Page 41 of The Purrfect Rival

“Interesting choice of tie today as well,” Boz added, his smile turning smug. “Fox magic seems to have infiltrated even your wardrobe.”

Something in Rust snapped. His patience—legendary among lion shifters—reached its limit.

“Let me be perfectly clear.” His voice carried the full weight of his alpha status now, gold bleeding into his eyes. “My personal associations are not council business. My professional judgment remains uncompromised. And anyone suggesting otherwise had better provide concrete evidence rather than innuendo and gossip.”

The chamber fell silent. No one challenged an alpha lion in full dominance display.

No one except Boz, apparently. “Perhaps Miss Woshen could shed some light on recent developments,” he suggested, gesturing toward the back of the chamber.

Mira Woshen rose from her seat in the gallery, adjusting her glasses nervously. The fox shifter’s petite frame seemed to shrink under the assembly’s collective gaze.

“I—I noticed some irregularities in the library’s financial records,” she stammered, clutching a folder to her chest. “Transfers originating from the mayor’s office computer, redirecting renovation funds to an account linked to old Leonid family holdings.”

The chamber exploded into chaos. Rust’s blood ran cold. He hadn’t authorized any such transfers—which meant someone had either hacked his system or fabricated the records.

“Order!” he commanded, his lion authority bleeding into his voice. The room gradually quieted. “These are serious allegations that require verification. I categorically deny authorizing any such transfers.”

“The digital logs don’t lie,” Mira countered, gaining confidence. “The transactions occurred after hours, but they originated from your office terminal.”

“Typical lion arrogance,” Lysander muttered loudly enough to be heard. “Always believing direct action solves everything—including budget shortfalls, apparently.”

“And foxes would rather talk in circles until the problem solves itself,” Fenris countered, the wolf elder’s patience visibly fraying.

“If we could return to evidence rather than speculation,” Kalyna interjected, her voice cutting through the rising tension.

The chamber descended into factional arguments. Lion representatives demanded immediate investigation of the transfers. Fox elders insisted on reviewing security footage before drawing conclusions. Dragon representatives grew visiblyimpatient, scales shimmering along Draven Emberwylde’s forearms as his tolerance for mammalian politics waned.

Rust caught Kalyna’s eye across the chamber. Her warm brown eyes had darkened with irritation, a hint of red sparking around the edges—a fox trait he found inexplicably attractive. That flash of fire beneath her composed exterior made his heart race every time.

A moment of perfect understanding passed between them—this was exactly the division someone wanted to create.

As the arguments intensified, shifter traits emerged under stress. Rust felt his eyes warming to gold, the telltale sign of his lion pushing forward. Across the circle, Kalyna’s fingertips sparked with crimson magic.

“ENOUGH.” Jinli Leonid’s voice cut through the cacophony like a blade. The lion elder rose to her full height, radiating ancient authority.

“We disgrace ourselves with this display,” she said, each word measured and heavy with purpose. “I remind this council of the Concordat of Flames, signed after the Great Division.”

The mention of this ancient treaty silenced even Lysander. The Concordat, established after a devastating magical conflict nearly destroyed Enchanted Falls, mandated unity over division in times of external threat.

“Our ancestors recognized that divided, we weaken. United, we strengthen.” Jinli’s gaze swept the chamber before settling on Rust. “I move that Mayor Leonid and Archivist Foxworthy continue their joint investigation with the full authority of this council.”

Rust watched shock register on Boz’s face before his cousin carefully composed his features. This hadn’t been part of Boz’s script.

“I second the motion,” Elder Willow said, rising from her seat. The ancient witch’s voice carried the weight of centuries. “And suggest we focus on who benefits from our disunity.”

A formal vote followed with Jinli and Willow’s influence carrying the majority. Rust and Kalyna would lead a sanctioned investigation with access to all council resources—unprecedented cooperation between fox and lion leadership.

“This council stands in recess for thirty minutes,” Rust announced. “We’ll reconvene to establish investigation parameters.”

As members filed out for refreshments, Hezron appeared at Rust’s side, tablet in hand.

“Got something else on the Mira lady,” he murmured, guiding Rust to a quiet alcove.

The tablet displayed security footage from across the street of a restaurant.

“Look who she had coffee with yesterday.” He swiped to another image showing Mira and Boz in intense conversation at Sunrise Diner.

Rust’s suspicions crystallized into certainty. “They’re working together.”

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