Page 74 of Retrograde

That.

Shit.

Part of me wondered if they were just being stupid men talking trash and out of their asses that they weren’t worried or because they really didn’t want to be there.Orif it was advice from their fathers or uncles—whatever their relationship to their Alphas.

Either way, it was dangerous and toxic in my home.

And I wasn’t about to allowidiotswho ran their mouths like that to become my mate. I deserved better.

Thovudindeserved better.

The pushback started with the monthly Alpha meetings. It shouldn’t have been pushed back for my introductions to candidates.Butit also made sense and helped my side because we were neck-deep in corruption—guards and handling the elder interrogations. People viewing security footage around the clock and—pushing it back was good for me too.

Except too many Alphas in their bluster saw it as their win, not just logic or normal adulting.

Then everything else that happened and the monthly meetings I said would happen were getting brushed aside and things were fine. Handled.

My input wasunneededeven.

Input? I was the fucking boss.

So no, I didn’t think this was something to push back. On the contrary, it was something to pushon… And hard.

I thanked Maple when she told me and promised I wouldn’t tell Darren that she’d snitched. It gave me a lot to think about during my morning workout, and I really didn’t realize that I was focused so much on Thorn until Zev got in my way. He brought up a good point, and I was glad he was going to discuss it with Toni… But then I was annoyed again.

These men really needed to be put in their place. He was annoyed I didn’t know his dragon?

I was running a fuckingnation.

I didn’twantthis fucking contest and bullshit.

And they also picked thewrongissue to try and flex their authority on. Droughts and food shortages? They were lucky I didn’t beat them to death for not reporting it when others did and hiding what was going on in my fucking nation.

Basically, it was time to stop playing so much fucking defense and show them why I was the boss and that they answered to me—were in charge for only as long as I allowed it.

“This could blow up in your face or be a serious problem later,” Treena warned, Myriam and even Velle looking nervous.

“So be it. I’d rather go down swinging than let them think for one second they can push me around. I accepted any of this for peace, not to have a different set of masters instead of the elders,” I seethed, glad when they were with me.

I started with Prince Olwen, who was second in line to the throne of Danyl, a griffin I knew well from school… And who apparently had feelings for me. His sister, Princess Orla, was helping spruce up some De la Rosa properties that we were going to rent out.

But also as an excuse to get her out of being forced to mate. The royal family trying to pressure her into mating their son had more influence than their family.

Not as much as Thovudin though, so they stopped their pressure campaign the moment she landed inside my borders. Funny, right?

I was honest with him that I needed to smack some Alphas into place and needed to flex a bit. So basically, what did he need to make this work?

Not much. He was beyond grateful—his whole family even—for helping with his sister. Olwen personally wanted to solidify his idea of becoming a minister to help the legal system in Danyl and that gave me an idea.

“What about—I don’t want to be dismissive and call it a field trip, but that,” I muttered after debating it. “I have that authority in Nerthus. You’d have to be escorted, but I could make that happen.”

“For what?” he hedged.

“Court cases and to see our legal system in action. It wouldn’t—your legal system is great too, but it’s the education. We don’t let many in and that’s the change. I can here.”

“Done. I even know the group. Seasoned attorneys that are soon eligible to become judges—it’s curious how your system works with truth dragons versus what we do. That would be—yes, amazing. Something to even think of continuing. For more favors of course.”

“Of course,” I purred, knowing the huge win it would be for him to help Danyl’s legal education program.