Chapter 34: PROPOSALS FROM AN EX
KEISHA’S POV
Elder Garic stood first.
He cleared his throat and looked around the table, a serious expression on his face. "On behalf of Alpha Callum and the Ashveil Pack, we welcome our guests from Coldridge. We hope your stay is comfortable and that these discussions prove fruitful for both our packs."
There were murmurs of acknowledgement around the table.
Well, I certainly didn’t hope their stay was comfortable.
Riven inclined his head. "Thank you for receiving us, Elder. We’re grateful for the hospitality."
His voice was exactly the same as I remembered and I looked at my notebook.
Callum spoke next, his voice brief and straight to the point. "We’ll move through the agenda items in order. Coldridge has two proposals on the table. We’ll hear both before we discuss anything." He looked across the table. "Whenever you’re ready."
Riven nodded and a man to his left who was older, grey at the temples, the kind of face that had probably done this a thousand times, opened a folder and began.
"The first proposal concerns electricity infrastructure." He laid a document along the center of the table. "Several residential areas in the northern quarter of Coldridge Pack territory sit outside our current grid reach. We’ve assessed multiple routing options and the most viable path runs through Ashveil’s eastern boundary." He looked up. "We’re proposing a shared access agreement. Coldridge bears the full cost of installation and maintenance. Ashveil grants the routing rights."
One of the Ashveil council members leaned forward. "Define shared access. Are we talking permanent easement or a fixed term arrangement?"
"Fixed term initially." The man said. "Twenty years with renewal options built in."
"And if we need that corridor for our own infrastructure in that time?" Another council member. "What’s the clause?"
"Negotiable." Riven spoke up, looking up at the council member who raised the concern. "We’re not coming here to be inflexible about it. If Ashveil needs access to that corridor for pack purposes, we work around it. We want this to function for both sides."
I wrote all of it down like I was to and kept my eyes on the page.
Callum asked two more questions about the eastern boundary specifics. His Beta on the council asked about liability if the infrastructure caused damage to Ashveil land. Riven’s man answered both cleanly and the first proposal was clearly passed.
How fun.
I felt like throwing up badly.
The door opened again and I looked up without meaning to.
Mara walked in.
She was in a deep green coat and she moved to the empty seat beside Riven where she sat down and looked around the table once before her eyes found me and she smiled.
Something akin to rage flared in my veins.
She knew I was here. That look in her eyes said it all.
I looked back at my notebook like I didn’t notice her.
Riven’s council member moved to the second proposal without pausing. "The blocked passage on the southern border between our territories. Currently restricted due to an old territorial dispute that was resolved six years ago but the passage itself was never formally reopened." He slid another document along the table. "Reopening it would create a direct trade route between Coldridge and three packs to the east. Ashveil sits in the middle of that route which means the benefits aren’t one sided."
"How much traffic are we talking?" Pren asked from beside me.
"Projected estimates suggest weekly convoys initially. Could increase as the route becomes established."
"What kind of goods?" Another voice from the Ashveil side.
"Dry goods primarily. Grain, textile, building materials from the eastern territories. Nothing that poses a risk to pack security."
"What does Coldridge get specifically from the reopening?" Callum asked.
"Reduced import costs." Riven said. He leaned forward slightly. "Right now we route everything the long way around. Adds three days to every convoy and the cost reflects that. Opening the passage cuts it to one." He paused. "It also builds the kind of inter-pack trade relationship that benefits everyone in the region long term. Not just us."
Callum said nothing for a moment and the room was quiet.
His eyes moved down the table and found me.
"Keisha." Callum called out. "You’ve been going through the correspondence logs on regional trade for the last month. Your thoughts on both proposals."
I felt Riven look at me and my heart jumped.
You have to be kidding me.
I kept my eyes on Callum. "The electricity proposal is straightforward." I nodded. "Fixed term easement, full cost on Coldridge’s side, minimal risk to Ashveil. The benefit is the goodwill of a neighbouring pack and a corridor agreement that gives us leverage if we ever need to negotiate something in that area." I paused. "The passage is more interesting. The trade route benefits are real and the numbers track." I glanced at my notes. "The question is whether Ashveil wants to be a throughway for Coldridge commerce long term and what we ask for in return for that."
Callum nodded slowly. "Expand on that."
"If three packs to the east are sending weekly convoys through our territory we should be positioned to participate in that trade, not just facilitate it." I said. "Toll rights at minimum. Preferably first access to whatever goods are moving through."
Riven looked at me. "That’s a reasonable ask." He admitted. "We’d be open to discussing toll structures."
I wrote something in my notebook and kept my expression passive.
"What would Ashveil’s preferred toll model look like?" Riven asked me directly.
I looked at my notes instead of at him. "Percentage based on convoy value rather than flat rate. Scales with the trade volume so both sides benefit as the route grows."
"That works for us." He nodded.
I nodded and kept writing.
From the corner of my eye I saw Mara lean toward Riven and say something low in his ear. He turned his head slightly and said something back without looking at her and she straightened with a frown, her gaze sliding to me for the fraction of a second.
Callum closed the meeting ten minutes later. "We’ll review both proposals in detail and reach out to the delegation before you leave." He said. "Thank you for a productive session."
Chairs scraped as people stood. The room broke into small conversations and I gathered my notebook, stood and kept my eyes forward as I walked toward the door in a haste to leave.
As soon as I hurried out of the conference room, I had plans to leave the building. Get far away from—
"Keisha." A familiar voice called out.
I stopped in my tracks and turned around slowly.
Riven.
