. Hyran was in between those two possessive pups. Aeron could sympathize. His condolences to his dear friend. No thank you. Finnick would be no better and Aeron was going to get in front of that right now.

Aeron: Which of you is telling the Alpha about this when he wakes?

Beta Sharpe: Knox is handling the debrief. Both the battle and this.

Gamma Knox: I never agreed to that. You’re the Beta. Debriefing is literally your job.

Beta Sharpe: My job is to keep this kingdom running. I am delegating this task to my Gamma.

Gamma Knox: We tell him as soon as we return home.

Beta Sharpe: He’s in a coma, Knox.

Gamma Knox: I am aware, Sharpe.

Beta Sharpe: Fair. You get a practice run.

Gamma Knox: A practice run.

Beta Sharpe: Tell him everything. Watch his vitals. If his heart rate spikes, adjust the delivery. By the time he actually wakes up, you’ll have the pacing down.

Gamma Knox: I want a new Beta.

Aeron: I want no part of this. Proceed.

Hollowcrown’s eyes narrowed. His bluff had been called. The problem was, it had been a bluff, and it had just become a commitment because the woman across the table had agreed with less hesitation than it took him to issue the challenge.

He had expected refusal.

"I said death, Princess."

"I heard you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want this resolved. If death is how you chose to resolve it, that is your selection, not mine. I am honoring it." Serena held his gaze. "Are you also sure, Alpha Hollowcrown? Because I want the record to reflect that you were given the opportunity to reconsider."

The room processed that.

"I am not the one who should be reconsidering," Hollowcrown stated, voice flat.

"Then we agree on something. Neither am I."

"Shifting is allowed. I am an Alpha. You do realize that, right?" he added. "No one would blame you if you stepped away from the table. Let your Beta sit in it. I have fought and won many combat challenges. That is why I am in my seat, princess."

"Then you should be very comfortable. I look forward to it. No reconsideration needed."

"You are either very brave or very foolish."

"A combination of both, Alpha," Serena answered.

Hollowcrown looked like she had just slapped him. He stood. Turned to Shadowclaw’s Beta. "This will be quick. I take no pleasure in this. But your Alpha did not send her here to fight to the death. He sent her to represent. If he knew what was about to happen, he would pull her from that floor himself."

Beta Sharpe didn’t hesitate. "Correction, Alpha Hollowcrown. Alpha Shadowclaw did not send the woman you are referring to. The kingdom of Shadowclaw sent her. She speaks for all of us."