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A Biography of a Human

Chapter Forty-Three:

“Empress Reversed"

“He who keeps company with wolves, will learn to howl as a wolf."

-A Proverb

Having secured a weapon against Nu within my grasp, I felt more at ease about her. I knew as long as I held pieces of that handkerchief scattered about, I would have leverage against her to spring on her if she attempted anything. I had the cloth divided into four portions and sealed in tight metal coffers. One in my possession, one posing as a reliquary in the Gernan Monastery, one with Yosef and lastly one with Dillian. I couldn't afford to be clumsy with such a VITAL weapon. One that could very well save me.

Her Majesty, Nu, using her prerogative as the mother to the Alpha, got Ulric to begin to pack up and we all were to leave soon. It was a nice get away but it would end up showing me the risks of being apart from your friends and foes alike. Not only is it lonely at the top, you have to be ever vigilant. If you want a retreat, take the whole court with you, that is a safe course of action. The longer you leave the pack, the more likely your lupine subordinates will begin to think, and then having thought, they will talk, and having thus talked, they steal your entire empire out from under you.

Some say it's a wolf thing. I disagree, it's a thing all intelligent beings process, just that differing beings have different traditions and customs regarding it. For a human like me to thrive one must learn to act like a wolf, and being tutored by Gernan was of great benefit to me. Such was that thinking I would find myself looking down at my claw-less fingers, the dull keratin nails incapable of much in a fight. Wishing if I could not have some finger stalls made and fashioned like claws and functioned as such. I may be human but I can always embody attributes of the Lupine race adapted for my human form.

“For a human to be respected by the wolves, a human must be even more ambitious than the normal wolf," I once heard that said by someone. It was very fitting indeed and such a phrase would define me in the decades to come.

'The decades to come,' such strange words when I think about it now and how my foresight in those early days in the harem was limited to those that were potential threats to my existence. Oh, how that flower would bloom; once those weeds were removed and one's roots had freedom to shoot out across the empire.

Everything I do is for Ulric's and my own survival, and if I had to be cynical and ruthless it was worth it when those on the other side play by the same rules. If only Ulric and I were some nobodies in the wilderness, things would have been better.

With one power's ability secured in my little box, I remember clinging the coffer close to my body as I watched the hustle of the packing all around me and heard the neighing of the horses being readied for the journey back to Lupercal. The rapping of cane and the cry of the coming of the Imperial Dowager herself coming down the hall and entering my chamber. The workers put down all they held and kneeled at the coming of the she-wolf and I stood alert, paying my own homage.

“Greetings to the Alpha Dowager, long life upon your head."

“At peace, Iskander. At peace, all of you resume your work," Nu beckoned to the chamber and taking stride to my side, seating herself next to me. I placed my box off to the side, giving Yosef a wink and he covertly took it.

“The weather is very good today; we should be heading out by the next morning. Brother Titus eagerly anticipates an audience with my pup upon arrival at the capital," I was half listening, keeping a causal gaze on Yosef until he dropped my coffer into my traveling chest, closing it and ushering some workers to take it out.

A sensation resting atop my hand brought me back, Nu's paw was resting on my hand. Gazing up to her eyes, which conveyed the telling message of her very well remembering that night. A two-part message of being pleased at having dominated me and one of warnings to ruin me if I talk about it; the latter being given in a mild squeeze of her paw around my resting palm. Of course, she was unaware of my token I took from her.

“Your Majesty's benevolence extends to the sky! You are not only Ulric's Mother but mine own," I gushed, taking her paw in my hand and gave a respectful kiss upon it as a child does to their mother. She was pleased and she felt secure in her ownership of me.

I wished to keep her feeling I was in her graces. If she thought she owned me she would focus less on me and allow me to continue building up my own power-base. Of course, if I needed to completely make her silent, I have my little weapon, but that, I wished to save for the perfect moment.

We weren't to depart till the next day, Dowager Nu had wanted to leave that noon but Ulric refused to spend all night on the roads. Nu beseeched him that the roads were smooth, reminding her son of his grandfather's road project, and that he can sleep in the carriage if he wanted to. It was for naught and Ulric stood firm. I was proud to see him stand for himself and made a firm declaration of what he wanted and demanded it. We spent that night together in the imperial bedchambers and I made a point to praise him for it when seated together before moving into bed to sleep with one another.

