Ian's pov

“Our mate is really something else," Griffin said fawning as she watched a live video footage of our mate intentionally bumping into a vase with exaggerated movements.

There was no audio from the footage but I could imagine the ear splitting sound that could come from that vase shattering.

My heart dropped, reacting as though she was on the edge of a cliff as she maneuvered through the shards then she carefully swept them together not throwing them away but keeping them aside. 

Did she do that out of frustration? 

I had already explained why we couldn't be together, couldn't she just quietly live in the annex where all her needs were catered to? 

" You know our mate is anything but that kind of woman," 

At that moment my aide Jace walked in, I shut my laptop with more first than necessary straightening out my features as I said, “Jace, knock next time, would you?” 

" My deepest apologies Alpha, but your council members have been waiting for you…" 

My eyes traveled up to the wall clock and then my jaw to the ground with a smack. 

The meeting was supposed to start at 10:30 am and it was already 12 minutes after 11am.

How had I missed it? 

“We were watching our mate," Griffin said unhelpfully as if that was an excuse I could give to the council?

I didn't wait for Griffin's reply before I pushed myself off the table and started heading out to my throne room already seated as Jace had said with my council members, exchanging murmurs that floated in the air and ended the second I stepped in.

“Sorry I made you all wait this long. I was held up by something," I said as an explanation before taking the seat on my throne. 

“Let us begin…” 

As we delved into a long discussion about the taxes for the pack my mind would regularly slip over to her, what was her goal of breaking that vase? Should I send someone there to help her sweep up broken pieces to make sure that she doesn't step on any of them? 

This is ridiculous, I should focus she's fine, I'm fine everyone's fin-

" I hope I'm not too late!” A voice that was as familiar as it was irritating announced loudly throwing open the double doors of my throne room. A vein appeared in my head, a normal reaction from his presence. 

" Cassius you're not late for anything because you're not invited to this meeting,” 

He placed a dramatic palm against his chest as if I just drove a dagger into it. 

" Isn't that a little too cruel to say to your dear brother?" 

I placed my fingers against my temple trying to massage the incoming headache. 

“Just take a seat and don't interfere," I told him. 

He settled down on one of the empty chairs, taking this time with it as if he had all day then he crossed his legs and looked at me. 

“Oh brother I wouldn't ever dream of interfering, but as your next of kin something has been brought to my attention by the people…" 

“If my pack needs something that is what my council is here for," I told him straight forwardly.

"Yes yes of course and I would never take that away from them they do such an excellent job, but I don't know there's just something about me that makes the people capable of telling me their truest thoughts…I wish I didn't give off such I reliable aura,” 

The bite to his words was not lost on me, indirectly he was saying that I wasn't reliable enough for the people to lay down their deepest worries. Griffin told me to discipline him, but I had learned to choose my battles with my brother. If I responded to every slighting comment we would be bickering like children everyday and I refuse to stoop down to his level.

And Cassius wasn't stupid either, he knew how to thread the lines very carefully, enough that if I immediately pulled out a punishment I would be seen as an insecure leader with an ego that was as fragile as a dried up stick in autumn.

“And what was it that the people felt so inclined to tell you?" I said just deciding to humor him. 

“I overheard that you would be talking about taxes today," 

I found myself smiling but it didn't reach up to my eyes, he was barely even hiding it anymore that he had spies in my council because that's the only way he knew what we would be discussing. 

“And?" I said I wanted this to be over and done with. 

He cleared his throat.

" For the people that own slaves they have noticed that they are forced to pay an exorbitant amount of taxes, and regularly the rate keep going up without any reason,” 

" If they can afford to buy slaves then they can also afford to pay those taxes, “ I said bluntly. 

In truth this was one of my efforts to discourage slavery at least in my own pack, and it had worked to some extent. Many people went back to their books and realized that owning a slave in the long-term while added to the taxes would be more disadvantageous and paying them a salary would be far better.

Of course many were stubborn about it.

“Anything else Cassius?" 

Griffin thoroughly enjoyed the way he struggled to keep that smirk plastered on his face, no matter how petty he decided to be. I was still the one on this throne and he was no more than an ant.

I thought he was about to leave after I more or less dismissed what he had come to announce with such grandiose when he had a smile on his face that made me sick to my stomach.

" While we are on the topic of Slaves there is something that I have been dying to bring to your attention for a long time….” He paused as if he needed a moment to check if all eyes were on him. Once his curiosity was satisfied his attention returned to me and he completed his words, " it's about those slaves that you bought from Clawsbane recently, particularly the one with red hair.”