Page 178 of Iris
Well, the cat’s out of the bag now.
“I love them. Both,” I say with full confidence because it’s true. “And I love their daughter like she’s my own. I hope…” The realization surprises me, but I push it out anyway. “I hope she can be my own.”
“Interesting,” is all Sophine says. “You want to raise another person’s daughter?”
I nod. “I want to be a part of her life,” I say. “She means a lot to me. They all do.”
She stares at me for a long time, the tension stretching.
“I know you’re aware that there was a time when a woman—even a female Alpha—was not allowed on the Council board, let alone at its head,” she says finally. “You were right to say in your letter that breaking barriers can be a good thing. But just like when I took the title of Monarch, there will be push back. People can be afraid of what they don’t know or understand.”
“That’s why you introduce it to them slowly. Gradually.”
Her head tilts to the side. “How so?”
“If it were me, I would first abolish the ban on certain denominations mating. And the ban on same-sex mates,” I say. Sophine is about to argue, but I quickly go on. “That way you are showing Sabine that you understand them. You support love, and that no one should be allowed to dictate that for others.”
“And how does that help the declining birth rate?” she asks. “Less Omega and Alpha pairs will want to mate. It’ll only speed up the process.”
“Not necessarily,” I explain. “The fractions are still mating with who they want to, just either in secret or they flee the island, like Robert Vanellen did. They go off to the mainland to be with the ones they love freely and without persecution. Even Sabine’s strict laws can’t stop the inevitable. Can’t restrict the heart.
“There will still be Alpha and Omega bonds. They’ll always be. But people won’t have to live in the shadows. They won’t want to leave the island. In fact, it will draw more people to us and expand the population.”
She rubs her bottom lip as she follows along. “Which will help increase the numbers.”
“Exactly. More Sabine residents, more chances for mates to find each other,” I say.
“And then what would you do?” she asks.
I hesitate. I never dreamed I’d get this far in a conversation with her, yet she’s fully engaged now. But the next part of my plan may make it all crumble down.
Only one way to find out.
“Uh, then, I’d extend the Season toeveryone. Not just the Upper Side and not just Alpha and Omegas old monied families. But the middle and lower classes, too.”
She leaps to her feet. “What?”
“I know, I know. It sounds radical,” I begin, holding my hands out. “But it’s just like with disbanding the denominationlaws. If the Season can encompass all of Sabine, there will be more mates found and bonded.”
For the first time, Sophine clamps her lips shut.
I’ve rendered the Monarch speechless. I’m just not sure if that’s a good thing.
“But this will be gradual, as I said,” I reassure her. “Just think about it—if I never visited the Lower Side, I would have never found my mates. Both of them.”
“And multiple Alphas in a pack would create a better chance at producing more children,” she adds.
“Exactly.”
“This won’t be easy,” she says and starts to pace in front of her throne-like chair as she thinks.
“Nothing worthwhile ever is,” I say. “If anyone can take the heat, it’s you, Monarch. As you said, you’ve done it before.”
The Monarch stops and turns to me. “I’m impressed, Miss Gardener. You are much smarter than I gave you credit for.”
Talk about a back-handed compliment, but I let it go. “Uh, thanks.”
She studies me like she did the first time I’d walked in here to be judged for Luxe. Then, she says, “What I need is fresh blood on the Council. Someone who can work as a mediator between the Council and the people.”
