The sound of construction hadn't stopped all night and again, Ann had barely slept.
She had just surfaced and was clutching a coffee when Coral burst into her study with a hurried knock and no pause before entering.
"He's here," Coral blurted out, clearly panicked if her flushed cheeks were anything to go by, "Brad's here and he's brought… well, you need to see for yourself."
Ann pushed her chair back, already bracing for the Alpha hormones to kick in.
Adam's head whipped up instantly and his snarl was quite clear from the corner where he had been reviewing patrol logs.
"Brad is here? Again?!"
Coral nodded. "With his son."
Adam's chair scraped against the floor as he stood. The growl in his throat now was low and restrained, but still angry enough to bring a room to a standstill.
Coral squeaked and seemed to shrink in on herself as Ann sighed heavily and turned to Adam.
"Would you mind trying to reign that in, we do actually need functioning assistants, or did you forget?"
"You need functioning assistants," Adam grumbled as he stomped out of their room, "I need to smash some idiots teeth in."
Ann massaged the bridge of her nose and gestured towards the door, following Coral out. Something told her that today was going to be yet another long day.
The inner courtyard was thick with whispers as they entered and Ann could see the guards shifting uneasily already.
Brad stood at the gates, clearly travel-worn with a wrapped bundle in his arms. The child squirmed, letting out a sharp cry.
Ann stepped forward, and the voices faded away to silence. Adam paced at her side, every movement radiating tension.
"Brad," Ann said evenly, "To what do we owe this pleasure?".
He inclined his head, carefully repositioning the infant.
"Alpha Queen. The Crystal Pack isn't safe anymore. Not for him. Not after the Lycan Kings son was killed whilst technically my guest." He shifted the bundle again, revealing a small face, flushed and startled by the noise and Ann felt her heart soften.
"The palace is far safer with the protection that you have in place. MY pack…if he decides to collect on a demand for a sons life in payment for his sons death…" Brad's voice cracked, "Look, Ann, I know I don't deserve this and whatever scandal this brings, I'll shoulder it all. Please. I won't risk him there. The things they would do to a baby…"
Before Adam could snap his refusal, Coral had darted forward.
"Oh look at the little baby!" She cooed, "Let me take him for you, you must be tired!" she continued brightly, her arms already held out expectantly.
Brad hesitated a fraction, then carefully handed the baby over and Coral rocked him expertly, her genuine smile of happiness wide across her face.
"Oh would you look at this handsome little man!" She crooned as the baby gurgled happily up at her, "I'll take him to the royal nursery. Don't you worry. I'll take good care of him and have the wet nurses organised so that he wont ever be alone for a single second!"
She hurried off with the infant, fussing over him with the delighted energy of someone who had just been given the most important task of her life. The courtyard was left colder, stripped down to the three of them.
Brad straightened.
"Whatever his protection costs me, my loyalty will always be to you. My son's future is in your hands."
Adam's growl deepened.
"You dare…"
Ann cut across him sharply.
"Not here. Not now." Her voice carried, firm enough to silence the few onlookers who hadn't already melted away. "Brad stays for now. The child stays indefinitely. At least until its safe for him to return. I won't tolerate any challenges here. Not today."
The order hung heavy in the air and Brad's jaw tightened at the same time as Adam's hands curled into fists. Neither moved and neither of them looked satisfied.
Ann didn't give them the chance to argue in public.
Within the hour she had both men pulled into the council chamber, the doors shut behind them and Coral waited outside with the baby and a gaggle of cooing wetnurses, humming softly as she rocked him while the tension inside only got worse.
Brad planted his palms firmly on the polished table in front of him.
"The Crystal Pack grounds really aren't safe. Half of the elders there bend too easily to fear, and the Lycan King's agents have been seen sniffing around my perimeter. My son would be a target before he could even walk."
Adam's voice was low, dangerous.
"So you run here and throw the problem in Ann's lap? As if she doesn't already have a big enough target painted on her back for wearing the crown?!"
Brad's eyes flicked to him, sharply.
"I would always choose to put my son where he'll be protected best. I'm not too proud to admit that going against the Lycan King and Ely alone would most likely result in the extinction of my bloodline entirely. So if you want to call that running, then so be it."
Adam slammed his fist onto the table, the sound cracking like thunder.
"You continuously bring scandal and risk into this palace and you are handing gossip to every pack…You are making Ann the shield for your mistakes and shortcomings!"
Brad didn't even flinch.
"I swore loyalty to her and that wasn't for show. I'll stand wherever she commands me to and that's more than can be said for half the nobles hiding behind poor excuses."
Adam leaned forward, the golden light of his wolf burning at the edges of his eyes.
"Do you think words make you worthy? Loyalty isn't a speech. It's sacrifice. And you don't get to gamble with her throne because you're too weak to keep your house in order."
Brad's jaw tightened.
"Weak? I chose survival for my son. You think strength is letting him grow up under threat?"
Adam's growl vibrated through the chamber.
"I think strength is not making your child Ann's burden."
Ann cut through, sharp.
"Enough. Both of you." She held their eyes in turn. "Brad, you and your son stay. Adam, you'll respect that. I won't have this turning into a pissing contest when the real enemy is outside our walls."
Neither moved at first and Adam's fists stayed braced on the table while Brad's shoulders held rigid.
Finally Brad straightened, rolling his shoulders and taking a deep breath before turning from Adam and looking directly at Ann.
"I'll prove my loyalty, Ann. Not just with words," He said as he darted a scowl in Adam's direction, "But with my actions. Whatever comes, whatever it takes. I'll answer it."
Adam folded his arms, his fury still burning.
"You'd better. Because if your presence brings one ounce of danger to her or the pups, I won't wait for her word to act.."
The growl behind it left no doubt what he intended..
"I want you both to live with this truce. For the child's sake. Not mine, and not yours. The child's."
The chamber fell into an uneasy silence and when Adam turned away, his steps echoed sharply against the floor. Brad followed a moment later, leaving Ann with the echo of their footsteps and their conflict still rattling through the room.
She sighed heavily as Coral poked her head in the room, and couldn't help but smile at the omega's excited expression at having a baby to coo over.
Later, the palace was quieter and Ann sat in her study with her notes spread out, the faint clang of construction still carrying from the grounds. Somewhere down the hall, the baby's soft cry drifted and faded again, Coral soothing him with a tuneless hum.
Ann rubbed her temples. The truce she had forced was already fragile and Adam's fury hadn't cooled even a little bit.
She knew the palace would talk…again. The packs would talk...again. And she was caught between loyalty, politics, and scandal.
"Well," Maeve said dryly, "Things are certainly getting interesting aren't they? You've officially adopted an ex, a newborn, and a mate who's one growl away from rearranging Brad's teeth. You've added those to the pack of ferals and strays that sleep below our window. I think you're enjoying acting as a babysitter for the realm. Should I start a betting pool on who explodes first?
Ann let out a sharp breath, almost a laugh.
"Not helpful Maeve, but yes, when you put it like that, it really does seem absurd. Perhaps the Goddess in her wisdom feels that I need the practice before a trio of headstrong baby Alpha's enter our lives."
"Of course my observations are helpful, " Maeve said, amused. "Because you're not bored with me around and chaos certainly seems to be becoming your element, whether you admit it or not. Queen who bites back and the queen with babysitting duties. You have the whole package going on. Lexi is going to be impressed when she gets her lazy arse back here."
Ann leaned back, staring at the ceiling as she smiled to herself. She wasn't sure if Maeve was mocking her, comforting her, or both.
It was probably both.
Either way, the truce wouldn't hold forever.