Forbidden Pregnancy for the Vampire Prince

Chapter six

Cessian’s POV

“I knew, instantly, I wouldn’t like him.”

That feeling didn’t fade.

If anything, it got worse the longer he stood there. He didn't bow, didn't lower his head, he didn't even pretend.

He simply walked forward and took his place at the opposite side of the table like he belonged there as if centuries of bloodshed between our kinds meant nothing.

Or worse as if he dared us to remember.

My father watched him with quiet calculation, fingers steepled beneath his chin.

“Representative Malakai,” he said smoothly. “You arrive without hesitation.”

Malakai gave a small, humorless smile, “I don’t hesitate when I walk into enemy territory,” he replied.

A ripple moved through the room and I leaned back in my chair, crossing one leg over the other, watching him like I would watch a storm I wasn’t sure I wanted to survive.

“Careful,” I said lazily. “You might convince yourself you’re brave.”

Cullen shifted slightly behind me and Malakai’s eyes snapped to mine immediately. “You must be the prince,” he said with no courtesy or respect, "The new one precisely since the crown prince I knew is dead. The King took measures as a king he was and there you're as the crown prince.

I clenched, he was trying to provoke something, “Unfortunately,” I replied and few low chuckles slipped from the council.

“If sarcasm is your defense mechanism,” he said, “I can already see why your kingdom is struggling to maintain control.”

That wiped the humor out of the room, Cullen leaned closer, “He’s provoking you,” he murmured.

“I noticed,” I muttered.

My father didn’t intervene, he wanted to see how this played out.

“Control?” I echoed, tilting my head slightly. “That’s rich, coming from a species that solves every disagreement by tearing each other apart in the woods.”

Malakai’s jaw tightened, “But at least we don’t hide behind politics while pretending we’re not monsters,” he shot back.

The temperature in the room dropped and I smiled faintly.

“You say that like your people aren’t bound by laws you barely understand,” I said. “Or did your King forget to explain them to you?”

Malakai leaned forward slightly, “Don’t speak about my King.”

“Then don’t speak about my kingdom like you understand it.”

A human voice cut in, “Gentlemen,” the human delegate said nervously, adjusting his glasses. “We are here to discuss cooperation, not—”

“Stay out of this,” Malakai and I said at the same time.

The human immediately shut up and Cullen let out a quiet breath behind me, “This is going well,” he muttered.

“Perfectly,” I replied under my breath.

Malakai straightened again, regaining that controlled posture, “You think this is a game,” he said.

“I think you walked in here trying to prove something,” I countered. “And it’s already getting boring.”

His eyes darkened, “I came here to ensure the safety of my people,” he said. “Not entertain a prince who clearly doesn’t take leadership seriously.”

I leaned forward now, resting my elbows on the table.

“And I’m here,” I said calmly, “because someone has to deal with wolves who think aggression is the same thing as intelligence. Such a kind of specie that should've been wiped out from the face of the earth instead of writing a peace treaty every single time to prove nothing."

A sharp intake of breath echoed from one of the advisors. Malakai’s hand flattened against the table.

“You don’t know anything about us,” he said, voice lower now.

“I don't want to know either, I don't care if you wolves are feral or just bloodied nonsense with some stupid ranks all over your system. Just don't push this."

A flicker crossed his face, “And you,” he shot back, “hide behind manipulation and call it strategy. You think you're the only one getting tired of the peace treaty, if I could actually make your dead lives actually die instead of living like deads, leeches who just won't lock themselves up in coffins and stop existing...” he stopped right there as murmurs broke.

He didn't manage to stir only me but everyone in the room. He was asking for trouble calling us dead to our faces!!

"We're not afraid of dying because we're already dead as you suggest. But you, do you think you can take on us when we're actually dead already."

"Fire."

"Wolves and fire? Do you both even mix. We're moulded from molten fire and you want to take on us?" I couldn't even hood my laughter, I frowned deeper, "You all born from the moon, what do you guys call it again? Luna..." I scoffed, "How about I pluck it out and I think, your lifespan you boast about is gone."

Malakai leaned forward, his presence pressing into the room like a physical force, “You think this is a joke,” he said.

“I think you’re trying too hard,” I replied. "Why? Are you painted?"

His lips curled slightly, “You wouldn’t last a day in our world.” well, I actually do last days in their world. Just that they never noticed me. I even f****d his darling princess that he was marrying next month or whatever.

He shouldn't provoke me enough to say that.

I let out a quiet laugh, “And you wouldn’t survive an hour in mine.”

Silence crashed down again. Even the human delegate looked like he regretted being born.

Malakai studied me for a long moment and then he leaned back slowly.

“You’re weak,” he said finally.

Cullen stiffened and I just raised a brow, “Explain,” I said.

“You talk,” he continued, “but you don’t act. You let your father rule through fear while you sit here pretending you’re different.”

That hit closer than I liked but I didn’t show it.

“Coming from someone who blindly follows orders?” I shot back. “That’s bold.”

“I follow strength,” he corrected. "I'm the strength of my entire pack, what are you?"

“No,” I said. “You follow control. There’s a difference.”

His eyes locked onto mine again, “You don’t understand discipline,” he said.

“And you don’t understand choice,” I replied.

My father finally spoke, “That’s enough. Did the two of you come here to throw petty fights at each other?"

Both of us fell silent.

“This meeting is not a battlefield,” he continued. “If either of you wishes to turn it into one, I will gladly provide the opportunity outside.”

Malakai leaned back first and I followed a second later. The human delegate cleared his throat again.

“Can we… proceed?”