“Ulric, I want you to stand up to your uncle next."

The wolf murmured above my head, which was resting on his chest.

“No I mean it, you must show him you are an adult; you are coming back a year older, having just celebrated your birthday."

“You say that so matter of fact," he replied with a tinge of hesitation.

“You did it just now with your mother," I looked up from my vantage on his chest, lifting my head up a bit and looking at Ulric's muzzle, cratered in silken pillows. His furred face lit up by the few and dying lamps, wet reflection on his nose.

“Make it small, refuse something small from him, but don't say no to something that's good though for the sake of standing up to him. Like, if he asks for some honor or something frivolous like, I don't know…just deny it."

“I assure you, Little Wolf, that will be a good start to standing up for yourself!" I finished and looked at Ulric, still un-moving, just tilting his head downward ever so slightly as to gaze back at me with his blue eyes flickering in dimming flame-light.

“That's a good idea, I will look out for something like that," content, I laid my head back on his chest and with my free hand, rubbed his pelted pectorals. I was taken aback when Ulric spoke again.

“I still remember it…."

“Remember what, dearest?"

“The day I became Alpha, how lost I felt, how alone, how it put me alone in the center of everything. It's so strange to me, so very strange. I was raised and taught my whole young life for it but when it happened it was still so much of a shock to me."

“Xander, I needed you. My first thoughts when I was brought before the inner court to be acclaimed Imperial Alpha moments after my father died, was you, and how I needed you. I brought it up with Uncle that very night and he tried to dissuade me."

“Dissuade you? How"

“Well, I did also want Gernan, but I have to admit I wanted you most of all. I tried to have it brought up with recalling Gernan but Uncle saw through it, he saw how I was with you before and also said that Gernan was also likely dead so it would be a waste of resources."

My thoughts turned back to the truth I was told about Titus being behind Gernan's death. It made sense to me. But also told me Titus had apprehensions about me as well, as meager as they were. He did forget about me, likely thinking I was lost in the chaos of Gernan's death.

“He tried to set me up with a human he trained himself in his program he's set up. I have heard what he does to them and had no desire for a human that's broken and formal, and primarily not you, Xan."

“I heard they are like statues; they stand in the corners till called. I have also heard it joked that they breathe on command. I bet they all secretly hate him and wish to kill him one day!" Ulric laughed, agreeing with my last statement. Then a thought came into my head….

“Maybe them and me could work out a deal… I have no doubts they would like to see their oppressor fallen and will jump at a chance to work at that… I will have to consider that and make inquires…"

Not much more was mused on that thought before Ulric called out to the eunuchs outside the chamber's doors to come in and snuff out any of the still-burning lamps. The time was now for sleep and it was late, it was not often I could just lay with my Little Wolf like this and I wanted to savor it free of any schemes and intrigues.

Upon the return, the court was dominated by the issue of the heir once again. Nothing was decided except for the motion to have Gao'ao adopt Prince Bakti passed through in due part due to that being a priority of Titus and his faction. It was the first step in their eyes to having the Prince named heir. They had managed to convince Gao'ao to relent and bury her pride and take the pup as her own.

The Grand Auditor made a show of reprimand to the court for this talk of heirs and successors, saying such preoccupation with such things was thinly veiled thoughts about the Alpha's mortality.

“Such talk is an insult to the Imperial Aura and is inauspicious, all of you wolves are giving out thoughts to the powers that be of our Alpha's passing. Do you not have respect for our Alpha?" the Grand Auditor said, I had heard before that he was of loyalist veins. He was appointed by Wuffrim II near the end of his life for that reason, outright denying Titus's recommendation for the post.

With this, the whole matter was settled for the meantime, and actual domestic policy was discussed, that of the border with the nomadic wolves and the garrisons to defend against any raids. Ulric perked up at the mention of a full-scale punitive campaign against the hordes offered by one military official. A civil official wolf retorted that such a thing should not be done, as the nomads are quite strong with a unified leader and that a campaign only be thought about when the strong nomadic Alpha died and the nomads were less unified.

