Chapter 237: Scheduling an Emergency Council of Elders

Chapter 237: Scheduling an Emergency Council of Elders
Not far away, Caleb—shirt slightly open, coffee mug in hand—watched the scene with an unusual calm. The tension usually carved into his features by the weight of leadership had melted into a serenity that was almost unsettling.

Loric was already seated at the table, clutching a thick slice of bread dripping with jam. He spoke between bites, his feet swinging above the floor:

"I’ve decided I’m going to teach him everything about the stars. And how to do somersaults without falling. But first, I’m helping him pick a stuffed animal. Very important, that."

Elora, sitting across from him, smiled warmly, her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of mint tea. She had moved into a guest room in the manor the previous evening to help out while things settled down. That morning, she embodied the quiet strength of a true matriarch.

"That’s quite the mission, little Beta," she said gently. "Are you planning to teach him all that today?"

Loric thought about it seriously.

"Maybe not the somersaults. He’s a bit too... small. But I can show him the stars tonight. And Bouboule can stay with him. He’s a great protector."

Caleb raised an amused eyebrow.

"I thought Bouboule was semi-retired."

Loric scowled, clearly offended.

"Dad, you don’t get it. He’s not retiring—he’s training the next generation."

A soft laugh escaped Lya’s lips, though she didn’t lift her head. She pressed a kiss to Kaelan’s hair before glancing at her mate.

"This little one’s going to be well surrounded."

Caleb knelt beside her, his hand gently stroking Lya’s silky hair.

"He already is."

A gentle silence fell over them, broken only by the soft clink of silverware, the tentative song of a bird on the window ledge, and the steady breathing of a family at peace.
The world could wait a little longer.

Family Manor – Early Afternoon

Peace reigned in the grand house. The morning laughter had faded, carried away by the soft warmth of early afternoon and the delicate floral scent drifting in from the gardens.

Lya climbed the stairs, Kaelan asleep against her in a light sling tied securely to her chest. Her steps were slow, protective—almost ceremonial. She guided him gently into the room they had prepared for him: a bright space with walls adorned with soft symbols and hand-drawn illustrations by a certain miniature Beta.

Loric followed silently, holding a blanket proudly in his arms.

"I want him to sleep with this one. It smells nice, and it doesn’t give nightmares."

Lya turned to him, a tender smile on her lips.

"You know he’s going to sleep well because of you, not just the blanket."

Loric puffed out his chest solemnly.

"I’m his big brother. It’s normal."

She let him place the blanket in the crib, then pulled him into a hug and kissed his forehead.

"Thank you, sweetheart. Now go get some rest yourself."

He hesitated, casting one last look at Kaelan, then darted off to his room, whispering as he went:

"If he wakes up, I’m right next door."

When Lya stepped out, quietly closing Kaelan’s door behind her, the soothing silence of the manor returned. But downstairs, the atmosphere was about to shift.

Ground Floor – Caleb’s Office

Caleb stood in front of his office window, arms crossed. The landscape of Sacred Moon stretched out before him, serene... but he knew this peace now needed to accommodate a new force.
In his mind, he sent a firm but unhurried mental call.

"Drake. Meet me in the office. Now."

Seconds later, a familiar vibration through the link confirmed the message had been received. He barely had time to catch Lya’s eye as she descended quietly before the door creaked open.
Drake entered, shirt still wrinkled from his morning routine, a trace of honey at the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away casually, looking focused—but not too much.

"You pulled me away from sacred digestion time. This better be worth it."

Caleb gave a humorless smile.

"Kaelan must be presented. Officially. To the Elders."

Silence fell. Even Drake understood the gravity of those words.

"Extraordinary council?"

"Yes. Here, at Sacred Moon. In one week."

Drake nodded slowly.

"You want them to see, with their own eyes... what this child represents."

Caleb met his gaze squarely.

"More than a symbol. A promise. And a statement."

Drake whistled softly.

"I’ll handle it. The Council won’t have any excuse."

Caleb nodded.

"And prepare the pack. This won’t be just a meeting."

Drake turned to leave, then paused.

"He’s perfect, you know. That little one."

He added, more softly:

"I’m proud of you. Of both of you."

Then he vanished like a gleaming shadow, ready to set Sacred Moon in motion.

Family Manor – Late Morning, Three Days After the Birth

Sunlight poured into the grand living room. Calm reigned—a delicate calm, almost suspended. Lya sat in a deep armchair, Kaelan nestled against her, wrapped in a light blanket. Caleb crouched beside them, gently caressing their son’s tiny hand, fascinated by how the little fingers tried to grasp his.

"He’s already making faces of his own," Caleb murmured fondly.

"Especially when he tries to..."

Lya trailed off, frowning.

A slight crinkle formed on Kaelan’s face, followed by a tiny squeak. Then...

A sneeze.

And a spark.

A brief burst of warmth and light shot from his parted lips, neatly scorching a corner of the blanket Loric had brought earlier.

Silence.

Then Lya blinked.

"...He sneezed fire."

Caleb stood frozen for a second before murmuring with disarming sincerity:

"...Do you think we need to teach him to blow his nose with holy water?"

Lya stifled a laugh against her wrist as Kaelan, perfectly content, drifted back to sleep like nothing had happened.

Just then, Loric burst in, proudly waving a dragon plush by one wing.

"Is he awake? Can I show him Flammy?"

He froze upon seeing the scorched fabric.

"He breathed fire??"

Caleb gave a solemn nod.

"First breath. Tiny, but official."

Loric threw his arms in the air triumphantly.

"I knew it! He’s awesome!"

Then he dashed off toward the kitchen.

"I’m gonna find something fireproof. Like... a pot! We need a flame-resistant cuddly toy!"

Pack Manor – Four Days After the Birth

The sun filtered softly through the curtains. The house was quiet, broken only by Loric’s stealthy movements as he darted from room to room with a fabric headband tied across his forehead. According to him, it was his "super-beta protector mask."

In a cozy corner, Lya sat in an armchair by the large bay window, Kaelan nursing peacefully beneath a light blanket. She cherished this rare moment of calm.

Caleb, seated on the floor with legs stretched out and back resting against the chair, read a message on his tablet. He looked like a warrior who had finally laid down his arms.

And then the door opened. Without warning.

"Caleb, you have a—"

Malick stopped dead. Silence hit like a blow.

Caleb looked up with a perfectly composed expression.

"Hello, Malick."

Lya didn’t move, though the corner of her mouth twitched in amusement. Kaelan, meanwhile, nursed with the focus of a field general.

Frozen in place, Malick blinked slowly. Then he took a small step back, as if the scene had struck him between the shoulder blades.

"I... I didn’t mean to interrupt a... resupply operation."

Lya let out a barely contained laugh.

"Too late."

Malick inhaled deeply through his nose, summoning some ancient mantra of patience.

"The Council will be ready in three days. I came to confirm logistics. But I see that... everything is running smoothly."

Caleb smirked.

"You mean the Council’s organization, or my son’s digestive efficiency?"

Malick winced. A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face, but he stood tall.

"I’ll come back later. With... a warning."

He turned on his heel. But just as he reached the door, Loric’s voice rang out from upstairs:

"Mister Malick! Did you see? My baby brother is a dragon-wolf baby who drinks magic milk!"

Malick didn’t reply. But the back of his neck turned a brilliant shade of crimson.