---Jethro's POV---

There was a slight unease that settled under my skin, even though I knew that nobody in their right state of mind would even think of harming Lane.

Even if they hadn't been informed of his elevated status quite yet, only a fool would attack a tiger his size. His size alone was enough to give people pause and reconsider if it truly was worth it.

A slow smirk curled on my lips, making the guards pale slightly and nearly quiver in their boots. Even if they had never been on the receiving end of my anger, all of these men and women had at least heard what I was capable of.

I was quite certain that the rumor that I had finally found my mate was spreading through the ranks. The guards would be tripping over their feet, knowing they needed to inform their superiors before they made a fatal mistake.

Like insulting my mate, for example.

I already knew what Louis was thinking. He was a smart man and was quite capable of thinking for himself. Just from his resignation upon my arrival, I knew that Alpha Curtis had already slinked inside and was most likely whining to the Council.

Last time that I had been "summoned" had been due to Curtis, after all. He had been one of the few Alphas that had settled in the vicinity of my territory and grew greedy.

They knew that settling near a dragon was certain protection. After all, wherever their territory edged towards mine was safe; only fools would breach a dragon's territory knowingly if they weren't invited.

It was one less border they needed to defend and as their pack grew, Curtis started to become pompous. After all, he dared live near a dragon, he was the leader of a powerful pack...

Why couldn't he make the dragon heel and obey his orders?

Oh, he had tried to play it smart. For a dog, at least. Offering me unmated females and males of his pack as a possible mate, spouting nonsense on how it would strengthen the bond between his pack and myself.

How they would come to my aid if I was ever in danger.

How insulting, to think I'd need the aid of a pack that shook on their legs if I so much as sneezed in the same room. If I ever was in grave danger, that would only be due to another dragon trying to claim what was mine.

And in that case, a pack of wolves, no matter how large and strong it was, would be as helpful on the battlefield like a colony of ants.

Trampled under the foot of those that were waging war.

"My lord? The Council has been informed of your arrival, if you are willing to speak with them." I lazily turned my head towards the female secretary, a vampire from the scent of it.

She brushed a curl of black hair behind her ear, maroon eyes tracing over the paperwork in her hands. It didn't take me too long to recognise her. Asami had served the Council for several centuries and I was quite certain she would serve it long after the current members perished.

Her eyes zipped over the document in record speed before she smiled warmly in my direction. "Congratulations for finding a mate, Jethro-sama. Records are being made as we speak, so we can offer your mate the utmost respect. Forgive me for intruding, but I must ask for his name to fulfill the paperwork."

A slow smile curled on my lips as I watched this rather petite female stand her ground. It wasn't the first time that she had approached me when all others had been quaking with fear.

Asami had been one of the first from the Council who had reached out to me. That had been centuries ago, but I could still recall the same manner of innate politeness and respect that she spoke with.

She had stayed out of my territory and sent me a message, a wish to convey the Council's hope for a lasting beneficial relationship.

Asami had made it clear that the Council wasn't sending here as a force to bend and submit creatures to their will but more as an emissary, sent to alert supernatural beings like myself that the Council would greatly appreciate a spare moment of their time.

Even back then, a time where dragons were only known from the times they had appeared to absolutely demolish everything in their path, she hadn't shown a hint of fear.

Just a deeply rooted respect, a kinship from one ancient being to another.

"Of course and while you're at it, could you inquire how long it'll take before Lane can join me?" I replied, resulting in a brilliant smile from Asami.

"Lane-sama, is it? Currently he is being measured and weighted, though I had already received a request to relay to you, my lord."

Asami's eyes flashed a deeper hue of red for only a moment as the pen in her hand effortlessly flew over the paper. "it has come to the attention of Isabell-chan that your mate is larger than any normal tiger. She had hoped if she would be allowed to take a small sample of his blood to pinpoint exactly what species he belongs to."

Interesting. I had already suspected that Lane hadn't been just a tiger, had even a few suspicions of myself as to what he truly might be.

"Very well. I trust that nothing else is going to happen with that blood sample?" I verified, watching Asami's expression as she smiled and nodded.

"Naturally. The Council knows not to irk you in any shape or form, Jethro-sama.­ We wouldn't betray your trust, especially not in any matters regarding your mate."

She walked by my side, venturing further into the Council headquarters. Asami paused near the doors, politely motioning me forwards.

"Don't worry, my lord, I will personally make sure that your mate is delivered here within the next ten minutes." And I trusted her on her word. If there was one creature in this building that would never lie, it would be her.

And I could already hear raised voices on the other side of the mahogany double doors. The voice of a certain Alpha yipping and whining  especially stood out, along with the council tiredly trying to soothe the enraged dog.