Ulric reluctantly consented to that view despite the dreams of martial glory pacing through his mind and agreed with the proposal to better fortify the border garrisons with more towers and new castles.

The adoption of Bakti was a small affair conducted in the Harem and in the offices of the Alphate, the signing over of the pup officially. It was all for show, for the Imperial Mate was regarded as the legal mother for all the Alpha's issue, but nonetheless a rite was conducted to officiate it in front of all above and below. The ceremony was drawn up by the Department of Palace Ceremonies and Ceremonies Regarding Den Pack Relations.

Prince Bakti, already a child, was dressed in white and donned in a thick blanket-like cloak that mimicked the swaddling of an infant, within his chamber in the apartments of the Alpha's offspring. An edict was read out before him, announcing his parentage was now Ulric and Gao'ao, and with the minor pomp of horns and cymbals, was conducted to the Hall of Gao'ao, where all of us with rank lined up, waiting to witness. Human Consort Siao showed his face for the first time in many moons, late and intoxicated, he fell flat on his face from tripping on the threshold of the hall. Everyone pretended to not notice, keeping the decorum strict, as Siao's human valet helped his master up and dusted off his clothing.

Siao, being the highest-ranked human consort in name, and myself being the second-ranked human consort meant that the two of us had to stand side by side. The airs of tension were there for us humans to feel and for the wolves to smell.

“Is it true that you spent nearly a decade in the deserts?" I was in no mood to engage with him, I stood there silently waiting for Gao'ao's entrance which I found myself wishing would come sooner as Siao went on further.

“I am sure you enjoyed the barbed cocks while you were there…."

My face went cold, “how does he know?" my mind raced. “It has to be just a guess! There is no way anyone could know about that" I managed to calm myself down, slowing my mind. Everyone heard what Siao said, he made no attempt to lower his voice.

“Noble sire, I assure you I was untouched by all, save only that of the Alpha," I tried to defend myself, hoping this would end with that.

“Ha! I bet if we pried open your rear, we'd see that's a lie!"

My fist balled up and my nails began digging into my palms

Holding my anger in, I thought to myself, “I swear if you say one more thing I will-"

“The insult of the Alpha getting seconds to a feline!" That was it! Snapping my head to face Siao, I slapped the bastard across the face and in his drunken state, he stumbled to the ground comically in a heap of silk

“You washed up favorite! How dare you insinuate bodily treason from me!" I berated him, my face flustering all red as everyone gasped at the showdown going on right in front of them.

“I bet you sucked off that traitor Jao's cock to get where you are!"

Siao, getting up and enraged at my own words, screamed and tried to lunge at my neck. Dodging him, Siao fell onto another person and was pelting them until Siao realized he was beating the wrong person.

“ ATTENTION! HER MAJESTY THE IMPERIAL MATE THE GREAT DEN MOTHER ARIVES!"

Gao'ao emerged from her inner chambers dressed in full ceremonial garb and headdress, this was enough to put a stop to any further blows and fighting as Siao scrambled up and unruffled his garments, attempting to hide the ripped seams of his dressings.

“Praise unto the Imperial Mate! Leader of the Harems!" we all saluted in kneeling unison. Nara came in and read aloud a prepared statement of which I need not recount, it was the normal pleasantries that went along with such ceremonies. Along the lines of, “So-and-so hereby adopts so-and-so to be her legal issue," so on and so forth. I was not listening much, for I was still fuming at Siao and the fight that broke out between us moments prior.

The prince-ling was led in his mock swaddle and to the Imperial Mate, who took the pup upon her lap. She held him close to her bosom as if nursing, as further ritual recitations were called out to the assembly. All knelt and praised the Imperial Mate and her now legally eldest offspring.

She spoke, breaking protocol and added her own statement, “No, not merely my legal pup, but Crown Prince Imperial of the Alphate!"

We all sat in silence for a short pause until one of us got the hint and furthered with what Gao'ao was hinting at, “Long life to the Imperial Mate and her issue the Crown Prince Imperial!" This made us all follow suit and Gao'ao looked pleased, having gotten what she wanted. All despite the fact Bakti was not even Crown Prince officially, a grave transgression if I must say.

