Jamiebobbedhisheadlike the snowy owl he contained inside. He tried not to get overly excited, but when Seath and Lycan had emerged from their den after Lycan’s heat, Jamie had walked into a new configuration to Seath’s study and offices.
The Threshold magic of the Pack House had created a room for him, putting Lycan on the front desk. Clearly, the House had thoughts about how things should be running in the Legate’s offices now.
For his part, Seath smiled when he saw it, a content sort of smile that only grew as Jamie watched his thumb roam over the gold circle that had formed at Lycan’s neck. His Legate was smitten, and Jamie couldn’t fault him for it.
After a tour of the newly designed offices, they all got to work and the Fae was the topic of conversation.
“I’ve had several calls from Greene already, but as far as I can tell, the Fae aren’t asking to renegotiate any of our agreements with them. Have you had any requests?” Seath sat down across from Jamie, all business, and Lycan took the moment that Jamie tapped away on his computer to admire the long lines of his Alpha, and how his mate’s biceps bunched the fabric of his dress shirt.
Seath caught his eye for a hot moment and he returned the smile.
“We will have to give you a crash course in Fae politics, Lycan,” Seath said easily. “Or at least see what you need to know to get you up to speed.”
“It’s like this,” Jamie began to Lycan, while turning the screen for Seath to read what he had pulled up, “months ago, almost a year now, the Fae started renegotiations with everyone they had agreements with. Instead of keeping to their realms, we started seeing them more and more than normal. Everyone did. Humans, shifters, witches — you name it. Not only were they on this plane, they were making it known, too.”
“What agreements does our pack have?” Lycan asked, which got a pleased rumble from Seath when he called it “our pack.”
“Simple ones,” Jamie replied. “Sacred spaces in the Forest, safe passage through the boundary threshold, wards on a touch point, some occasional trade.”
“I wonder why we haven’t been asked to renegotiate. Our agreements are not unique.” Seath mused.
“Wait,” Lycan said. “There is a touch point on Pack land?”
“There is.” Seath smiled, standing up. “We have it well guarded by Fae, witch, and vampire magic. Patrolled by the Centaur herd. No one has ever stumbled on it who didn’t intend to. It is made to deflect anyone who might get close.”
Lycan shivered at the thought of walking through the forest and accidentally ending up in the Seelie or Unseelie courts. Touch points could take you from a simple hike in the forest to another realm without the person even knowing they were walking from one to another. They had to be guarded and were, often by wards and beings themselves. They were known to change location too, and so constant monitoring was required.
Old magic said that brought into another realm had a right of return back from where they came. But some, humans usually, had been known to lose their minds when they went through a touch point and were too bewildered to call upon the rules to return themselves. All they had to do was set the intention to return in their mind, but in a state of panic, the intention often didn’t manifest.
Even knowing the old magic, Lycan still shivered at the thought.
“And no one I have talked to knows why the Seelie are up in arms.” Jamie sat back in his chair. “Even those they have renegotiated with don’t know. I’ve talked to all of them, as has Greene.”
“Fae politics is full of machinations and schemes that only the Fae can unravel.” Seath stood to go to his office. “As Greene always says, the Fae cannot tell a lie, which is not the same as saying the Fae must tell the truth.”
Jamie and Lycan worked well together and within the week it was clear Lycan’s handy knowledge of laws, and treaties, and the Council were not merely because he was so well-read. The Little Wolf had some first-hand knowledge of these things, some kind of way.
Caine seized upon the knowledge the way he had all the things he found out about Lycan, and had now taken to asking random political questions to gauge what Lycan knew and where he knew it from. Most of his knowledge was a few years old and seemed to be concentrated in the countries to the west.
Currently, Caine had taken Lycan as well as Van and Trav as his companions for tea with the Elves. Seath made a note to have Jamie send an invitation to host the Elves at the Pack House soon, as Lycan visited often, and now they had invited him for tea.
Elves loved omegas, and perhaps especially Lycan, but they would tolerate Seath and Luke for an evening if they got the invitation. Plus, they found Caine fascinating.
“I hear there is an uptick in matings across the Pack,” Luke said, sitting his drink down. Seath was enjoying time with Luke as he waited, somewhat patiently, for Lycan to return. They had just played with the youngest, rowdiest kids on the pack’s playground and then retired to Seath’s study. Alphas were no match for toddler shifters.
It was important what Caine was doing in bringing Lycan along on Pack business, although no major announcements had been made and everyone acted as if they believed Lycan to be the Alpha-Mate. People needed to see his mating mark, to know he was living as the Alpha-Mate to be. At the same time, they had to progress cautiously, allowing Greene to speak to Taured.
The Elves were safe, Seath reminded himself, but he had sent Briar as well. Not only that, but his bond with Lycan had only strengthened. Now, he could sense the emotions and location of his mate.
The connection eased his wolf when his mate was away. This was the longest time apart since they mated, almost three entire days of the Elven version of “tea,” and he was ready to have his mate return.
“There have been increased matings,” Seath confirmed. “Another sign of our pairing, I suppose, but I want to wait for the coven to convene at Samhain before we announce anything official. There are those that will want to know Lycan is restored to truly believe he is my mate. And I am due to hear back from Greene on how he’s dealing with Prince Donovan.” As planned, they had informed Taured of the situation, but that was Greene’s realm to negotiate. He turned to Luke. “Do you really think Lycan will be able to shift after the next coven convenes?”
“I have hope.” Luke relaxed into the couch. As an hour passed, Seath began to roam the study.
“Stop pacing,” Luke chided Seath as the Alpha paced the conference room. “He’s due back any minute.”
Luke snorted at the dark look Seath gave him in response. “The people love him, he’s in no danger when he is out on pack business, Seath. And if something happened, you would know,” Luke reminded him in a very logical voice. He didn’t mention Briar and Caine were also there.
