---Lane's POV---

I shouldn't have been too surprised to see Mason front and center, as well as several members of my former pride. A few of the runner ups for the Elder Council, probably here to showcase that they were fit for a leadership position.

However, I was stunned at the fact that among these feline representatives, I found my own father standing there.

A snort left my body before I could stop it, relaxing when Jethro's fingers curled through my scruff. I arched into the gentle scratching, ears flickering at Jethro's low chuckle.

This was the first time for my shift to meet its parental figure yet it only gave my father one look before dismissing the man all together.

Both of us could feel all eyes on us, especially from the Feline representatives. It was highly amusing to see several of them, whom were within their animals shapes, were dwarfed by my own tiger. Especially so because I was still maturing.

As it was, the black maned lion quickly made way, jaw slack as I walked past. Thanks to the steady supply of full meals I received from Jethro, it seemed like my tiger had a delayed growth spurt.

While it wasn't a lot, when I turned to face the lion, unintentionally showing off the scars on my left side and the milky white eye, I was staring down at one of the rulers of my former pride.

And he didn't seem to recognize me nor did he seem as arrogant and powerful as before. In fact, he cowered at the mere sight of me, lowering his head and averting his gaze much to the surprise of the few younger lions present.

No longer did I see these felines as sources of power to be feared, to cower and tremble for. Instead I saw entitled toddlers throwing temper tantrums because they didn't get their way.

The room was silent, except for the low rumbling growl that kept slipping from my chest as I walked alongside Jethro. Claws tapping delicately on the marble floors, echoing along the way.

"Lord Jethro," Lady Alurea smiled tensely, correctly interpreting the cool aura around my master. "Thank you for blessing us with your and your mate's presence." The Phoenix eyes flicked lazily towards the gathering of felines, all whom were staring at me in awe.

And cringing away when Jethro leveled them with a venomous glare, as he recognized that black maned lion through my memory.

After all, I've had a very good and close up look from that particular lion's claws and teeth. Clearly none of them recognized me but they sure as hell realized that they pissed off a dragon.

The rest of the Council observed with amusement and I even saw Isabelle perking up in her seat, eyes wide in excitement.

"Well? What was the reason that we were summoned?" Jethro sneered down at the feline with murderous intent, obviously contemplating not if, but how to get rid of the cat.

By law, he would be completely in his right. Even when we weren't technically mated, the fact remained that this feline shifter had attempted to claim my life.

To claim something what had always been and always will be Jethro's.

Contentment and pride flushed over the link in a silent praise as Jethro wholeheartedly agreed with my mental statement.

"We wanted to... verify that your mate was indeed one of us." Mason purred smoothly as the black maned lion, Julian, shifted without care, changing himself lazily.

Jethro snorted at that, a hint of smoke escaping his nostrils as he snapped "My mate is not one of yours." He motioned towards my position by his side, adding "Unless your noses are broken, none of you can smell any pride connection with my mate."

I sat down, twitching my ear as I could almost smell their egos taking a hit. Their expressions soured, some of the shifted felines couldn't help but curl their noses in irritation.

"Greetings, Lord Jethro, it is my honor to fi-" Julian's smile was syrupy sweet, hand reached out for a handshake with Jethro before he got interrupted with my master, who stared at the offered hand with disgust.

Another puff of smoke, this time darker and denser, streamed out of his nostrils, voice reverberating as he snarled, "I'd suggest you stay back, unless you wanna lose your fucking hand."

Julian blinked in shock, probably wondering what he'd done wrong to anger a dragon so much. I huffed, licking at my paw before brushing it over my muzzle, cleaning off nonexistent dirt.

"I .... I beg your pardon but..." He stammered, glancing around in the hopes of some explanation from the Council. Lady Alurea sighed deeply, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them once more.

"Lord Jethro, perhaps they will be more understanding if your mate was shifted." She suggested, gesturing towards a separate room where I could shift out of view. "We've provided a set of clothes for your mate, if he desires to shift."

Slowly, Jethro's amber eyes turned to the Phoenix, who managed to maintain her composure underneath his gaze. " You know what I can demand?"

She inclined her head under the confused gaze of mostly every feline within the room, providing no further explanation. "I do, my Lord and the Council wouldn't raise a finger to stop you."

He huffed before looking down towards me, smiling as I chuffed questioningly before he nodded.

I bunted against his side in what I hoped conveyed reassurance, flicking my tail as I padded towards the room. Even now I seemed to gather most the attention, something that Jethro noticed as well, if his deep venomous snarl was anything to go by.

Nerves attacked as soon as I was behind the door, biting at my confidence and making me feel sick. I had shifted beforehand so the pride wouldn't recognize me, but it was unrealistic of me to hope I wouldn't need to shift in front of them.

Especially not in front of my father. Someone I hadn't anticipated to ever see again, let alone in front of the Council. Which made me wonder how much Jethro had been forced to share with the Council members.

Because as far as I knew, Father wasn't influential enough to be on an outing like this. Perhaps the Council had known that the prides needed to be taken in hand, had sent a personal invite to select members.

With a sigh, I shifted, taking note of the comfortable clothes waiting for me and smiled. Clearly the Council very well understood that Jethro was within his Breeding Frenzy and had made sure to take a set of his shirts and a brand new set of pants.

Most likely not wanting to have any trace of a scent that could set off the dragon in a display of territorial aggression.

Once dressed, I steeled my nerves before pushing the door open, well aware that all attention would be on my entry.

The silence in the room was deafening, one could even hear a pin drop as recognition and shock warred on the felines' faces.

Especially so from the man I was forced to call father. He was gazing at me with pure shock in his gaze, eyes flitting over my scarred face and back to Jethro. As if he couldn't believe that Jethro would mate with someone like me.

