9

ZAYN had led them both to his chambers, where they could have their discussion without the worry of being overheard by anyone.

"You found the loophole?" Vaelora asked in an accusatory manner.

"Calm down." He sighed.

"But how? We went through those scrolls so many times and didn't find a thing."

"We had both been looking in the wrong places," Zayn replied, heading towards his work table and picking up a scroll lying there.

Vaelora was confused. Where else could they have found a loophole out of marriage, if not in the laws scrolls for marriage?

Just then, Zayn handed over a scroll to her.

"One of the scrolls under the library's section for Historical Laws on Annulment," he said.

Quickly opening the scroll, Vaelora read through, her eyes widening even more with each line she consumed.

"Zayn..." she whispered, happy tears welling in her eyes. "This is it. This is it!!" She smiled.

"Lora, calm down. Don't be quick to assume it would work. It may be a loophole, but..."

"Why are you uncertain, Zayn? The scroll clearly says, 'As long as a royal consort bears the king an heir before the queen does, the queen has the right to annul her marriage and allow the royal consort to take her place as queen.' Isn't that clear enough?"

"It is," Zayn agreed. "But it won't be that simple." Doubt clouded his eyes. "Draekon has never taken a royal consort. Not even after Amelia died. And I doubt he ever will."

"Then we will make him," Vaelora muttered in quiet determination.

Zayn stared at her in disbelief. Had she suddenly forgotten who Draekon was?

"You seem to forget that NO ONE dictates to Draekon."

"You also seem to forget that the council has great influence. They literally forced me into this marriage."

"That's different, Vaelora. They had solid political reasons to back themselves up."

"What reason could the council possibly give, for wanting the Alpha king to take a royal consort barely two weeks after his wedding to his mate?" Zayn asked.

A small but confident smile made its way to Vaelora's face, making Zayn wonder what was going through her mind.

"First of all, are you in the good graces of any stubborn council chief?"

"Stubborn?" Zayn asked, a small frown on his face. After a brief pause, he answered. "Chief Wofah, I guess."

He looked unsure. But that was more than enough for Vaelora's plan.

"Good." She smiled. "Hear me out."

***************

Vaelora waltzed into their chambers after a very tiring day, wanting nothing more than a hot bath. She stopped in her tracks almost as soon as she got in, watching Draekon who stood with his back turned to her.

For just a moment, her gaze lingered on his dark crimson, mid-length hair. Among the three brothers, he alone possessed that unusual color.

Unlike either of their parents', his hair carried a deep crimson shade that had always set him apart, and she usually wondered if it was as a result of the DragonBorn genes he carried.

"I had no idea you have taken a special liking to staring at my back." His voice shook her out of her thoughts, making a scowl appear on her face. He turned and rested his gaze on her.

"You didn't inform me there was a council meeting today," Vaelora muttered.

"And why should I? You have no business with council meetings," he said with a frigid calm.

"But I am Luna."

"Dear Luna," he began tauntingly, "only the king and council chiefs are required to attend a council meeting."

"What about the last time? The time I was forced to marry you?"

"What about it?"

"Everyone was in attendance at that meeting. The high lords, council chiefs, even your father and Zayn."

"That was a parliamentary meeting, not a council meeting."

"When is the next parliamentary meeting?"

"Vaelora," Draekon snapped.

Somehow, she always managed to draw more words out of him than anyone else.

"The next parliamentary meeting is tomorrow. I do hope you have a lot to contribute," he muttered dryly, walking toward the bed and laying on his side.

Vaelora threw his resting figure a huge glare, promising herself to contribute 'a lot' indeed.

Draekon had no idea, but she had a huge plan up her sleeves already.

****************

Vaelora walked into the large room in elegant strides. She had always thought it regal to arrive fashionably late. Her white silk gown hugged the curves of her elegant body, her hips swaying side to side with each step she took.

Draekon's gaze followed her movement until she sat on the reserved seat opposite him.

Just then, her eyes locked with Zayn's and she shot him a knowing look.

"Apologies for my tardiness." She exhaled lightly as a few chiefs mumbled incoherent words. "Please carry on," she urged chief Om'zaar who had been speaking before she arrived.

Soon enough, minutes turned into hours and more topics of discussion were being brought up. It was almost approaching the time for Vaelora to strike. But before then...

Some maids made their way into the room, eliciting looks of confusion from the faces of the chiefs.

"My Lords," she began. "I am sure you all must be famished, so I asked the maids to bring in some refreshments. I suggest we take a short break and eat."

Draekon observed her quietly. With Vaelora, he could never really be sure of motives.

But then again, he couldn't deny that this was quite a thoughtful thing to do. How come he had never thought of it?

The grumpy looking chiefs and high lords didn't even contemplate and accepted Vaelora's kind gesture immediately.

The maids got busy serving the refreshments and moments later, they were done eating.

Vaelora had successfully watered the ground to sow her seeds.

As soon as the maids cleared the table, Om'zaar continued from where they had left off before lunch.

"So what's the next agenda?" he asked.

Chief Wofah raised a hand, and Vaelora's eyes shone with quiet excitement.

"Yes please. Go ahead Wofah," Om'zaar urged.

Clearing his throat, Wofah stood up and began to speak.

"Recently, I discovered that our Luna has been disconnected from her wolf for nearly a decade."

Immediately, whispers filled the place, and Vaelora shared a quick look of 'near victory' with Zayn.

"Order, please," Om'zaar demanded and the whispers gradually died down. He looked at Wofah, giving him a nod to continue.

"It also explains how High Lord Dione managed to cheat on their bond without her knowing. Her wolf was dormant and couldn't feel it."

"Where exactly are you headed with this, Wofah?" Chief Toi'fah queried.

"What if the Luna gives birth to a pure-blooded DragonBorn heir instead of a werewolf? We are all expecting the royal line to continue through werewolf blood. But with her wolf dormant for so long, what if the king's DragonBorn blood proves dominant instead and they birth a DragonBorn heir?"

"So what are you saying in essence?" Om'zaar asked.

"What I am saying, is that the King should take a royal consort in order to ensure the preservation of the werewolf royal bloodline."

The entire place fell silent for a few seconds, before the much expected whispers followed.

The loud whispers soon grew into full blown arguments and Zayn's breath hitched, worried that he and Vaelora's plans may not pull through and end up biting them in the ass.

All the while, Draekon had his gaze fixated on Vaelora's defiant one, fury in his eyes.

He knew exactly what game she was playing.