The Hunter's Fated Child (Book 2 in the Hunter series.)

CHAPTER 8: TALKS CONTINUE.

COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER

SHIT!! I hadn’t expected her to come to the f*****g window. s**t!! She would most likely realise that her nightmare had been a manipulation caused by me. I had entered her dream and changed it. I had hoped that she would start to fear the child and, after a few more nightmares, would be more open to the possibility of getting rid of it. I had tried talking to Council Leader Parker about it earlier, but he had pretty much just shut me down. Then Alpha Cooper had shown up at his office.

I didn’t want a f*****g werewolf king. The Council had absolute power over werewolf kind. We made the rules and we punished those that broke them. I liked the power, and I liked the respect that my position brought me. I wasn’t ready to give that up because of some years old prophecy that may or may not be about this woman and this child. No one really knew for sure.

I got back to the main house and headed down to the Council board dining room. I summoned a member of kitchen staff and ordered a hot drink and a snack. Just as they were about to leave to get itt Council Member Torres came in. “Make that for two please.” He said, sitting down at the table. Once the staff member had left he asked me how I felt about the todays revelation. I didn’t feel like keeping quiet about my opinion so I just let it all come flowing out. My frustrations and doubts about the validity of the prophecy. He sat there listening as I ranted. Once I was done he told me that he agreed. He didn’t want a king either. There hadn’t been a royal family for a long time. The last king had died without an heir. The council had been less powerful back then, they were basically just advisors to the crown. When King Steven Ellis had passed they had made the decision to let the title die with him and assume total control. We wanted to keep that control.

Council Member Torres and I sat there talking for a while. We were brainstorming the best way to deal with the situation. He suggested straight out, killing the mother before she gave birth. I smirked, i liked his way of thinking, but we needed to be more subtle than that. We either needed to convince her to end the pregnancy or discredit her in some way. Make sure that she wasn’t in a position to raise this child. If the prophecy was true, then Elder Harris had stated that she needed to raise him. So maybe if she didn’t then it wouldn’t come to pass. We agreed that the easiest way would be to make her appear guilty of a crime. I went back to my living quarters feeling much more relaxed. I would sleep easy tonight.

JAKE

It was day two of talks to determine the fate of our baby. Holly had told me about what had happened last night, and I was furious. I had stopped in to speak with Council Leader Parker before the meeting to let him know. He had asked me to leave it with him, promising to deal with it. We entered the room and took the same seats as yesterday. Holly reached over and took my hand. I gave her a reassuring smile. Whatever happened, we would face it together. The meeting was called to order, and the talks began.

Council Member Harper was very vocal about his feelings. He did not see the need for a king and therefore felt that the prophecy should be ignored. He suggested that we sign an agreement relinquishing any claim to the throne that our child may ever have. Elder Harris, who had been invited to join us, stood up. He was outraged at the suggestion. “How dare you think that you are above The Moon Goddess herself!! She has decided in her infinite wisdom that this child is to be our king. Who are you to deny her wishes?” he said sternly. Council Member Harper looked irritated. “I meant no offence. It’s just that things are working well. A king would alter the entire dynamic of the werewolf community. We have done just fine without royals all these years, as did our ancestors. I just don’t think it’s necessary. Perhaps when the prophecy was made, there was a need for it, but now there just isn’t.” He said. Elder Harris shook his head. “If the Goddess had meant for a king to be crowned back then, one would have been. This was always supposed to be now.” He told them.

Council Member Stark once again took our side. He said that he believed in the prophecy. In the doctor’s journal and in us. He said that he had got to know us quite well during his stay at Dawn Sky, and in his opinion, we would raise a strong, fair, and kind king. He didn’t agree with Council Member Harper that a king wasn’t needed. He believed that it could only make things better, as long as it was the right werewolf. Council Member Peters agreed with him. She said that it could be good to have someone to keep the Council in check. Council Member Field had a different suggestion. He wanted the Council to raise our baby. He said that they would be the best people for the job. They could teach him all about ruling. They could mould him into the king that they wanted. One who would listen to their advice. A few members of the Council seemed to like that idea.

Holly was on her feet, telling them exactly what she thought of that idea. “If you think for one second that I am going to just give you my baby, then you are sorely mistaken. This child is ours, and he belongs with us. I will not give him up.” She told them. I was bursting with pride watching her. My wife never ceased to amaze me. I stood and seconded her words. They would take our child over my dead body. I wouldn’t let my son be raised by them.

Council Member Hughes suggested that Council Member Field might be on to something, but that his idea might just need a little tweaking. He suggested that Holly and I come to live at the citadel with the baby, and we could all raise him together. I told him that I had no intention of leaving Dawn Sky to live here. I was the pack Alpha and needed to be with my pack. As did my Luna. I suggested that they visit us occasionally to check in on our son’s progress. This was met with mutters. It got me a scowl from Council Member Harper. I went on to say that I didn’t think that our child would be completely safe here either, as there were those who seemed to think it would be better if he didn’t exist at all.