Page 45 of Bite the Power
"He's setting you up," Kaidan realized, his voice thick with barely controlled rage. "Making it look like your presence here is causing these geological events to escalate, and his clan had simply used the explosion today to scare you off, essentially pinning it on their fear of humans. Then he'll turn the council against me for allowing more humans into our territory and causing these rising political tensions."
"Well, then we'll predict his next moves after we inform the council about today's events and your near-death experience."Tessa's chin lifted with that fierce independence he adored. "Because based on these fracture patterns and the seismic data we've collected, I can identify the most vulnerable points in your kingdom. If Magnus wants to frame me and destroy your kingdom at the same time, I know his likely targets."
She traced invisible lines across the landscape with her finger, her remarkable mind already calculating stress points and potential failure zones. Kaidan watched her with a mixture of awe and possessive pride. This woman would make the perfect queen.
If she stays,he reminded himself, the thought sending a spike of anxiety through his chest.After today's attempt on her life again, would she decide Frosthaven was too dangerous? Would she choose the safety of her old life over the chaos of being mated to a polar bear king?
The palace came into view as the sun began its descent toward the horizon, its ancient stone walls offering blessed sanctuary after their harrowing day. Kaidan's protectiveness kicked into overdrive as he guided his group through the main entrance, his eyes scanning every shadow for potential threats.
"Bjorn," he commanded, his alpha authority ringing through the grand foyer. "Call an emergency council meeting. I'll be at the council building shortly—I need to change out of these ridiculous clothes first."
Bjorn nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "How much do you want me to reveal in the initial summons?"
"Tell them there is deliberate aggression against the crown. That should get their attention."
As the others dispersed to prepare for the confrontation ahead, Kaidan felt Tessa's presence beside him like a beacon of warmth and strength. His mate had faced down an avalanche today, analyzed Magnus's scheme with brilliant clarity, and never once shown fear.
They climbed the stone steps toward his private chambers, and Kaidan's mind raced with both tactical considerations and deeper concerns about what lay ahead. Magnus would be at that council meeting, wearing the mask of concerned clan leader while plotting further destruction, and Kaidan didn't know if he could contain himself enough to not provoke an all-out war.
Inside his chambers, Kaidan quickly shed Eli's borrowed clothes, his movements sharp with aggression. The too-small sweater hit the floor with more force than necessary as he reached for his formal garments for the meeting—the attire that marked him as king of Frosthaven.
"I'm coming with you to the meeting," Tessa announced as she settled onto his bed.
Kaidan paused in the act of pulling on his suit, his eyes meeting hers with protective intensity. "Absolutely not. Magnus will be there, and after what happened today?—"
"Exactly because of what happened today," she interrupted, rising to face him with that fierce determination he both loved and feared. "I'm the one with the scientific evidence. I'm the one who can expose the systematic sabotage by explaining the strange geological data for the past five years."
Kaidan's jaw set with stubborn alpha dominance as he finished dressing. "And I'm the one who won't risk my mate's life by putting her in the same room with the man who just tried to murder her twice."
"Kaidan." Tessa stepped closer, her green eyes blazing with conviction. "I'm not afraid of Magnus. And he'd be incredibly stupid to try anything in front of the entire council—it would be political suicide."
"The man just triggered an avalanche to kill us both," Kaidan growled, his instincts warring with his respect for her bravery. "I'm not sure rational thinking applies to Magnus anymore."
Tessa reached up to cup his bearded jaw, her touch immediately calming his inner bear. "Then we face him together. As mates. As partners."
The words sent a complex rush of emotions through Kaidan's chest—pride, love, terror, and an almost overwhelming need to lock her away somewhere safe until Magnus was dealt with permanently.
"If he lays one finger on you," Kaidan said, his voice lowering to a dangerous rumble, "I'll tear him apart with my bare hands in front of the entire council, consequences be damned."
"Just like your father did to protect your family," Tessa observed quietly, her perceptive mind drawing the parallel he'd been trying to avoid. "History repeating itself in an eerie way."
Kaidan's blood chilled at her words. The thought of following in his father's courageous footsteps—of letting the conflict with Magnus escalate to the same conclusion that had shaped his childhood—made his bear rise dangerously close to the surface with the primal urge to defend their legacy.
The ancient stone council chamber felt more like a battleground than a place of governance as Kaidan strode through its towering doors, his fury barely leashed beneath the surface. Moonlight streamed through the frost-etched windows, casting ethereal shadows across the circular table where the clan leaders sat in tense silence. The air crackled with political tension thick enough to choke on, and Kaidan's bear prowled restlessly, demanding he shift and tear Magnus apart with his bare claws once and for all.
Control yourself,he commanded his inner beast as he took his seat at the head of the ancient table.Let the bastard condemn himself with his own words first.
Tessa moved beside him with that graceful confidence he adored, her green eyes sharp and analytical as she surveyed the assembled council members. The raw protectiveness surgingthrough Kaidan threatened to overwhelm his tactical thinking—having his mate in the same room as Magnus felt like placing a lit match next to dynamite.
"Honored council members," Kaidan began, his voice carrying the authority of seven years of kingship. "Today someone orchestrated a deliberate explosion designed to trigger an avalanche and murder both myself and Dr. Monroe."
The chamber erupted in startled murmurs, but Kaidan's eyes never left Magnus's face. The bastard sat there with that practiced expression of innocent concern, his ice-blue eyes wide with false shock.
"That's a serious accusation, Your Majesty," Elder Thor said, his weathered face creased with worry. "What evidence supports?—"
Magnus shot to his feet with theatrical indignation, his broad shoulders squaring as he faced the council. "The only evidence here is that our king has been compromised by human influence. Look at him—distracted, emotional, making reckless decisions because he's thinking with his cock instead of his crown."
Kaidan's chair scraped against stone as he rose, his tall frame radiating dangerous alpha energy. "Watch your mouth when speaking about Dr. Monroe, or I'll remove your tongue entirely."