After it was all wrapped up and concluded, we were all to partake in small refreshments and gossip under our breaths due to the proximity of the subject of gossip, Gao'ao, perched on her throne being served her own refreshments. Bakti was taken to his chambers set up for him in Gao'ao's compound. The big talk being around declaring Bakti Crown Prince on her own volition, many a 'Can you believe she did that!?' to go around.

Yosef, who was nearby, I urged with a whisper to go get this intelligence to Dillian and to have it sent off to the that trifling wolf official Saab. I felt it was due time to give him a bone in the form of him being the first to know and write a complaint to the Grand Auditor about this transgression.

Of course, anonymously, with no ties back to me. If Gao'ao found out she would come down on me with her full weight and likely kill me. Not that it would help her, but being dead would not make me happy very much! She, being not smart, would kill first, thinking nothing of the aftereffects of her deed.

They were having an Imperial Audience in an hour or two, thus I gave urgency to the message to Saab. The audience was a congratulatory affair for the adoption but it was the perfect opportunity for him to stand out, being the first to announce Gao'ao's transgression. I would not know until later but my information got to him just as he was talking through the palace gates to be among the many officials to give congratulations to the Alpha for the Imperial Mate's adoption.

To say it was a monumental embarrassment would be an understatement. Saab stood up and asked permission to speak, which was granted by Ulric, and Saab let it all spill out to deafening silence of the court and all eyes focused on Gao'ao's relations among the court and to Titus. All of those connected to the Mate stood in shamed silence as the Grand Auditor took the floor to speak, denouncing it.

This prompted Titus to speak up and say that this could all be heresy by an overambitious wolf, referring to Saab's low station. Thus, an attendant was sent to fetch the truth of the matter. After a nerve-wracking wait for all involved, Saab included, as he did not know if I spoke the truth or not, the attendant returned and reluctantly spoke that the news was true. I say reluctantly, for Titus was drilling holes into the poor she-wolf as if to will her to say what he wanted to. All hackles were raised and the ears of Titus' faction drooped in shame.

“Again, the Imperial Mate is being presumptuous and acting as she has authority on such matters, she should know that the pack decides the heir apparent not herself alone! She may be the new foster mother of the eldest pup but for her to be so selfish as to declare him Crown Prince of her own will is an outrage to the statutes of this pack!" the Grand Auditor railed in fury and suggested that all her relations in court as well as the Mate herself were to have their salaries docked for half a year for such a crime!

Titus interjected, nearly shouting, and turning to Ulric and beseeched him as his nephew to pardon him and the relatives of his Imperial Mate.

“No, dearest Uncle; my Prime Beta. I am deeply sorry but the rule of law must be upheld, I as Alpha must not favor you or my relatives and tarnish the reputation of my Great Grandfather and Grandfather's work in creating this Alphate," and with that, Ulric did what I begged of him, snubbing his Uncle and refusing his demands. Titus did not expect this and became deflated as Gao'ao's Uncle took up the mantel of arguing with the grand auditor.

Much back and forth went on and the penalty was taken down to three months of docked pay. Titus went away in a gloomy state and Saab was given great commendations for his actions. He did well and we'd both benefit from this and it was all thanks to Gao'ao's vain foolishness and arrogance.

She is her own end.

That winter was when the ambassadors came in droves to attend to the Wolven Imperial New Years audience. I was not expecting much myself, just keeping warm as the weather cooled and it became more overcast in the high sky. A messenger came to me and took me by surprise with what I was told. It was very unexpected.

A delegate of the Vulpine Republic came bearing a gift, “A gift for me?" I said when I was notified of the request for entrance into the harem to present it to me personally. Boris, as the head of my household, gave me the news along with a personal update on the pregnancy of Maria, who took leave from her position in the palace for the duration. I had made sure her role was secure and not handed off to someone else permanently. Dillian helped me secure that as well a monthly stipend for her while away.

“Sire, the delegate wishes to be granted approval to journey behind the veil to that she may give her gift to you. What do you wish to say? She is currently waiting outside the gate to the Harem."

“Send word to let her in. Yosef, help me get ready," Boris left and Yosef helped me into a pearled kaftan over my causal satire and I waited in my drawing room to receive the delegate. I could have taken to my ceremonial dais but held off on such for a gift.

