Chapter 6 : Council Meetings

Breakfast meetings were bullshit.

Amelia decided that was the only thing she was sure of as she drug herself out of bed and prepared for the day. She did her best to dress in a way that would look professional and serious, but her closet was limited. She made a mental note to make her best friend take a shopping trip with her when she returned from her trip.

What had she been thinking last night? She'd played the passionate kiss with Nathan over and over in her head. She desperately wanted to kiss him again, sober this time. Maybe she even wanted more.

Her mind wandered to Lucas though, and she instantly felt flooded with guilt. She'd had limited communication with either of these men up until this week, and yet, she felt as though she owed them both something. She wanted each of them, and it wasn't fair to either of them.

It did bring a smile to her face when she considered what Julian would think of her kissing boys in the hallway. The rat bastard was so concerned with his military operations that he would be horrified by her frivolous use of time.

Amelia decided she shouldn't be concerning herself with any of these men. She had more pressing issues to attend to. Her romantic life could wait.

She did what was probably the bare minimum by way of makeup, but she refused to forgo it altogether. She felt uncomfortable because of the slight hangover, but she also believed she could be both pretty and an effective leader.

The council room was already fairly full by the time she got her breakfast and carried it down the hall to the meeting room. Someone had been kind enough to carry a carafe of coffee and set it up, so she at least didn't have to carry a mug of coffee as well. She sat down and started in on her breakfast.

Amelia studied the room, doing her best to prepare for what lay ahead. She felt a little ambushed by the fact that her first meeting of the day was to discuss finding her a mate. It seemed like a massive decision and not one that she enjoyed having to debate with others.

Carrie Goldman was sitting next to Lucas, appearing to have a polite discussion. Carrie was closer to her father's age, but older members of the council seemed to be in the minority. One quick look around the room revealed that Julian and Nathan were also present.

Roger Hans, who was only a year older than Amelia, was also on the council. Jackson Dimming, her father's best friend, the one who had also been a part of the hunting party with Lucas and her father, was picking at a few pieces of fruit on his plate.

Everyone was present. Technically, the meeting should begin, but Amelia wasn't in a hurry to call it to order. She instead took her time finishing her breakfast in the quiet of the room. It seemed everyone was focused on chasing away their bad decisions from last night.

Instantly, Amelia worried that was what Nathan considered their kiss.

A bad decision.

Did he only kiss her because of the emotions of the day and the buzz of the beer? She was unable to keep track of how many he had downed, and he hadn't even attempted to look at her yet this morning.

Suddenly, Amelia was ready to get the meeting over with.

"Good morning, everyone," she announced. "Let's get this started. We have a big day ahead of us."

"Indeed," Jackson agreed.

Amelia nodded to him. "It's my understanding that the council would like for me to choose a mate this morning or at least plan for it."

"The council seems indifferent on the matter. We are simply bringing forward the concerns of the pack," Carrie replied, diplomatically as ever.

Amelia admired that about her. Carrie was one of the first females besides Amelia's mother to ever have a seat on the council. She worked hard to maintain her esteem and poise, and it worked. She deserved the respect that she got. Carrie's priorities were always whatever the pack wanted.

"Interesting," Amelia noted. "Does anyone else have something to say on the matter?"

"Selecting a mate does increase the Alpha's power," Roger started. "I think the pack would like to see a strong start to your reign."

Amelia nodded. She couldn't deny that. As Alpha, and considering her bloodlines, she was already a particularly powerful wolf. Once she made the shift in a month, they would truly be able to see how strong she was. But even with her remarkable power, she would still be exponentially stronger if she took on a mate.

She would prefer to have a little time to make that choice though. This seemed rash, to make a lifelong decision in the matter of a morning. Her breakfast started to turn in her gut.

"I understand. But does the pack not trust that I'm already strong enough on my own?" she asked.

"It would seem that some are uncertain," Roger conceded.

"Does the pack or the council have a mate in mind, or am I simply to choose at will?" Amelia asked loudly.

This received no response. The room was silent. It seemed that no one had truly considered that possibility. The concept of a mate seemed nebulous, some faceless man with whom she would procreate, but other than that, he served little purpose.

