Chapter 312 - 46: The Eve of the Union

DANE’S POV

The crunch of gravel beneath the tires of the lead SUV was the only sound in the courtyard as the three black vehicles rounded the curved driveway.

They didn’t park in the guest spaces near the marquee. Instead, they stopped right at the foot of the main steps, blocking the central drive; their engines idled with a low, muffled rumble that made the stone beneath my boots vibrate.

Ramon reached the bottom of the terrace steps a second after I did, his jaw clenched so tightly that the muscle in his cheek twitched. Sonia stood right beside him, hands neatly clasped over her coat, though her eyes narrowed into sharp slits as she studied the convoy’s tinted windows.

Henrik held back on the steps, his right hand casually tucked into his jacket pocket. He wasn’t looking at the cars; he was watching the edge of the woods bordering the main drive, ensuring no one had followed the convoy through our outer perimeter.

The driver’s door of the lead SUV opened first. A tall, broad-shouldered man in a charcoal-grey suit stepped out. His gaze swept across the estate—taking in the catering trucks, the floral arches, and the workers adjusting the marquee—before he walked around the vehicle to open the rear door.

The man who emerged into the cool afternoon air was lean and angular; he wore a heavy wool coat bearing a polished silver emblem on the lapel: the scales of justice, the symbol of the High Council.

Magistrate Jonathan.

He didn’t look like a soldier, yet he exuded the cold authority of a man backed by high office. Two younger assistants stepped out of the vehicle following his and stood by their doors, leather briefcases tucked under their arms.

Jonathan adjusted his leather gloves, his gaze locking onto mine as I descended the last stone step.

"Alpha Dane." His voice was dry and devoid of warmth.

"Magistrate." I stopped five feet away from him, my arms hanging loosely at my sides. "You didn’t notify the guard post."

"Advance notice gives people time to prepare narratives," Jonathan replied in a measured tone, his gray eyes sliding past my shoulder toward Ramon before returning to me. "I’ll cut straight to it, Dane. This petty border dispute with Vance has crossed from an annoying territorial spat into a regional nuisance."

Ramon let out a low rumble in his chest. "Vance blocked Redstone Pass."

Jonathan sighed, throwing a genuinely exhausted look toward the sky. "I am well aware of what Vance did. The man runs Silvercrest like it’s the seat of an empire, pulling grand political maneuvers because he thinks his status puts him above the rest of the territories. He’s sitting on that pass, blocking not just your cargo, but civilian transit, trade lines, and two neighboring pack convoys trying to move goods through the valley."

He shook his head, looking directly at me.

"Vance is acting like a petulant king, and the Council is sick of hearing the fallout from it. He claims this entire spectacle is over an unfulfilled match—that you blew off his daughter, Aurora, and insulted Silvercrest’s standing." Jonathan rubbed the bridge of his nose, dropping the diplomatic weight for a second. "Honestly, it’s absurd. The Council doesn’t give a damn about who marries who, and we certainly can’t force an Alpha to take a bride to satisfy another man’s ego."

"Then why are you standing in my courtyard?" I asked coldly.

"Because absurd or not, he’s choking the region’s main artery to throw a tantrum," Jonathan said sharply. "He wants an audience. He wants a concession. And until he gets one, neutral packs are suffering, which means my office is drowning in complaints. I’m not here to fight Vance’s battles or validate his hurt pride. I’m here because this feud needs to end before it drags everyone else down."

Sonia stepped forward smoothly. "And what does the Council expect from us? We didn’t close the pass."

"The Council expects a resolution," Jonathan said, turning back to me. "Vance wants a meeting. He wants you to sit down with him, address the break, and figure out a diplomatic exit that lets him save face without keeping the roads hostage."

Jonathan paused, taking in the grand marquee, the floral displays, and the bustling workers around us. His eyebrows raised slightly.

"Which brings me to my next question," Jonathan added, his tone shifting to mild exasperation. "He claims you’re stalling him to complete an unsanctioned match. What is all this?"

"My wedding," I said simply. "I am binding my life to Destiny. Tomorrow."

Jonathan stared at me for a beat, his expression flat. "Dane... Vance is throwing a fit because he thinks Aurora was passed over. You’re telling me you’re getting married tomorrow?"

"Destiny is my mate," I said, leaving no room for argument. "The union is already sealed by law and blood. Unmarrying her or canceling tomorrow is not an option. It isn’t even up for discussion."

Jonathan let out a slow, heavy breath, muttering something under his breath about ego-driven Alphas before looking back up at me. "Right. Well, I’m certainly not going to tell a man he can’t marry his mate. But Vance isn’t going to pull his men back off Redstone Pass just because you sent him a wedding cake."

He stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly.

"I need something to take back to him, Dane. I cannot clear those roads by force without starting a massive jurisdictional mess with Silvercrest, and Vance knows it. If you want those supply lines open and the Council off your back, you have to offer a pathway out of this."

I remained quiet for a moment, weighing the options. Vance wanted a spectacle; he wanted BloodMoon to bend. But he also knew he couldn’t keep the pass closed forever without the Council eventually stepping in hard.

"Tell him this," I said, my voice steady. "The wedding proceeds tomorrow as planned. My mate and I will be married. But once the ceremony is over and my guests have cleared out, I will agree to sit down with him face-to-face. Neutral ground. We will settle the border access and the contract terms directly."

Jonathan studied my face, searching for any sign of hesitation. Slowly, the Magistrate gave a single, firm nod.

"A face-to-face sit-down after the wedding," Jonathan repeated. "It’s not the full surrender Vance was hoping for, but it gives him the formal meeting he’s demanding without shutting down your territory."

"It’s the only offer he’s getting," I said.

"Then I’ll take it to him," Jonathan said, turning back toward his SUV. He paused, looking over his shoulder at the grand house. "Get through your wedding, Alpha. But don’t make me come back here if that meeting falls apart. The Council’s patience with both of your packs is at its absolute limit."

"Enjoy your evening, Magistrate," I replied.

Jonathan slid into the rear seat. The driver shifted into reverse, backing the three heavy vehicles down the drive before turning out through the main gates and vanishing into the twilight.

The quiet that returned to the courtyard was thick and heavy.

Ramon let out a harsh, furious breath, stepping up beside me. "You’re actually going to sit at a table with Vance after he blocked our trade routes?"

"I promised a meeting, Ramon, not a concession," I said, turning my back on the empty gate to walk up the marble steps. "Vance wants to act like he controls the board. Let him think he’s getting his audience. It keeps the pass stable for the next twenty-four hours."

"And after the wedding?" Ramon pressed, following me up to the glass doors.

I stopped on the landing, looking back at my father and Sonia.

"After tomorrow, Destiny will be my wife, BloodMoon’s standing will be solid, and Vance will have to face me without his leverage," I said calmly. "The Magistrate told us what Vance is doing—it’s an act born of wounded pride. Tomorrow, we show him that BloodMoon doesn’t break for anyone’s ego."

I turned the handle and stepped inside, leaving the cold evening air behind as the estate readied itself for the morning.