Someone they deemed unfit to be a part of their pride, unfit to live, seeing how they tried to kill me.

And it seemed that finally some rusty cogs were starting to turn in Julian's head, eyes darting nervously between us as he connected the dots.

Realized how fucked he was, because he had attempted to kill me for no proper cause. Hell, I doubted Jethro would've cared if they had any cause.

"Thank you, Lord Lane, Lord Jethro." Lady Alurea took a deep breath before focusing back on the other felines as I huddled into Jethro's side, purr slipping from my throat when he pressed a kiss against my temple.

"As we said before, Mason," Lady Alurea narrowed her gaze at the stunned shifter, "it wouldn't be in your favor to bring Lord Jethro and Lord Lane before you, yet you demanded an audience. Now you have it."

Mason swallowed thickly, eying Julian as if hoping the leader would take over the conversation. Julian himself was stunned to silence but at least tried to regain his former confidence at the pointed look of Lady Alurea.

"Forgive my subordinate, Lady Alurea. We merely wanted to verify if the feline, err, Lord Jethro's mate, was one of our pride." He shot me a quick look, as if urging me to speak up in his defense. "Much to our surprise, he is in fact from our pride."

Vladimir chuckled lowly at that, not caring for manners as he plopped his boots on the desk before him. He plucked a slip of paper that was about to fall, giving it a lazy read before smirking, showing a hint of fangs.

"Funny, considering how your pride filled in a report declaring Lord Lane deceased. Died in his sleep due natural cause." Vladimir chuckled, allowing the paper to flutter to the ground in front of the paling felines.

He shot me an amused glance, giving me a quick once over before snickering. "Lord Lane looks pretty good, for a dead guy, don't you think, Lord Jethro?"

My Master and mate only snorted at that, pulling me tighter against his body. Eyes never straying from the pride that gathered closer, now sensing the peril they were in.

The vampire removed his boots from the desk and leaned forwards, this time baring his fangs in a toothy grin. "Didn't you kitty cats know that falsifying these reports is a crime?"

"My lords, my ladies, I can explain-" Julian stuttered, swallowing, shaky smile turning smarmy as he cleared his throat. "This is just a... a simple misunderstanding."

The lion regained some of his former bravado, undoubtedly wanting to regain his confidence and position in the eyes of his pride.

"While there had been some... disagreements within the pride, Lane had been sent off due to crimes within-"

"Careful, cat." Jethro sneered, flames joining smoke in a lethal dance as he stared down Julian. "The Council won't be able to save your miserable hide from me."

A whimper of fear escaped Julian, who wisely shut his mouth before Jethro would see to it himself.

"Please do tell which crimes Lord Lane has committed." The gravely voice from a huge male rasped through the room, drawing attention to the hulking form of the minotaur that was picking at his horn in boredom.

Julian's eyes flitted around, a clear sign that the cat obviously felt trapped. "Lord Verzu... ah, yes, Lane, I mean, Lord Lane" he quickly amended at the deep snarl of my mate, "He broke several traditions that we hold dearly. Plus he was responsible for the death of a highly esteemed member-"

"Marisha died because the pride couldn't stop from running their mouths from writing checks their asses can't cash." Vladimir interrupted while Alaric flipped through a thick bundle of papers.

"One of the local packs reported that one of their own went rogue and attacked a pregnant shifter from your pride. The rogue was later found and executed by our hands for laying hands on a pregnant shifter and your pride was royally compensated for the loss." Alaric reminded Julian calmly, raising an immaculate brow at the cat.

"Your doctors reported here that three cubs were born slightly premature, needing assistance during and after birth. One of these cubs had a minor defect in the eye that worsened due to human error."

Julian snorted animalistically, head swaying as if he was in his lion form. "Cubs born with limitations aren't welcomed in the pride and dealt with. He should've been grateful that we granted him mercy instead of drowning him at birth-"

Nobody moved, could move before Jethro did. One moment Julian was running his mouth, insulting my very existence and thus, insulting Jethro's choice of mate.

The next, Jethro had grabbed Julian by the neck, angling the lion's face towards his. For a moment, it almost looked as if Jethro was about to kiss Julian. Lips inches away from one another, Julian's lips parting in protest.

But then a stream of churning flames spilled from Jethro's lips and into Julian's mouth, who was unable to escape the power of the infuriated dragon.

He clawed at Jethro's hold, screaming in pain, in horror at the realization that this was how he was going to die. Burned alive from the inside out by the dragon he enraged.

The scream was short, quickly cut off but the stench of burning flesh clung to the air, along with the thick fear that made it hard to breathe.

Ashes scattered down from Jethro's hands, who clapped them together with a disgusted snort. And I was in absolute awe, realizing just how powerful he was to be able to retain his human form while his dragon was a hair away from taking over.

A fact that was made clear by the horns spiraling out of Jethro's skull and the scales that covered his throat and arms. Muscles twitching and shivering with the strain of holding back his formidable shift.

So I quickly rushed forwards, planting my face against his back while looping my arms around him. Purring as I nuzzled against the heated skin, hoping that Jethro would remain calm and not gain the ire of the Council.

His breathing rumbled through the marble chambers, vibrating through our very bones as he slowly eyed the remained of the pride representatives. All of which were shaking on their legs, the ones in their feline forms laying flat on the floor in utter submission.

And the Council wasn't going to prevent anything, I soon realized. Jethro was well within his rights to slaughter almost every single one of these felines for their actions against me.

He turned in my hold so I was nuzzling against his chest, clawed fingers gently scraping over my head.

"Like I said love." He raised my chin so I was looking in his eyes, shivering with need at the stark desire and emotions that swirled within his amber gaze. "I will watch them burn with delight before I let them get their filthy hands on you."