Boris returned, “Sire, she is here and awaits your command to enter," I waved a gesture and he bowed and withdrew to usher the vixen into my presence. Parting the violet curtains of the portal to the drawing room, Boris gestured the vixen in. She was like many I had seen, eyes cast down in humble respect to my stations and carrying a box. She kneeled on the fine carpets before me.

“Rise, be at ease, I hear you bear a gift for me" she rose and her pale beige eyes look on me with discernment.

“Yes, most favored concubine of the Alpha, the Senate gives you salutations and offers this trifle to your magnificence," she was clearly memorizing my looks, I had a premonition that a drawing of me would be copied and widely circulated in the Republic upon her arrival back home. I had a sneaking feeling she might be an artist for that reason.

The vixen presented her box and Yosef walked up and fetched it, bringing it to my side. I reached out and lifted the lid of the box, exposing a necklace of fine red resting against the purple velvet lining, making the color of the pear-like beads pounce upon one's eyes. Picking it up, I admired its simple elegance.

“Sire, the beads are fashioned of precious coral taken from reefs near the Republic's capital, a precious material befitting a precious consort of the Alpha," nodding, I placed the necklace back in its box, affixing its lid.

Gesturing to Yosef to take the present into my inner rooms, I turned back the vixen. “Come sit with me for a bit. Boris, have some refreshments fetched."

“Yes sire," Boris waved some others to do that and brought up a chair behind the vixen delegate, which she took rather anxiously, having clearly not expected me to go thus far in hospitality. I figured if my face was to be passed around the diplomatic circles of the Republic it should be accurate and that she should have a plenty of time to take in my full likeness.

Stemming from my own innate ego, which I cannot deny, I wished for my likeness to be accurate and not sloppily based on fleeting memories from a momentary glance at me. This feels like something Jao would fixate on. I have persevered through so much hardships I felt as if I was warranted some basking in the glory of my station after all I have been through.

Furthermore, I was helping Ulric with this. If this vixen only saw me for an instant and came back with a portrait all vague and clumsy, they would say the Alpha has no perception of beauty and become a center of many a joke at his expense.

As much as I tried to hide it, I was titillated at the thought of others talking about me, wondering about me, and from such a far-off place. Was I discussed in the Senate during a diplomatic session? Admittedly my grasp on the Senate of the Foxes is not panoramic, I knew that humans in the halcyon days possessed Senates but the mechanics eluded me.

Some small talk about things going on ensued, she asked about the rumors about Consort Siao jumping on me during the adoption rite. Of course, that seeped outside the harem walls. No surprise, but I waited for her to speak about the accusations that Siao levied against me, worriedly. None came and I hoped that meant only the matter of the slap down got out. The thought of stories about me taking up barbs worried me, they were true, but I was unnerved about such things spreading and being used against me.

I trusted Ulric, I knew my little wolf would not care either way but I knew how he could be pressured if the likes of Titus wanted me to go and made demonstration of how insulting it was for a suspected lion rider to be in the Alpha's bed as mere seconds.

It would cause problems for both of us…but Ulric's devotion to me I was assured of, he may be fickle in some areas but I knew he would not discard me permanently. I would need to think of plans for such an outcome if that came up against me.

Being put at ease that no words of the sort exchanged by Siao and I were mentioned, I changed the subject inquiring of the Senate. Asking such and such a thing, such as when and how it was decided to grant me a gift and the reason for such a thing.

“Upon your promotion to Concubine of Brilliant Countenance after having rescued the life of the Imperial Alpha. When the news reached Vulpezzia the Senate thought it appropriate to do," I hummed in response to this while I thought more on the subject of the Republic from my memories of it, having lived with Gernan.

“How is Lazo doing?" I nonchalantly asked. The familiarity took the vixen by shock, her slited eyes widened.

“T-the retired Doge?" she stuttered out.

“Oh, he's retired, that's nice. I only met him once, but I recall him as good friend to my wolf-father Gernan. I am glad to hear he has taken leave of the tasks of running the state," I mused while memories of that day when I was brought to his house on the eve of the eventual birth of Ulric and his sisters.

“You knew the retired Doge?" The delegate responded as if she did not even catch me having explained how I knew of Lazo in the same breath of my last statement. I repeated it again and she nodded.

