Page 44 of Furever Bound (Hollow Oak Mates #7)
MADDOX
T he formal negotiations took place in Hollow Oak's town hall two weeks later, with federal representatives who'd replaced Elena's aggressive oversight team with diplomatic specialists trained in inter-community relations.
The November snow had deepened into early winter beauty that made their mountain sanctuary look like something from a holiday greeting card, and the peaceful atmosphere provided perfect backdrop for discussions about cooperation rather than conflict.
"The demonstration was impressive," Federal Coordinator Williams said with professional respect that proved Grimjaw's assistance with a hostile manifestation in Virginia had exceeded bureaucratic expectations.
"Supernatural entity cooperation prevented civilian casualties and resolved threats that conventional federal response couldn't address. "
"Grimjaw protects people," Sera replied simply, her diplomatic language establishing principles while avoiding terminology that might trigger federal concerns about supernatural autonomy. "Federal partnership allows that protection to extend beyond individual community boundaries."
"Partnership that requires substantial policy revision at multiple federal levels," Williams continued with bureaucratic honesty about political complexity.
"Supernatural community recognition as autonomous entities rather than oversight targets represents significant departure from current protocols. "
"Current protocols that proved ineffective and resource-intensive," Maddox pointed out with academic precision that focused federal attention on practical rather than theoretical considerations. "Cooperation achieves federal objectives more efficiently than coercion."
Through the town hall's windows, they could see federal observers documenting Hollow Oak's peaceful integration of supernatural and mundane activities, their professional assessment providing evidence that supernatural communities posed no inherent threats to civilian populations.
"The policy framework Dr. Vasquez developed based on your proposals has generated significant federal interest," Williams said with carefully neutral tone that suggested higher authorities were indeed considering revolutionary changes to supernatural oversight.
"Voluntary cooperation agreements, autonomous sanctuary status, performance-based partnership rather than regulatory compliance. "
"Framework that provides federal authorities with supernatural assistance while respecting community self-governance," Sera clarified with diplomatic attention to mutual benefit rather than one-sided concessions.
"Federal authorities are prepared to authorize pilot programs testing cooperative supernatural community partnerships," Williams announced with the kind of bureaucratic formality that transformed experimental policy into official federal recognition.
The declaration that federal policy was shifting from oversight to partnership sent satisfaction flooding through Maddox's mate bond as he realized their resistance had achieved something unprecedented in supernatural community history.
"Pilot programs with what parameters?" Varric asked with elder wisdom that insisted on concrete details rather than bureaucratic promises.
"Autonomous sanctuary designation for cooperating communities, federal recognition of supernatural community self-governance, and voluntary assistance agreements for investigations requiring supernatural expertise," Williams replied with specificity that proved federal authorities were serious about policy innovation.
"And federal oversight of supernatural activities within sanctuary communities?" Elder Bram asked with diplomatic wariness that reflected generations of supernatural community suspicion about government promises.
"Self-governance with voluntary transparency reporting," Williams clarified with language that respected community autonomy while acknowledging federal accountability requirements. "Partnership rather than oversight, cooperation rather than control."
"Elena will oversee partnership implementation?" Sera asked with practical concern for whether their former adversary could adapt to cooperative rather than coercive authority.
"Dr. Vasquez has been reassigned to theoretical supernatural policy development," Williams said with diplomatic phrasing that suggested Elena's aggressive tactics had become bureaucratic liability rather than federal asset.
"Partnership programs require different expertise than oversight operations. "
The confirmation that Elena's federal career had been redirected away from community interference sent relief through the assembled Council members, though Maddox recognized that bureaucratic personnel changes provided no guarantee against future federal overreach.
"Implementation timeline?" Emmett asked with tactical attention to practical scheduling.
"Immediate autonomous sanctuary designation for Hollow Oak pending final documentation review," Williams replied with efficiency that proved federal authorities wanted successful pilot programs more than they wanted continuing conflict.
"Expanded partnership agreements for other supernatural communities contingent on demonstrated cooperation success. "
"Documentation that communities provide voluntarily rather than information extracted through federal investigation," Sera specified with careful attention to protecting other supernatural sanctuaries from Elena's previous methods.
"Absolutely," Williams confirmed with professional respect that proved federal policy had indeed shifted toward cooperation rather than coercion. "Partnership success depends on community willingness to participate voluntarily."
As formal negotiations concluded with agreements that transformed federal-supernatural relations from conflict to cooperation, Maddox realized that protecting their individual sanctuary had created policy precedents that could benefit supernatural communities throughout the country.
"It's over," Sera said quietly as federal representatives departed with signed agreements that guaranteed Hollow Oak's autonomous sanctuary status while establishing voluntary cooperation frameworks.
Through the town hall's windows, they could see residents emerging to celebrate policy victories that had seemed impossible when Elena's federal pressure first threatened their sanctuary.
Children played in snow while supernatural adults discussed expansion possibilities that legal recognition made available for the first time in generations.
"What happens now?"
"Now we build something even better than what we were protecting," Maddox said with academic enthusiasm for possibilities that legal supernatural community recognition enabled. "Partnership that serves federal interests while preserving everything that makes places like Hollow Oak worth defending."
"And us?" she asked, making him even more aware that their personal relationship had evolved alongside their political victory.
"Us," he said, "we celebrate surviving federal pressure that could have destroyed everything, and plan a future that includes both community service and private happiness."
"Private happiness," she repeated with anticipation that sent warmth through their supernatural connection.
"Very private," he confirmed with predatory satisfaction that made her pulse race with recognition of exactly what he was suggesting.
As Hollow Oak celebrated policy victories that transformed supernatural community status from hidden refuge to recognized sanctuary, Maddox realized that their fight for community autonomy had created the perfect foundation for building personal happiness that included both individual fulfillment and collective service.
He looked over at Sera and realized maybe it was time he officially let her now in every way that he wanted to spend forever with her.