The Council Chambers were underground, which Hart thought was very on-brand for an ancient werewolf governing body that apparently loved dramatic architecture and unnecessary intimidation.
The massive space looked like someone had carved a cathedral out of solid rock, all vaulted ceilings and stone columns that disappeared into shadows above.
Torches burned in iron sconces along the walls because electric lighting was apparently too modern, and the whole place smelled like earth and old magic and barely contained violence.
Hart walked beside Cole down the center aisle, acutely aware that every eye in the chamber was fixed on them with varying degrees of hostility.
Representatives from at least twenty different packs filled the stone benches on either side, all of them silent and watching like predators deciding whether to attack.
"This is fine," Hart muttered under his breath. "Totally normal trial situation, nothing terrifying about this at all."
Cole's hand pressed briefly against Hart's lower back, grounding him. "Stay calm, let me do most of the talking, and whatever happens, don't apologize for saving lives."
"What if they decide to separate us?"
"They won't," Cole said, though Hart could feel the uncertainty through their bond.
Elder Thorne sat at the head of the chamber on a raised stone platform, looking exactly like someone who'd lived for over four centuries and had zero patience for anyone's nonsense.
Her white hair was pulled back severely, her ice-chip eyes tracked their approach, and when she raised one hand, the entire chamber fell into absolute silence.
"Alpha Cole Haanshil," Elder Thorne's voice echoed without effort. "You stand before this Council to answer for multiple violations of pack law. Do you understand the charges against you?"
"I understand them," Cole said, his voice steady. "I don't accept them as valid."
Several wolves in the audience growled at that, but Elder Thorne's expression didn't change.
"Bold words from an Alpha who destroyed human property, exposed werewolf existence on camera, and violated mate claim protocols to pursue a bond with a human of unknown heritage."
"A human who carries Original Bloodline genetics and was targeted by my exiled brother using dark magic," Cole corrected. "The mate claim filed by Liam Haanshil was fraudulent, created through dark magic, and designed specifically to prevent me from protecting my true mate."
A younger wolf stood from the benches, her posture radiating hostility, and Hart recognized her immediately as Silimg Mooner from the photographs Jethro had shown him.
She was beautiful in a cold, calculated way, all sharp features and predatory grace, and her eyes fixed on Hart like he was something unpleasant she'd stepped in.
"The method of the claim is irrelevant," Silimg said, her voice carrying across the chamber.
"Liam Haanshil filed properly through Council channels. Alpha Cole had legal options to challenge the claim through official protocols. Instead, he chose violence, destroyed a building in human territory, and caused the deaths of over thirty wolves. This is not the behavior of a stable leader."
"Thirty wolves died because Liam Haanshil rigged a building with explosives and planned to murder two innocent humans," Hart said before he could stop himself, and every eye in the chamber turned to him.
Cole's hand found his shoulder in warning, but Hart pressed on because he was already talking and might as well commit to it.
"Liam kidnapped my sister and another human to use as bait. He was going to kill them regardless of whether we showed up or not. So yeah, we broke your protocols to save lives, and I'm not going to apologize for that."
The silence that followed was heavy and dangerous.
Elder Thorne studied Hart with an intensity that made his skin crawl. "You speak boldly for someone who has no understanding of our laws or our ways, human."
"I understand that your laws apparently value procedure over innocent lives," Hart shot back, and he felt Cole's alarm through the bond but couldn't seem to stop the words.
"And I understand that you're all sitting here debating protocols while Liam is out there planning his next attack."
"The human has spirit," another Elder said from the benches, this one male with a scarred face. "Though spirit without wisdom is simply recklessness."
"Hart Santino carries eighty-seven percent Original Bloodline markers," a new voice said from the back of the chamber, and Hart turned to see Dr. Sofia Vergara walking forward with a tablet.
"I've completed genetic analysis. He is the purest concentration of Original Bloodline genetics documented in three millennia. The totem bonded with him because he is exactly what the prophecy described."
"The prophecy also states the Bloodline heir will either unite the packs or destroy them," Silimg said, her tone sharp.
"How do we know this human won't be the latter? He can't even control his own power. He injured a pack member during training yesterday."
Hart's hands clenched because that was technically true and he felt terrible about it, but before he could respond, Kade Ancestral stood from the neutral section of benches.
"The prophecy exists for a reason," Kade said, his voice calm but carrying authority.
"We can debate the wisdom of Alpha Haanshil's choices, but we cannot ignore that the totem has activated and chosen its bearer. The question is not whether Hart Santino belongs in our world, but how we guide him through his transformation."
Elder Thorne was silent for a long moment, her fingers tapping against the stone armrest of her seat.
Finally, she spoke, and her words made Hart's stomach drop.
"This Council acknowledges the mate bond between Alpha Cole Haanshil and Hart Santino as legitimate. However, given the circumstances and the political instability this bond has created, we impose the following conditions. Hart Santino has one week to demonstrate control over his emerging abilities. If he cannot, he will be deemed too dangerous to remain in pack territory and will be separated from Alpha Haanshil until such time as he completes his transformation safely."
"You can't do that," Cole said, his voice dropping into that dangerous register.
"We can and we have," Elder Thorne said. "You have one week, Alpha Haanshil. Use it wisely."