Chapter 238 Human Meeting


    Sinir


    It’s no easy feat to calm my wolf.


    The moment he sees the cold-hearted human who confronted us after Damon’s rogue attack at the


    Solstice, he begins wing at the surface of my skin, begging to get out. I desperately work to keep my


    face nk, though I know my mate can sense my surprise and fury. She rests one small hand on my


    thigh, gently caressing my tense muscles. My wolf rxes slightly, but not nearly enough. He’s


    growling in my head all the way through the introductions, which take much longer than I’d like.


    When it’s my turn to greet her, I summon my strength. “Madame Mayor.” Somehow I manage to say it


    without enmity, “I didn’t realize it was you who would be joining us.”


    “I think you’ll find I’m the only reason anyone is joining at all.” The former Moon Valley mayor, a woman


    by the name of Sabina Kelly, replies coolly. At first her words don’t make sense, but then the video


    pans out, revealing that she is far from the only guest joining this call. Grim-faced men line the table on


    either side of her, and though some are as unknown to me as any stranger, others are surprisingly


    familiar. I see legitors, governors and leading activists from the human world, even a few politicians


    to whom we reached out with no reply. I can scarcely wrap my mind around the assembled delegates


    before Sabina is speaking again. “Nor can I rightly im the title of mayor since Damon saw fit to


    depose me.”


    “Well with all due respect, you are an elected official – Damon is not.” I reply, falling back on my


    diplomatic training to smooth the troubled waters between us. “So I would prefer to call you by the title


    your people afforded you.”


    I’m thankful my mouth is still working, because my mind is reeling. Thest time I spoke to this woman


    she seemed to truly hate me – not that she cared for shifters in general. I’ll never forget the way she


    sneered the words “your kind” at me that day, foisting me for the attack onto all wolves as if we’ve all


    been cut from the same cloth. Of course that was merely one incident in a hundred. I can’t remember


    ever having a productive conversation with her throughout the entirety of our acquaintance.


    “Thank you.” Sabina answers hesitantly. “Though I want to be very clear that we only agreed to this


    meeting to hear what you have to say. Those of us in power have known about shifters for some time


    now, but thest month has inflictedsting scars on our people. We cannot overlook the violence you


    have inflicted upon ourmunities as ofte.”


    “I understand, and I must tell you that humans are not the only ones suffering under Damon’s rule.” I


    reply steadily. “Our own people are suffering gravely under his tyranny, and it is our greatest wish to


    remove him from power.” I turn my gaze on each of the humans individually.” Whatever Dmaon has led


    you to believe about humans and wolf-kind, I’m here to tell you that he does not speak the truth. We


    are not all so backwards and violent – we do not all think as he does.”


    ‘Then how do you think?” A man I don’t recognize inquires.


    “Perhaps it would be best if you heard from someone to whom the knowledge of wolf-kind came as a


    very recent surprise.” Gabriel suggests, nodding to E.


    My mate leans forward, resting her sped hands on the table. ‘Thank you, Gabriel,” She begins


    hesitantly, “It might surprise you to hearthat, despite my current position, I was raised among humans


    in Moon Valley. In fact, I believed I was human until a couple of months ago, so there are actually a few


    of you who have been in on the secret even longer than I have.” I watch the humans closely as E’s


    words hit home, noticing a few confused expressions and curious grumbles.


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    “When Dominic told me about shifters I thought he was out of his mind, until I saw proof which made it


    impossible to deny. It took a lot of time for me to adjust to the new reality, to understand the way of


    wolves and my ce in this world. I’m still learning every day, and it isn’t easier just because my wolf is


    now awake. But part of what makes adjusting so difficult is that shifters are as varied and diverse as


    any other society.” She pauses, making eye contact with each of the faces on the screen. “I would


    never dream of meeting someone from Sevka and assuming that they represent every being on that


    continent. There are good and bad people in everymunity, and even those designations are


    misleading, as each of us is the result of the experiences which shaped our lives.”


