The One Night Stand Turns Out To Be My Professor

121

121

Jacob’s POV.

The council room felt suffocating the second we walked in. We had another council meeting today, and I could tell that they were going to start asking questions about Jenny again. I should have known they won’t relent. No. They were too stubborn to do that. Those stupid, old bastards.

I could see the eyes of every council member turn toward us, cold and calculating. They were like statues, frozen in time, yet somehow constantly scheming. I had never liked them. They never liked me either, even when I was ruling. And as I stood there, leaning against the wall while Ian took his seat at the head of the table, my jaw clenched tighter by the second.

I knew what was coming before anyone even opened their mouths. I had seen it in the way they exchanged glances the last time. They didn’t just want to talk about the rebels or the werewolves. No, they wanted to sink their teeth into something—or rather, someone—else.

Jenny.

Viktor ran his hands through his hair and rubbed his face like he didn’t want to go into this topic but he had no choice to. He cleared his throat, his voice as dry and brittle as the ancient scrolls that lined the shelves behind him. “King Ian,” he began, and I could already feel my blood boiling. “There is one matter we must discuss.”

Here we go.

Viktor looked to his fellow council members, nodding as if to gain their approval. Then, with a slow, deliberate gaze, he turned back to Ian. “We have concerns about the human-“ he paused, his eyes meeting mine. “Sorry, I meant the newly turned Vampire, Jenny.”

I straightened from my leaning position, my eyes locked on Thorne. The way he said “the human” set me off immediately. Jenny wasn’t some object or pawn they could toss around. She was everything to me. And I wasn’t about to let these old vampires treat her like she was a curiosity.

Ian remained calm, as always. His voice was steady, though I could tell he was keeping a tight rein on his emotions. He said the same thing he said yesterday. “Jenny poses no threat to this realm. She is with Jacob. That is all you need to know. We’ve gone over this yesterday. Must we talk about it again today?”

But Aldric wasn’t about to let it go. His thin lips twisted into a small, condescending smile. “We understand that she is… close to your brother. But she is human, and humans, as you know, do not often belong in our world.”

I couldn’t keep quiet any longer. I pushed off the wall, stepping forward, my fists clenched at my sides. “She’s a vampire. And she’s not some specimen for you to poke and prod. She’s not your concern.”

The council members shifted in their seats, some looking at me with mild surprise, others with disdain. They were used to Ian handling things diplomatically. I wasn’t interested in diplomacy.

“Jacob,” Ian said softly, a warning in his voice.

But I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t let them sit here and talk about Jenny like she was some sort of threat, or worse, a thing to be examined. ”She’s not a problem,” I continued, my voice rising. “She’s with me, and that should be enough for you.”

Aldric raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my outburst. “We are merely concerned about the influence she might have. Humans are… fragile. They are easily manipulated, and their presence in our world can cause unforeseen complications.”

“Fragile?” I spat, stepping closer to the table. “You don’t know anything about her. Jenny’s stronger than any of you give her credit for, and she doesn’t need your approval to exist in our world.”