“Great. Then I propose that we call a voteimmediately.”
“I second,” Faythesaid.
“Very well. We’ll go around the table, starting from my right. Vote yea or nay. The issue is this…” Wade pulled a folded sheet of paper from his pocket, then he unfolded it and began to read aloud. “The Mississippi Valley Pride seeks formal recognition as a member of the coalition of American Prides. Recognition would include the following stipulations: The Mississippi Valley Pride will be admitted as a full member of the coalition with all the same benefits and obligations of the other Prides, bringing our membership from ten territories to eleven, to be considered effective at the moment of a majority vote in the affirmative. The territory recognized as belonging to the Mississippi Valley Pride will be the entirety of that currently considered the Mississippi free zone. The new Pride will be recognized with Titus Alexander acknowledged as its Alpha and as the eleventh member in full of the Territorial Council, with all the duties and privileges belonging to the other ten members. The new Pride will be responsible for the same dues owed to the council that the current members pay, and will be subject to the same increases and decreases voted on in the future. Mr. Alexander and his territory will be held to the very same standards and laws that we all abide by, and the Mississippi Valley Pride members shall be guaranteed all the same rights, considerations, and advantages that we currently enjoy. Without exception.” Wade pocketed his statement and glanced around the table. “Any questions orobjections?”
Several headsshook.
Wade nodded. “Then let’s go around the table, beginning on my left. A simple majority will be considered an affirmative vote. A tie of five-to-five will be considered a negative vote.” Which meant that Titus needed six yeavotes.
“Marc and I vote yea,” Faythe said. No one lookedsurprised.
The vote skipped Titus, and to his left, Jerold Pierce said, “I vote nay. It’s nothing personal. I just don’t think we need anotherPride.”
Titus nodded in acknowledgement, his lips pressed firmlytogether.
Next came Nick Davidson. “Nay.”
“Yea,” Isaac Wade said, tying the vote. As Rick Wade’s son and Jace’s brother-in-law, the youngest Alpha on the council had so far reliably voted with Faythe and herallies.
Then all eyes were on Ed Taylor, at the end of thetable.
Taylor leaned back in his chair, enjoying the moment with his arms crossed over his chest. “For the moment, I’d like toabstain.”
A shocked silence settled over the dining room. Mitchell, Wes Gardner, and Nick Davidson wore identical scowls, which I could only see in profile. They’d been sure Taylor would vote withthem.
Justus shifted on the bar stool next to mine, frowning. I shared his nerves.We’dbeen sure Taylor would vote with Marc and Faythe. What the hell was he doing,abstaining?
“Well, I guess technically that is your right,” Rick Wade said. “Rob? How will you be casting your first official vote as a councilmember?”
Robert Taylor sat a little straighter, obviously aware that all eyes were on him. “I vote in favor of recognizing the Mississippi Valley Pride, with the stipulations readaloud.”
To his left, Wes Gardner frowned. If his mental tally agreed with mine, he understood that the vote was now three-to-two, in favor of the Mississippi Valley Pride. “Nay,” Gardner said, without beingasked.
With the vote tied, Milo Mitchell votednay.
On his left, Bert Di Carlo gave a booming “Yea,” tying the vote again atfour.
“Yea,” Rick Wade announced. “The count is five to four, in favor of the yeas. Ed, if you vote nay, the measure will fail. If you abstain, the measure will pass, with a simple majority of five out of nine votes. If you vote yes, it will pass with six out of ten votes. What do yousay?”
Justus sat straighter on his bar stool, and I could feel tension rolling off him. In the dining room, all eyes were on Ed Taylor. Titus’s hands were clenched on the table, as if he were silently praying. Marc’s foot tapped softly, and Faythe put one hand on his knee. This vote—recognition of the first stray Pride—meant almost as much to him as it meant to Titus and Justus. As it meant tome.
Ed Taylor cleared his throat, and suddenly I understood why he’d abstained. So that his would be the decidingvote.
“As I sit here, I’m very well aware that as a group—as representatives of the entire American coalition—we find ourselves at both a political and a philosophical crossroads. The decision we make today will set our trajectory on both fronts for the foreseeable future. This decision sets a precedent we must all consider in countless future debates andvotes.”
Justus took my hand and squeezed it, passing a little of his tension on to me. But it took everything I had not to roll my eyes at Ed Taylor—I had no patience for his politicalgrandstanding.
Though his obviously rehearsed speechdidseem to bode well for a vote in Titus’s favor; surely, he wouldn’t be trying so hard to sound like the council leader if he weren’t confident that his deal with Titus would put him in that veryposition.
“I believe it’s time that we, as a group, acknowledge that our stray brothers—and at least one sister!—are entitled to all the same rights and privileges that those of us born into the shifter world enjoy. So it is with great optimism for the future that I voteyea!”
Mitchell, Davidson, and Gardner stared in shock as Ed Taylor stood and rounded the corner of the table with his hand extended for Titus to shake. Titus stood and accepted it, along with a hearty clap on the back from Taylor. “Welcome to the council, Titus. And I want to extend an enthusiastic welcome as well to the men and women of the Mississippi ValleyPride!”
Justus’s hand squeezed mine so tightly that my joints groaned in protest. My sigh of relief was nearlyaudible.
The vote was over. It wasreal. Titus’s Pride had been officially recognized—a victory Faythe, Marc, Jace, and Titus had spent well over a year working toward. That moment should have felt victorious. Euphoric. But I have to admit that my joy was tempered by the arrogant nerve of Ed Taylor practically taking credit for the whole thing—whilehe was trying to blackmail Titus and oust the current council chairman from hisposition.
“Yes.” Rick Wade stood. “I do believe congratulations are in order. And I’m going to call a fifteen minute break before we get to newbusiness.”
