Pictures of Lucien and Leah, with Leah’s photos starting from birth, came on with the presenter’s voice telling stories of them, moving onward to photos of their Claiming Ceremony. Both of them smiling. Both of them clearly outrageously happy.

This moved on to the presenter introducing Sonia and Callum’s story, with more pictures as their tale was told.

And this continued with the presenter introducing Abel and Delilah’s story, a montage of photos of them also helped to tell their tale.

The stories were powerful and presented beautifully, but Gregor felt Abel and Delilah’s played the best. Although both of them were extraordinarily good-looking, each had led very humble lives and he believed theirs would be the one that would resonate the strongest.

By this time, the presenter was inside Canis, seated in a chair in what looked like a warm and welcoming (because it was) library.

She had an attractive earthenware mug sitting on the table at her side. Nothing extravagant, the power behind the throne was depicted by her walk up the steps to the castle. Now she was metaphorically seated in the lap of the werewolves—unpretentious, openhearted, relaxed, gracious.

In the meantime, in the room Gregor was in, they’d seated Jian-Li in her chair.

“And today,” the presenter stated, “I have the pleasure of speaking with one in a long line of Chinese American women who opened her heart and home to the hybrid werewolf vampire, Abel. Generations of her family kept him safe and hidden, with the immortal Abel doing the former for her family. Keeping them safe. Providing for them. I’m pleased to introduce you to Jian-Li Jin, a restaurant owner and mother of four sons, one of whom she counts as Abel.” She tipped her head to the side. “Jian-Li, it’s lovely to meet you.”

“And it’s lovely to meet you as well, Susannah,” Jian-Li said on a soft smile.

Gregor watched as the presenter asked gentle, then more and more probing questions and Jian-Li answered them unwaveringly, frankly, and proudly.

He watched knowing this was being broadcast on every network, including cable. He watched knowing that after it was over, it would be rebroadcast, repeatedly. He watched knowing that after it was done, it would take but moments for it to be available to stream on every online outlet offered to the masses.

And Gregor watched hoping that the stories of The Three, humans and immortals inexorably connected together in love and loyalty, would win the hearts of billions.

“Thank you, Jian-Li, for your time and your honesty. But mostly, thank you for sharing the private matters of your family in hopes of giving peace of mind to the many who understandably fear what might come next after the events of yesterday,” the presenter finished the interview.