178 Griffin


    What was supposed to be a wonderful day, ourst hurrah before needing to go back to business as


    usual was cut short. Deep down I knew it was just a minor inconvenience that both of us were aware


    might happen. Still, it annoyed me, I was having such a good time meeting my gamer friends. Or well


    some of them with A. I loved how she was able to charm every important wolf at royal events. And


    now she was just as charming with my human friends. So to leave early, just because we still needed


    to deal with all the sh it David and Hannah caused for us.


    I understand why A wants to see her now before, the trial. The Council of Elders already was a little


    agitated that A went into heat before the trial. They realized it was not something we could control.


    And they understood the emotional toll and risks in, proceeding with the trial when A was in heat. So


    they begrudgingly told us to contact them when the heat was over. We did, so that all worked in our


    favor, A being prepared, and having her statement ready. Having a clear idea about her punishment,


    and even having it written


    out.


    Still, most of Hannah’s statements and exnations anger me. Especially the one about pack leaders


    needing to be happy first in order to lead the pack. I was biting my tongue because I was afraid I would


    not be able to control myself. Luckily I didn’t need to because my wonderful, witty, poised mate handled


    it. Holding my hand in silent support.


    ***


    Last night A seemed so on top of it, telling me she wouldn’t be nervous if I was there with her. But


    when she woke up she was a ball


    of nerves, so I did everything I could do to make her feel less nervous. Luckily pack breakfast helped


    too and I loved discussing the future and talking about our pups with our pack members. To the extent


    that we almost forgot to pick up A’s parents and the Council of Elders would be arriving. The timing


    of them both arriving at the exact same time wasn’t ideal either. But we found a solution and I wasn’t


    about to give A more stress by freaking out over little things like that.


    Not long after I walked the council to the meeting room, A joined us. It made sense that her parents


    wouldn’t keep her upied for too long. They knew the importance of impressing the Council of Elders.


    A taking too long toe out to meet the Council of Elders would be seen as a sign of disrespect.


    The Council of Elders is fair and just but they just hold a lot of importance to traditions and being


    respected. Especially by members of the royal family, because while we rule the country. Their job is


    equally as important, they are the ones who execute punishments that transcend more than one pack.


    If we as members of the royal family do not show the Council enough respect it could very well affect


    their standing with all the other packs.


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    A did not have a lot of interaction with them yet. With everything that happened my parents and I did


    most of themunication with them. A lot of the contact started in the moment when she was still


    kidnapped and was unable to contact them at that time. When she walks in I see she has slipped on a


    zer over her outfit. She told me she would if the Council would want to go to trial right away.


    Something made her reconsider, knowing my beautiful mate it must have been her nerves and wanting


    to make a good impression.


    She does not show it to, her back is straight when she walks in with a soft smile on her face. She keeps


    her eyes trained on me, I know it is because it helps her feel less nervous so I shoot her a quick wink. It


    is all I can do now to make sure she knows I am here to support her.


    “Please, excuse me for not being able to greet you upon arrival. I had other guests I needed to


    wee. My parents to be exact so I hope for your understanding of the importance of greeting my


    parents” A exins her short absence without being asked curtsying to the Council members as she


    does.


    Mom looks like she is as proud and as amazed by how poised she is, by how much she knows with the


    little training she has as I am. Dad almost looks smug, like he wants to tell the Elders, see that is my


    daughter-inw.


    “Your absence is excused Princess A, now let’s proceed with this meeting so we can set things into


    motion” One of the Elders acknowledges A.


    Now we all sit down, I take her hand in mine. The good thing about being in a meeting with only other


    wolves is that they understand the importance of mates. And thefort physical touch brings us. I


    have been in meetings with the human rulers where they would raise an eyebrow every time my


    parents would share a small touch.


    ***


    By the time we have gone over all the ns and how we are going to arrange the trial it’s not so it is


    closer to lunchtime than we expected. Taking that into consideration and the fact that Hannah still


    hadn’t found anyone to represent her in this trial. We decided on just having the wee-to-the-pack


    lunch my mom and A had nned. After the Council of Elders will meet up with Hannah to give her


    onest chance to find representation if she is unable to. The council will provide her with one.


    It’s important to always have representation, like what awyer would be to the humans. If you are


    unable to find one on your own the council always helps. But finding your own is always the better


    option. Secretly I hope Hannah is unable to find her own representation. I


    know there is no way she is going to get away with everything she has done without consequences.


    And the Crown Prince in me realizes how critical it is for this trial to be fair. The victim in this, the wolf


    whose mate was kidnapped and tortured I wanted her to get the most severe punishment possible.


    Whatever would happen the trial would start tomorrow at 10 AM exactly 24 hours after the Council of


    Elders arrived. Giving us a little more time to prepare, now all I need is an excuse to slip away from


    A. So I can set things up without her knowing what I am about to do. As much as she tries to be


    strong I can see she is nervous about all of this. And I feel that if I can do this one thing for her. It will


    make her so much more prepared to go into trial, maybe it’s not totally appropriate but caring for my


    mate will always be my number one priority. All I need is for the others to go along with the n no


    matter what the Council members might think about it.


    “A, can youe to my office with me for a second?” Mom asks unknowingly giving me the perfect


    excuse to slip away as I offer to bring the council members to their rooms.