Read Draechen's Mate [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 2] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) for Free Online

the throne’s formal stance had been that they in no way supported any enemy of Ornoz. The Elusian High Judges, the Krites, had fortunately helped, although they must have known it was all a lie. In the end, the draechen had been forced to back down, until now.
    “You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Selbrian walked to his son’s side and squeezed his shoulder. “Stop letting your resentment for your brother blind you. The draechen have been targeting us for years. What Sari did or didn’t do is irrelevant.”
    Charlize looked like she wanted to say something, but she held her tongue, obviously unwilling to be sent away in shame like her mother. “But you knew this already,” the king continued. “We came here today to figure out what’s the best policy we should take with regard to Sari’s mating.”
    “I didn’t think there was a choice,” Misael said hesitantly.
    “There isn’t,” Eanera answered. “However, once the draechen have Sari in Draechenburg, they’ll be granted access to sensitive information they can use against us.”
    Darian frowned. “But it’s not like Sareltae is going to suddenly be claimed by the impulse to say he betrayed Ornoz.”
    “Of course not,” Sari replied, “but there are other ways they can… Well, Prince Shtamakarein can get into my head.”
    “Through a mate bond.” Charlize crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. “It will never happen, not if the two of you aren’t true mates.”
    “A man of Shtamakarein’s power can force a mind-link,” Eanera whispered softly. “It wouldn’t be like the mate bond, but it would be enough to achieve his goals.”
    Sari shivered at the thought of what such a thing would imply. Forcing a link like that was akin to slavery, so much so that the Directive actually forbade it as a method to use against the ninth caste shifters. It could break the mind of the targeted individual, in this case, Sari.
    “I didn’t think draechen had that ability,” Darian said with a scowl.
    “They don’t, not usually,” Eanera answered. “Their power is more…straightforward. But all sources show that Prince Shtamakarein is different.”
    “Are you sure he’s going to try it, Mother?” Sari inquired.
    “Jenarra has showed me very little, dear child,” Eanera answered. “We’re trying to fill in the blanks by speculation, but we can’t know anything for certain right now.”
    “So what am I to do?” Sari inquired. “I cannot deny him if he wishes to claim me. It will be in his right once we are mated.”
    He was surprised that his voice didn’t shake at those words through which he was practically damning himself. But he was holding onto the wooden wolf, and it helped him more than he would have thought. Still, that toy wouldn’t help him keep Shtamakarein out of his mind, or his body. Likely, nothing would.
    “We could try to exploit this,” Charlize said softly. “The Directive clearly states that a true mate bond is to be respected. We could condition this mating on not forcing a connection that isn’t real, out of that respect. With luck, the draechen would change their minds altogether.”
    “And it’s a reasonable condition.” Selbrian grinned. “They couldn’t find motive in it to start a war. Excellent idea, my dear.”
    “I concur,” Eanera answered. “But how will we convey this request?”
    “I’ve already considered this issue,” Selbrian said, sitting back down on the throne. “For obvious reasons, your mother and I cannot accompany you, Sari. However, your siblings can. Darian is my heir, so Misael will be my envoy of choice. And since Charlize’s suggestion had proven to be so useful, I will allow her to go as well, if she so desires.”
    Sari half expected his sister to refuse, but much to his surprise, she didn’t. Instead, she said, “I would be honored to represent you in Ornoz, Your Majesty.”
    “Excellent.” Selbrian clapped his hands together and smiled. “Now, I want the two of