“Do me a favor and let him know I remember him and that I wish him well" I concluded, giving hints at this being a proper time for her to depart and be on her way. She stood up, kneeled down, looked at me intensely one last time and withdrew, walking backwards until she vacated the chamber.

Once she was out of earshot, I giggled, “No doubt will there be much talk in the Republic about me once her ship departs."

Getting up, I wandered into my inner chambers and took a more private, personal look at the gift. Yes, it was very fine and trying it on, contrasted well against the dark hues of my hair and eyes. It could make for a nice gift to another if the time ever came and I needed to impress another for my own sake. Such is the games played here. Patronage and patron, favors and dues.

Such is politics. I had no doubts it was the same elsewhere in various, albeit similar forms, I had seen it first-hand in the days of the exile.

The more I thought more where those rumors came from, the more I worried. I knew that it had to have come from somewhere. Someone, to be exact, but who? It came to me in Gao'ao, I knew it was her. But one might wonder why? Was I not her man in her mind? Well, to answer that, we must remember that this is Gao'ao. Jealously runs inside her and my recent favor, combined with her bout of a lack of an heir and having to foster a pup not of her own womb stung deeply in her to the point I feel she would take out her anger on the first person she caught sight of.

It was a repetition of Siao and me. Gao'ao was jealous of Siao, brought me in, displaced him and having done that and being loved by Ulric, Gao'ao had turned her ire at me. Foolish she-wolf, what logic does she have to think such idiocies would work for her?

For one, Siao had been spurned for countless months now, why now? If he was the start of it all, why did I not hear of this earlier? I knew from that, Siao was not the originator of the story and Gao'ao had to be it. I had no doubt in me. I also knew she would pull the same act on me as she did Kun.

Still, I knew that if I did become a victim of her, she would be swiftly blamed and everyone would know she did it. She could not get away with that. She only barely got away with it with Kun. That would not change the fact I would still be dead though and I wanted to avoid that. Anything coming from Gao'ao and her household was suspect from here on out.

What needed to be done was to gain her trust again. I could not afford to have her against me, she was still too powerful to have as an enemy at this point. Knowing her goal was to become pregnant, it entailed getting her in Ulric's bed, though I needed a quick remedy for her envious eye. I was going to have to suck up to her, I had been neglecting that and having been off with Ulric for months and months it left her to stew in anger!

What clinched it for me was the total lack of disciplinary action taken against Siao for causing a scene. Either Gao'ao is that incompetent at managing the harem, which is still possible, or she does not want to alienate Siao.

“They must have hatched some scheme when I was away! I just know it!" I found myself also feeling my first sense of need to remove Siao. Sooner or later, he must taken out of the picture somehow. By keeping him close like this, where he could make messes for me was dangerous. Finding that such an action was not feasible in the current circumstances, I dropped it. Turning myself back to the trap I seemingly ensnared myself in.

“What a fool I am!" thinking, my thoughts turned to the diplomatic gift. The precious coral, it was my remedy. Knowing what I had to do, I went to my jewelry box, took the necklace out and placed it back in the box I received it in from the fox delegate. I was going to pay homage to the Imperial Mate at the morn. The necklace is worth nothing if I will have to battle Gao'ao at this early stage. I still needed to ride on her back for my successes.

I made the next day a visit to my nominal imperial mistress, I bowed as low as I could to her, crawling on the floor and keeping my head down and when looking at her filled my eyes with false devotion and spiced my worlds with sickly sweet praise.

“Oh, beneficent Mother of the Wolves, gracious she-wolf of noble blood. I was visited by a delegate of those wily foxes and was given this precious coral bead necklace. I found out such honor was not given to you! I was insulted that I would be singled out when such a lady as yourself stands nobly at the harems helm."

I presented the open box to her, her eyes lit up as she grasped the corners of the box and took it. I knew she did not see through my show and in that instance, she forgot about her disquiet against me. Seeing this, I made further points

“Oh, great Imperial Mistress, I have gotten our Imperial Alpha to come and bind with you tonight," this was impromptu and I would have to make a visit to Ulric after I left Gao'ao to plead with Ulric to copulate with her.

