Scathan The Approver Novels & Stories

AUTHORITY INSUFFICIENT. Pain lances through my skull as the Crown wavers, its divided focus straining under the Arbiter’s scrutiny. I grit my teeth, refusing to drop to my knees. Gravehowl growls low and thunderous. You trespass on a living world. The Arbiter turns its faceted gaze toward him. PRIMITIVE SENTIENCE ACKNOWLEDGED. TERMINATION ACCEPTABLE. That’s all the warning we get. Light detonates. A beam spears downward, carving a molten trench through the forest straight toward Gravehowl. Wolves scatter, howling as heat scorches fur and skin.

CHRISTINE I stepped back into the office like nothing had happened. Nathan was already talking. “…I’m telling you, if we don’t respond today, they’ll assume we’re stalling and pull out completely,” he said, pacing slightly with a file in his hand. I shifted some stack of documents on my desk aside as my attention was only half there in whatever he was saying. “Then respond.” “I am responding,” he shot back. “But I need your approval on the terms before I send anything.”

On Wednesday my personal email pinged around dinnertime. It flashed up as Carter & sons. I was confused. I walked out of the office into the side office to read the email. Dear Leah Garrison, Thank you for your application for the Legal Secretary role at Carter & Sons. We would like to invite you to an interview with Mr. Jack Carter, Senior partner. The interview will be an hour in length. Please contact the office to arrange a suitable time. Sincerely Carter & Sons HR

Silence. Controlled. Familiar. He walked to his desk, setting down a file before turning back to me. “Have a seat.” “I’d rather stand.” A brief pause. Then.. “Alright.” He didn’t push it. Didn’t question it. Just accepted it. Which somehow made it harder. “What do you need?” I asked. Straight to the point. No room for anything else. “The Carter proposal has been approved for the next phase.” That caught my attention. “That was fast.”

“He’d never let his company fall to a man like Kane. Please, postpone the vote. Give us time to prove Helen’s wrong.” Mr. Chen sighed, his eyes softening, his voice measured. “Ms. Greene, your passion’s clear, and this evidence…” He tapped the dossier, his brow furrowing. “It’s troubling. But we need more than accusations to override a will.” He glanced at the board, their nods reluctant. “We’ll postpone the vote—one week. Final decision then. Bring concrete proof, or the sale proceeds.”

"Due to your status, agents from the Mystic Bureau Nine will be stationed here for your protection." Then, a chubby man walked over with a large calculator under his arm. He grinned and extended his hand to Chad. "I'm Tanner, the Divine Calculator. I'm here to ensure your safety!" Chad shook his hand. "Thank you for your efforts!" "No problem!" Tanner replied with a cheerful smile. He turned to the special agents and said, "Alright, you can leave now. With me here, everything will be fine!" Though the special agents were reluctant, they left. After all, the Mystic Bureau Nine, responsible for the safety of the cabinet ministers, was indeed more capable than the special agents.

Ethan stood at the edge of the Moonlit Meadow with a sad heart. He had to decide what to do. Behind him, the group gathered, and everyone's eyes lit up with excitement. Gabriel, who had changed, was on the edge of his seat as he waited. Ethan whispered to himself, "I can't believe I'm doing this," and his voice shook with doubt. He took a deep breath and turned to face the group. "I've decided what to do."

he said flatly. “I can approve them for Nathan,” Serena offered. Only then did Tina realize Serena was in the room. She had been seated in the sitting area of Nathaniel’s office the whole time. “Miss Vander,” Tina’s voice faltered. She looked down, and disappointment flashed across her face. “You are here… I’m sorry, these are very important charity cases that need Mr. Thorne’s approval—” “Her word is as good as mine,” Nathaniel interrupted Tina. Then he frowned. “Why are you dressed like that? What will my clients say if they see you in this?”

Damon frowned. “Who approved this?” He clicked on the record. The authorization code appeared on the screen. Damon’s expression hardened as he recognized the code instantly. It belonged to someone with executive clearance, someone who technically shouldn’t have access to financial transfers anymore. Someone who had already died. Damon leaned closer to the screen. “This doesn’t make sense.” Before he could investigate further, his phone rang. Unknown number. Damon hesitated, then answered. “Yes?” A calm voice replied. “Mr. Moretti.”

There are silences that ring. This one did. The words the clause concerning mates hung in the air long after the messenger fell quiet, heavy enough to press against my ribs. I could feel Cameron’s pulse through the bond - fast, controlled, furious. Not panic. Calculation. That scared me more. Rowan was the first to move. He turned sharply toward the messenger. “Which Councilor approved the petition?” The man hesitated. “It was filed through Councilor Bereth’s office, but…” He swallowed. “It required secondary validation.”