The Broken Queen

Chapter 51; Queen in The Making:

Dani's POV:

The door of Timmothy's office creaks a little as I push it open. Inside, the firelight flickers across walls as the flames crackle and hiss. Timmothy sits behind a heavy mahogany desk completely covered in piles of paperwork, pen in hand, brow furrowed in concentration. He looks stressed, something I'm already far too familiar with and something I have more of to look forward to in my future. He looks up sharply at my presence, surprise flashing across his face before it fades to something warmer, genuine.

His wolf flashes in his eyes as he bows his head low, without a sound. His loyalty floods his scent. Timmothy himself stands, not in submission, but in respect. His eyes hold the kind of reverence that isn't demanded, but earned, making my heart fill with pride.

"Alpha Brown." his tone deep with both gravity and honour. "What brings you all the way up here at this hour? Most wolves are already well asleep by now, I would've thought you'd be the same."

"Alpha Timmothy, apologies for disturbing you." I step inside the office, closing the door gently behind me.

"You know what they say, there's no sleep for the wicked unfortunately, but I don't need to tell you that. You have been an Alpha for years, I'm only a few days on the job, and it is a heavy cross to bear already. So I won't take up much of your time. I came up with an important business matter, and I'm afraid it can't wait until morning" My chest feels tight with the situation's weight.

"Of course, what's on the young queen's mind?"

"May I?" I gesture to one of the seats in front of his desk. He offers me a warm smile. "Please" He takes a seat himself, stacking the papers he was working on out of the way, giving me his full attention, and I appreciate it.

I begin laying out the situation, piece by piece. Erin's threads. The magic growing in it's intensity. The stars. How I need to get to Bree soon before it's too late. How much Bree means to me, and how much his absence has been killing me. I tell him everything. I need him to want to help me.

Timmothy listens intently, his pen abandoned, hands clasped over the desk as he absorbs every word. Not once does he interrupt. Not once does he pay attention to anything else. By the time I finish, the room is heavy with weighted silence, the fire snapping softly in the hearth.

He exhales slowly, leaning back. "You don't need to convince me to help," he says finally. "Tell me what you need my queen and it will be done."

Sighing in relief, I nod once. "Tomorrow, I need you to reach out to our allies—the packs closest to you. I'm taking most of my original members to their packs tomorrow to recruit more prisoners and volunteers."

"I need you to convince them to lead me and my team into their territories unchallenged. I don't want you to plead, and I don't want you to lie beyond what's necessary."

"You'll tell them that Alpha Brown is arriving tomorrow whether they like it or not. That I arrived here first and have treated both you and your pack with respect and integrity, despite knowing I could have destroyed your pack without breaking a sweat. You'll tell them that you made the natural choice to challenge me, and it cost you—dearly."

A smirk tugs at the side of his mouth, self-deprecating but edged with pride. "That showdown will be talked about here for years to come. My men will never let me forget how sorely I got my ass beat," he mutters with a snigger.

"But there is no more worthy opponent I would accept losing to Dani"

"Good," I smirk. "Because it makes the point. I don't want to rule in fear, but I need them to understand what's at stake for them if they try to fight me on this."