“Just think of me, Little Wolf, I just promised her I would give my night with you to her! She will be very cross with me if you do not!" Ulric relented and I would be at ease at my risky gamble at offering Ulric to Gao'ao like I did

I should be more careful but I saw a chance to make Gao'ao forget totally about any animosity with me and she did. She invited me more often and had me sit nearest to her during harem functions and praise me openly as a, “Perfect Human."

A catastrophe came in the form of Gao'ao becoming convinced she was with litter. She was so convinced of this that she had Prince Bakti evicted from her complex. The poor pup was dragged out by Lady-in-Waiting Nara, for the pup had refused to leave, having had the first stable household in his life. I saw the scene myself, Nara had the pup by the ears and marched with him behind her until she was outside the gated threshold, let him go, went back inside, and slammed the doors in his muzzle. It left me staggered, witnessing such cruelty on such a ludicrous level.

I took the pup in and gave him quarters in my complex. It was the least I could do and also knew it would contrast nicely against Gao'ao's cruelty. A good benefit, yes, self-serving, but how else can one get ahead but for this? It's necessary, and furthermore I would still do this even if it did not benefit me. I need to stop defending myself like this, but I am so used to it with the number of stories said about me. They all talk but don't once pause to think if they were in my place what they would do that would be better!

The idea that the Imperial Mate was with issue was not out of the question. I had gotten her in bed with Ulric. I was nonetheless skeptical of it all. Gao'ao did not have any symptoms of a proper heat which would be before any conception.

But she was lactating! She showed us all with great pride, her exposed and swollen teats, and the white pearl dibbles from one of them as she pinched it with her claws. It was an awkward moment, made more so by all of us being encouraged to applaud her. I clapped so loudly I hurt my palms and some she-wolves got hoarse from howling. I'm certain we cheered and clapped like that for ten minutes straight all while she just basked in it.

Gao'ao did have me arrange a copulation with Ulric before this. But everyone and I included knew she was not in heat. She waved this off saying her heat came the day she copulated. If so that was quite a coincidence and good timing.

The Grand Auditor railed again in court about the Imperial Mates abandonment of her legal offspring so soon after the adoption, “An outrage!" and it was. For who does something like that? What was surprising to me was the Grand Auditor wolf made passing mention to me!

“That human, the new concubine! He has shown more worthy virtue in this mess, he took in the abandoned Bakti outside the Mate's compound with all his processions and now dwells safely in the human's palace," he huffed and puffed and concluded. “You know things are ill when a human shows more benevolence than the Mother of the Great Den!"

This enraged Galba Chen, Uncle of Gao'ao, and burst through and shouted down the wolf, “How DARE you slander her Imperial Majesty!" the portly wolf stumbled as he spoke, panting from the anger and looking like he would keel over from his heart beating too fast for his body to keep up with.

“You only say that for she is your own blood! Also, your salary has been docked already due to your niece's last incident; do you wish to go a whole lunar year with no pay?! I can arrange that!"

Galba lost it there and shouted more,“How dare you! How dare you! You are a traitor! You are committing offense against the Imperial Pack blood line!"

“You call yourself a wolf! You speak as if one is part of those inbred dogs of Asia and their royal bloodlines! We are wolves and such frivolities do not form our culture! I, as Grand Auditor, speak out against all things without fear as to keep this Alphate true to the old wolf ways!"

Titus seeing this was going south and thus reflecting badly on his whole faction, stomped up to Galba, stared him directly in the eyes, hackles up, and giving a low growl.

You might be wondering how I knew this much detail. Well, I was standing outside the hall near the reading section while some eunuchs passed me some visual and verbal information. Ulric started to ask me covertly to come with him and wait for him when court was done so he could proudly talk about how he was growing a backbone and standing for himself. He would always come out, see me, and wag his tail with his eyes non-verbally saying “Did you hear me! I did good right!?" I would respond with a kiss directly on his wet canine nose and he would give me a lick.

Unfortunately, word got out to Titus and flipped privately about it. He said, I quote, “Just when I thought we had fumigated the stench of human interference out of the Alphate!"

How I got that information? Well, I followed up on my thought about Titus' 'trained, well-behaved humans.'

Turns out they are not exactly that…