Ann left Bartholomew in the lounge and shut the door behind her. His last words stayed with her as she walked the corridor: I need you to understand.
She didn't want to. She didn't want to think about the families he had hidden or the bargains struck in silence. By the time she reached her rooms, dawn was pushing at the horizon. She hadn't slept and she wasn't going to.
"Well," Maeve said, "At least now we know why the fossils look half-dead. They're up all night counting secrets. Maybe we should dig them up for them. With a shovel. Or a chainsaw.
Ann dropped into the chair by the window with a weary sigh and rubbed her eyes.
"Or skip the tools," Maeve added. "Lets go straight to ripping throats. Much faster."
Ann pressed her palms against her knees and leaned forward. She couldn't do anything about the past, but she could decide the next step.
The portal plans had been sitting in drafts and debates for weeks, argued over by people too cautious to see the risk of waiting and considering the whole mess that the Elder's were responsible for, Ann had already decided that it ended today.
They could approve projects that risked peoples lives in private and push everything through in a day or two, but when it came to something that they couldn't control explicitly, they dragged their feet.
By the time the sun was up, she was walking into the council chamber. The elders were already seated and Adam took his seat at her right, quiet and watchful.
Ann laid her notes on the table.
"We will move forward on the construction for the building that will house the portals now. Not tomorrow, and not after another review. Now. I'm tired of waiting."
The reaction was immediate as the room filled with frowns and mutters accompanied by the shuffle of robes against chairs. Bartholomew stayed silent, but Elder Marius leaned forward.
"Acceleration of the plans only invites discovery of the project. If the Lycan King sees the work too soon, he will strike before we are prepared."
Ann's voice stayed steady as she regarded him coolly.
"He is already moving. Every delay that we allow only gives him more ground. The portals are not a gamble. It is survival. With these we will be able to move troops around the country in an instant. Allied packs will be able to send and receive aid as needed without running the risk of losing supplies to either raids or sabotage."
Elder Liora's tone cut across the table.
"And when he sees a fortification rising in plain view of the palace? He will take it as a provocation."
"Good," Ann said. "Better to fight on our terms and on our own ground than wait for him to choose the field. Besides, this is my palace and I will do with it whatever I please. I refuse to coddle someone that has lived as a psychotic recluse for decades and who has allied himself with the forces that not so long ago wanted to subjugate the entirety of our race. Honestly, I doubt Ely's plans have changed too much."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Adam hadn't moved. His arms stayed folded in front of him and his focus locked on her. He wasn't intervening. Not yet.
"You overstep," Liora said. "Declaring military projects without…"
"I don't overstep," Ann said, sharp enough to cut her off. "I lead, as the Alpha Queen should. You can stand behind me or you can explain to the packs outside why you wasted time while their kin died."
The words hit home precisely as she had intended. Even Adam's eyebrows lifted upward in pleasant surprise.
"Thats my Queenie," Maeve purred, "Going straight for the throats without mincing words.It's about fucking time."
Marius cleared his throat, looking as though he was about to choke on his indignation.
"If you insist on this reckless…"
"I don't insist," Ann said with a cold smile, "I decide. The construction starts today. No more delays."
The chamber broke out into pockets of noise and Ann stayed silent, letting the protests burn themselves out. When the voices dropped to low hum, Adam spoke, his tone restrained but letting them know that there was no room for argument.
"You heard her. The order is given so I'm not sure why you're all still here."
The elders left one by one, their faces stiff and many of them openly throwing sideways glances towards Ann.
Bartholomew lingered in the doorway, watching her with a look Ann couldn't quite decipher, before he followed after the rest of the Elders..
Once the chamber was quiet, Ann let out a heavy sigh and braced her hands against the table.
"I'm so proud of you." He said softly as he moved towards her, "You didn't even flinch when they challenged you and you bit back...fiercely."
Ann laughed as she allowed him to pull her close and wrap his arms around her.
"I don't have the luxury of being indecisive any more," Ann said quietly as she planted a kiss on his lips, lingering a moment before she pulled back, "And the more that I wait for you to throw your authority at them rather than relying on my own, the more they will seek weakness. I wont be my father and let other people dictate my reign."
He studied her for a long moment before he exhaled heavily, the sound caught somewhere between pride and frustration.
"You're going to drive me insane, you know that? Standing there, daring them to act against you and see what consequences they'll face."
"Going to drive you insane?" Ann smirked up at him through her lashes, "I thought I had already done that. I guess I'll have to try harder."
Adam growled playfully as he squeezed her a little closer, mindful of the growing pups in her stomach as he placed a hand protectively on her belly.
"And still I can't take my eyes off you."
"That's a good job really," Ann smirked, "Because its pretty obvious that you don't share well and I would hate to have to seek attention elsewhere."
"Oooo playing a dangerous game there Queenie," Maeve chipped in with a smirk, "I love it. Poke him again."
"Don't even joke about that," Adam snarled possessively, as his wolf flashed in his eyes, "You are mine and mine alone."
"And I am teasing Adam. You know that I will always stand at your side no matter what, just as you will always stand at mine."
"Always." He answered, reaching up to cup her face in his hands, "But every confident step that you take with this damned crown on your head, puts a bigger target on your back. He'll come for you first. And I…" His voice broke on the last few words and he clenched his jaw tightly.
"I know, My Alpha." Ann said softly as the first hammer strikes echoed from the grounds outside.
She left the chamber with Adam at her side to conduct their regular walk amongst the refugees. By the time midday had come the palace grounds had turned into a worksite.
Stone was being hauled across the yard, out to the area that had been designated for the new building. Blacksmiths had set up forges to shape the frames needed for each portal planned and the sound of shouted orders echoed off the walls. Guards stood at every corner, eyes watching with mixed emotions as the preparations were made and executed just as quickly.
Ann walked the perimeter of the worksite with Adam at her side and workers dipped their heads as she passed. Some did it with respect, some with clear unease.
Adam finally broke the silence between them as they walked, his voice low so that the conversation stayed between the two of them.
"You know they'll frame this as a provocation." He murmured and Ann snorted.
"They can call it whatever the hell they want," Ann said. "We needed this yesterday. It's going to make everyone's lives a million times easier, and its going to allow access to Lord Brarthroroz far easier and it might give poor Steve a bit of a break from zapping him around all over the place."
"Before you know it we're going to have an embassy set up for every Daemon realm in existence," Adam chuckled ironically, "Then they'll be saying that you dragged the war of the realms to our own gates."
"Oh that's a fancy name for jealousy," Maeve cut in, "Do you think we can have a portal straight into the city so I can have my puppacino's in seconds?"
"Doubtful. These portals are designed for serious things Maeve, not following the whims of a hormonal wolf."
"I'll have you know that I am the Alpha Queen," Maeve began imperiously before Ann shut her down.
"We, Maeve. We are the Alpha Queen and right now I'm in control so no. No puppacino portal."
"Fine," Maeve pouted, "But as soon as I can shift..."
"You'll be over the craving and probably feel nauseous at the faintest sniff of one," Ann quipped as Maeve bared her teeth at her and slunk to a corner of her mind to sulk.
"Let them complain about it and call it whatever they want, " Ann replied to Adam finally, "They'll have their mouths full of gossip soon enough once this war is underway fully with troops mobilised. Then they can complain about it after we survive."
The corners of his mouth curved upwards slightly in the barest hint of a smile, a sight that made Ann genuinely happy. She missed these little moments between them more than she cared to admit..
"You know, you don't sound very afraid at the prospect." Adam said as his gaze lingered on her.
"I am," Ann said. "But I won't ever let them see it."