Brother’s Best Friends Are My Mates novel Chapter 157

Lia

The previous council meeting went all right but the next one that Rain insisted on paying attention to was more than annoying.

In our city, there were a group of dragons that were staying here. A lot of them were all right, being able to try to adjust to our modern world, but some of them were resisting. They didn’t want to conform. Why didn’t they want to conform? I have no fucking idea.

Well, I had a bit of an idea. They decided that their way of life they used to live was good enough to continue to live. There was no reason why they should have change, even if everything had changed.

I mean, did they have cell phones in their time? No. They didn’t have any of these modern conveniences that we had right now and it was going to be difficult for them to try to get used to it. I honestly wouldn’t want to be in their shoes one bit.

But it wasn’t just that.

Dragons shifters had been alive at a time when they were at their most power. Other species bowed to them, not wanting to go against the more powerful species. Yet, this wasn’t how our world was now.

Everyone worked together.

In theory they did, at least.

We did all have our own associations but we were able to live and coexist without too much drama. The dragons had to realize that they couldn’t bully others and try to rule the way they used too. It was important they were a part of society.

This begged the question… how the fuck did I end up essentially being a politician?

I leaned against the cool stone wall, closing my eyes for just a second. The muffled voices from the council chamber still buzzed behind the heavy doors, but out here, at least, I could breathe.

Rain stood beside me, arms crossed, watching me like I might shatter. “You okay?”

I huffed. “Oh, just fantastic. Everyone’s at each other’s throats, no one wants to compromise, and apparently, it’s my job to make sure centuries of hatred don’t boil over into open war. So yeah, I’m great.”

He tilted his head. “That bad, huh?”

I shot him a look “You were in there. You saw the screaming match.”

Rain winced. “Now I wonder why the fuck I wanted to even go. This is chaos.”

“Rain, I warned you about going along but no you wanted to insist on coming along anyway. Why don’t you listen to me more often?”

“Hey, I listen to you!!”

“Okay, yes you do but the point is I warned you that this was going to be a hell of a lot of chaos. What the hell am I supposed to even do? Most of the time I’m feeling like I am in over my head. Do I come off like I am in over my head?”

I’m babbling this time, but with me being so nervous, I can’t help but babble. Rain huffed, and took hold of my shoulders.

“I saw you holding it together.” His voice was calm, steady-an anchor in the storm. “And that’s more than most could do.”

I let out a slow breath, staring at the floor. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this, Rain. They want a perfect solution, but there isn’t one. Just a mess of grudges, pride, and too many people who refuse to listen.”

Rain nudged my shoulder lightly. “If anyone can do it, you can.”

I shook my head. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s true.” He turned to face me fully. “You think they don’t listen, but they do. Maybe not all at once, maybe not the way you want, but you’re shifting the ground beneath them, whether they realize it or not.”

I swallowed, staring at my hands. “I just wish it didn’t have to be me.”

Rain was quiet for a moment, then said softly, “I know. But you’re still here. And you’re still fighting.” I let out a bitter chuckle. “Maybe I’m just too stubborn to quit.”

“Good. That’s exactly what they need.” He gave me a half-smile, the kind that always managed to make me feel a little steadier. “Take a second. Breathe. And when you’re ready, we’ll go back in there together.”

I met his gaze, and for the first time today, I felt like I wasn’t standing alone. “Yeah. Okay.”

He hesitated, then added, “But, uh… maybe drink some water first? You look like you’re about to pass out.” I sighed, rubbing my temples. “That obvious?”

“Matt, stop treating this like a concert your excited to attend. It’s a city council meeting with people going at each other’s throats. Nothing about this is amusing.”

I laughed. “Like hell it’s not! Do you see the look on Lia’s face? She is about to rip everyone in this room a fucking new one and I am here for it. Let’s hope that I can record this on my phone to play it back for myself.”

“I think you have too much time on your hands and need a new hobby,” Colby muttered.

It wasn’t like I had a lot of time on my hands. All of us were doing what we could to help with the dragons and mediating them in our city. I was trying to take a more chill approach to life after nearly dying again and again and again.

Nearly losing your life and trying to save the world tended to put your life in perspective. “Will all of you shut the fuck up?!” Lia screamed.

I smirked, managing to get my phone out just in time.

Okay, it was starting. She was ready to rip them all a new one and I was sitting here, wishing I had popcorn.

When she was done, her chest was heaving and her face was red but she looked satisfied. Everyone was silent, unable to think of anything else to say.

I wanted to jump to my feet and start clapping because she was doing what needed to be done to get everyone to listen. Honestly, I was very proud of Lia in this moment.

She was so happy to have been able to gain control of the crowd the way she did. I don’t think anyone could be prouder of her then we all were now.

“I think that went well,” I teased Colby, who gave me a look. “I don’t know about that, Matt.”

“Why do you say that? She did great!”

“Yeah, she gained control of the room but I’m worried about her and how much stress this is going to cause in the end. I mean, look at all the shit she has had to go through in the past few months.”

The only thing we could do was continue to be there for her. I was determined to do my best to be there for Lia during all of this. Look at everything she had done for us since we all became part of a pack