As I shouldered past the doors, I let my eyes flit through the room, catching the tired gazes of several high-council members, and the few wary glances coming from Curtis' guard dogs he brought along.

"-find it completely outrageous! The safety of my pack is at stake here, especially with that monstrosity wandering around uncontrolled. It already attacked and killed one of my own!" Curtis snarled, spittle flying from his lips as his claws dug into the wooden stand, as if adding force would proof his point.

"A wolf that has been proven to be trespassing on a dragon's territory." Vladimir yawned tiredly, baring his fangs in the sunlight before rubbing his eye tiredly.

Curtis stammered for a moment, face turning an embarrassed red before he had seemed to regain his voice. "We were trying to retrieve a pup that had been stolen! The she-wolf knew she was trespassing and tried to lose us by trespassing on Jethro's turf!"

"Hmmm." The ancient vampire yawned once more, stretching his neck before leaning against the palm of his hand. The redhaired woman beside him, Lady Alurea, was obviously growing tired of the continuous back and forth, with Vladimir showing no sign of aiding the situation with his dismissive behavior.

"State what you want from us, Alpha Curtis." Her eyes landed on the Alpha and for a second, red flames cracked through her skin, showing just how close the phoenix was in losing her cool.

"We've been listening to your rants for at least three hours, but it always comes back to the unproven fact that something," she actually air quoted, making me smirk and bite my lip in glee, watching the show as she continued.

"Something is apparently stalking around on a dragon's territory and you're demanding recompence because one of your men, who you admitted yourself was also trespassing, got killed during his leisure stroll on Lord Jethro's territory?"

She sneered down at the wolf with a look of both boredom and irritation. Hell, I gave props to her for not burning the Alpha down to a crisp after having to hear his bleating for three hours.

He'd be ash after the first ten minutes.

"I want that thing, whatever it is to be put down! Who knows what its capable of! And who's to say it'll keep to just Jethro's turf?" Curtis barked, snarling venomously before stilling, finally realizing the presence of the dragon in the room.

Slowly, shakily, he turned towards me, blood already drawing from his face and leaving it a sickly white. The rest of his pack was already cowering in their seats, avoiding eye-contact at all cost.

"Oh no, please continue." I sneered sarcastically, hearing the double timbre in my voice, clearly alerting everyone with a single braincell in the room that my dragon was present.

And pissed off.

"N-now, m-my lord Jethro, the-.. there's no need to be a-angry." Curtis stuttered helplessly, legs trembling as I slowly pushed away from my position at the door and started stalking towards him.

"Oh, but I agree. I absolutely love pests that are talking trash about my mate, threatening to have him killed. It just tickles me in a funny way." I growled, feeling the skin on my jaws and throat starting to give way for scales, could feel the burning heat in my chest slowly build up.

Curtis wisely shut up, whimpering under his breath as his nostrils flared, eyes sparking gold as his wolf finally managed to snag control from its human self.

I felt so tempted to bathe this waste of space in flames, to watch him scream in agony as he turned to ash. I doubted the Council would give me any hassle about it either; hell, Vladimir seemed amused and intrigued, almost leaning forwards in his seat to watch the show.

Even Alurea didn't seem too against simply killing Curtis to get rid of the annoyance. It was a telltale sign of how much of a little prick Curtis is, seeing how flustered and annoyed a phoenix got over him.

They always had impeccable self-control over their emotions. The first few times after they spontaneously combusted due to their temper, they all learned to control their emotional state or watch everything they love burn down.

Her nose was curled in annoyance at Curtis before she sighed and glanced my way. "I'd like to remind you, Lord Jethro, that your shift's form is too magnificent for these halls."

Vladimir scoffed, sagging back in his seat with a disappointed grunt. "Spoilsport." The vampire decked in leather from heat to toe stood up, stretching his arms above his head with a satisfied groan as soon as his joints popped.

"Woken up from daysleep by a whimpering pup yipping about some monstrosity and now that I'm promised a good fight, I'm cockblocked? Fuckin' ell..." He let out another stretched out yawn before eying me curiously.

"Congrats on getting a mate. So, where's the missus? I doubt you left 'er at home." Vladimir walked down from the dais whilst I took a few calming breaths, rolling my eyes at the vampire.

"You know exactly where my mate is and he will be here in..." I glanced at the wall and smirked, "Ten seconds tops, according to Asami."

Vladimir chuckled, shaking his head as both of us could already hear the approaching footsteps. "Right on time, like always. That woman is something else...." He said with admiration in his voice before motioning to the door.

"C'mon, lemme meet with your mate and see what all the fuss is about. At least it'll be better than listening to the lil chihuahua yap all day."