The One Night Stand Turns Out To Be My Professor

120

120

Jacob’s POV

The heavy oak doors of the council chamber closed behind me with a deep thud, echoing through the spacious, dimmu lit room. Even after all these years, stepping into this place felt like walking into a crypt—a reminder of how old and unchanging the vampire world was. The council sat in their usual places, high-backed chairs arranged in a half-circle, their faces unreadable as always. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the air practically humming with the weight of centuries of politics and power.

I glanced at Ian beside me. His face was as impassive as ever, but I knew better. He hated being here as much as I did. Hell, maybe more. Being the king meant this was his responsibility, but it didn’t mean he liked it.

I chuckled. He had barely spent a year on the throne, and he already hated it. Meanwhile I spent a year and almost half there without anyone to take my side.

We took our places before them, sitting on the high chairs and waiting for them to begin.

“King Ian, Jacob,” one of the council members, Viktor, began, his voice smooth but carrying the authority of someone who had seen centuries come and go. “Thank you for returning to the realm for this meeting.”

Ian gave a curt nod, acknowledging the greeting but not offering any pleasantries in return. There was no point. We were here to deal with business, not exchange pleasantries.

“We’ll make this brief,” another council member said, his sharp gaze flicking between the two of us. “The situation in the vampire realm grows more… precarious by the day.”

I exchanged a glance with Ian. That was an understatement.

“We’ve had reports,” Victor continued for him, “of minor rebellions among some of our younger vampires. They believe the current leadership is too lenient, too… human-focused.”

“Human-focused?” Ian repeated, his voice calm but carrying an edge that made me sit a little straighter. “What exactly does that mean?”

Another council member, an older vampire named Aldric, who had been around longer than anyone should have, leaned forward in his chair. His pale hands rested on the ornate arms, his long fingers tapping lightly. “It means, Your Majesty, that they believe we should be more concerned with our own kind and less with integrating into human society.”

A murmur of agreement rippled through the other council members, their eyes trained on Ian. They were testing him, as they always did, waiting to see how he would react. This whole thing reeked of manipulation, like they were trying to push Ian into a corner, force his hand on something. I could feel the tension simmering under the surface, and I didn’t like where this was going.

“We’ve also heard troubling news from the witches,” Aldric continued, his tone measured, but there was a gleam in his eyes that told me this was what he’d really wanted to bring up. “Some of them are growing… restless. There are whispers of rebellion.”

Ian’s jaw tightened ever so slightly, and I could sense the annoyance building in him. “Restless? What’s causing this unrest?”

Aldric leaned back, clearly enjoying the moment. “The witches believe they should hold more power in the realm. They’ve grown tired of their minor roles, and there are rumors that some may be aligning themselves with rebellious factions within the vampire ranks.”

I clenched my fists at my sides. Of course. Trouble was always brewing with witches, vampires, and every other supernatural being that existed. Keeping everyone in line was like holding back a tidal wave with a paper cup.