    E nces at me for reassurance, and my wolf purrs through our bond as she continues. ‘The point is


    simply that while shifters share a great deal inmon biologically, culture and personality are different


    matters entirely. Damon is, in my opinion, the worst of the worst. It would be a mistake to judge him for


    being a wolf, because that isn’t the proper frame of reference. He didn’t take over our home because


    he’s a shifter, he did it because he’s a power-hungry narcissist with too many resources in reach.” She


    purses her lips, uncertain about her next piece of advice. “Instead, I would beseech you to remember


    the centuries of peace we enjoyed living among shifters without ever knowing it.”


    “You mean the centuries and centuries you lied to us?” Another human counters gruffly.


    “I’m sorry,” E sighs, “But what nation hasn’t lied to one another in order to advance their own


    peoples? Have you all announced every technology, innovation and defense strategy your country


    employs? Or have you safeguarded sensitive information to avoid greaterpetition or harm?”


    “But we aren’t all separate nations.” One of the activists objects, “as you said, we lived side by side.”


    “Side by side, with independent governments.” I chime in, holding my mate a bit closer. “Besides, the


    secrecy pact did not apply universally. Your leaders knew of shifters, and select humans were brought


    to work with shifters because of their expertise in their fields. Our governments have been working


    together all along, and though the secrecy among the general public may not inspire trust, any rational


    actor can understand why it might feel necessary. We wanted to avoid precisely this scenario.”


    “Has it urred to you that this scenario only urred because of the secrecy, not despite it?” A


    legitor asks shrewdly.


    ‘Yes.” I confess. “You have no idea how that very question has kept me up at night. And though we may


    all be guilty of perpetuating it, like you we were born into a system our ancestors created. We did what


    we thought was best, however misguided.” I exhale, letting them see the full weight of my guilt. ‘The


    point is that right or wrong, shifters only want what is best for our families and our people. We do not


    want violence and war, we do not want Damon in power.”


    Sabina clears her throat, and I hold my breath – praying she won’t say anything to undermine our


    message. ’The reason I asked you all to join me today is because I have insight from the experience of


    working with both the Usurper and Alpha Sinir. Before the coup and my exile to Sevka, I thought


    much like you did. I put up with shifters because I had no other choice, and I didn’t like it.” She


    confesses. “Frankly, I believed that Alpha Dominic was full of it. Damon convinced me that his public


    persona was all a show – that he was nothing more than a con artist who hoped to steal the crown by


    acting like a moralizing, bleeding heart, charmer.”


    “Then the war came, and I saw that I’d believed the wrong man.” Sabina carries on, shamefaced.


    “Alpha Dominic tried to expose Damon’s crimes, but instead of answering for them the Usurper sped


    up his ns for takeover. In truth, I’vee to believe that Dominic’s usations are the only reason


    we’ve held off as well as we have – they forced Damon to rush and act before he was ready.”


    My jaw drops, and E sweetly sets it back in ce with one small finger.


    Perhaps I’m an idiot, but that possibility – the idea that I might have helped lessen the damage by


    speaking out when I did – has never urred to me before. I can’t express how badly I want it to be


    true, though I know wishful thinking can be a dangerous thing.


    “I made the mistake of believing Damon when he told me you weren’t a fit ruler.” Sabina forges on,


    speaking directly to me now. “When he told me that he would protect humans and wolves alike if he


    came to power. It isn’t easy to admit just how wrong I was, but it would be an even greater betrayal of


    my people to do nothing now, when you have reached out to us in friendship.”


    Again Sabina looks to the other humans. “We have amon enemy with these shifters, and the


    situation is dire enough that we cannot be choosy. Luckily that’s not a problem, because Dominic is the


    ally I would choose above anyone else. He is a good man, a selfless leader who cares more about


    wolves and humans alike. He is brave enough to stand for the things that truly matter, strong enough to


    defend us, and smart enough to know when to fight and when to hold off. I encourage all of you to give


    this alliance your full consideration and spread the word throughout yourwork. We do not have to


    be alone in this fight.”


    To my amazement, a number of the other humans are nodding in agreement. I can scarcely believe


    this is really happening, but when I look to my mate, she’s sending me an incandescent smile. “I


    couldn’t have said it better myself.