That was unfair to whoever her mate would end up being. She was sure they would have lots of purpose in the pack, but it seemed that the whole decision boiled down to needing someone to father children, and mating to make her stronger.

There was something unsettling about it all. She could hardly make up her mind about how she felt about her kiss with Nathan last night. Choosing someone to marry and mate? That seemed impossible. And they didn't even have the decency of proposing a list of suitors.

"I have a proposal," Amelia announced, realizing what she would have to do and say.

"We're all ears," Nathan answered.

When he caught Amelia's eye, he gave her a little smirk that said he hadn't forgotten what transpired between them last night. Of course.

"I don't think picking a mate should be a priority right now. I'll certainly keep it at the forefront of my mind, but I think avenging my father is more important. It makes a more powerful statement about the state of our pack," she announced.

It made the most sense. Looking around the room to gauge reaction, she wasn't surprised to see Carrie, Jackson, and Roger considering her proposal thoughtfully. There was a triumphant smile on Julian's lips that almost made her regret her words. However, the defeated look on Lucas' face was what concerned her the most.

Why did he care? Why would he feel defeated?

She realized now that Lucas and Nathan were seated at opposite sides of the room. Did something happen between them? Did Lucas know about the kiss? Her mind was reeling and she desperately needed someone to say anything to break up the silence.

"And what should we do about suitors? It seems a given that men will be seeking your hand," Jackson finally said.

It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either. Amelia considered her response carefully.

"I can handle that. If I don't find a suitable mate within the next six months, we can reconvene and the council can select a mate for me," Amelia offered.

It was probably stupid to place such a short timeline on the issue, but she would do anything to get out of this council room. She needed space, time to think, and the ability to consider what selecting a mate would really mean for her.

"It sounds reasonable to me," Carrie announced, giving Amelia a knowing look.

Amelia might owe Carrie her life right now. The silence in the room was beginning to become suffocating, and her approval was a breath of fresh air.

"Shall we take it to a vote?" Roger asked the group.

There was a murmur of agreement, and Jackson stood up.

"All in favor?" Jackson called.

A chorus of aye's came from the group.

"Those opposed?" Jackson asked.

Silence. A dead space that seemed as much of a prison sentence as a freedom pardon.

"It's decided. The council will reconvene on the matter of the Alpha's mate in six months unless a suitable mate is found before then," Jackson announced.

With that, the meeting concluded, and the members were dismissed.

The wounded look on Lucas' face was still there when he left the room, and Amelia couldn't help but wonder what it was all about. Was he expecting to be selected by default? It would make sense. As Beta, the two of them would make an incredibly powerful pair. But, he had to realize they barely knew each other.

As much as they had gotten to know each other over the past couple of days, Amelia wasn't ready to commit a lifetime to a stranger. She wasn't discounting him as a possibility, she just wanted time to get to know him.

And Nathan.

And maybe someone else. Hell, the world was so confusing and turned on its side right now, she could hardly tell up from down. She needed time to figure out what was going on.

She wasn't bluffing when she said she wanted to hunt down her father's killers. That was a priority. As much as it irked her that Julian was right, she wanted revenge.

If the pack wanted to show they were still powerful, revenge was the key to proving they were still on top. If the pack wanted her to be stronger and more powerful, then maybe she should start training more. She could prove that she was physically powerful, and maybe that would also buy her a little more confidence from her people.

Amelia checked her schedule. It seemed she had a few hours between now and her next meeting. She knew exactly how to spend it.

Thankful to get out of her professional clothing, Amelia slipped into her workout gear. Black leggings and a gray tank made her look sleek. She pulled her long hair back into a ponytail and then slipped on running shoes.

She stopped to talk to no one as she left The Main, headed straight for the training building. And as much as she hated to admit it, she was in search of Julian. She knew exactly where to find him. She might have to swallow her pride for this one, but maybe she could make him regret his smug attitude over the next hour or so.

Stepping into the gym, she watched a shirtless Julian take aim at a punching bag before pummeling it with punches. Just what she was hoping for.