Chapter 19 #2
Several elders are gathered around the round table, including Mr. Pascoe and Mr. Darius. Mr. Pascoe’s expression looks heavy and exhausted, while Mr. Darius merely turns toward me with an annoyed furrow in his brow.
“Well now, I suppose etiquette’s gone extinct among the younger generation,” Mr. Darius sneers mockingly.
“Etiquette?” My voice trembles with rage sharp enough to explode at any second. “What about conscience and common sense? Did those go extinct in this pack too?”
“So you’ve already heard about Harlow?” Mr. Darius asks, still pretending innocence.
“Yes, I heard.” My chest rises and falls rapidly as I try to remain calm. “What happened? His bloodline was verified. He passed the Alpha trial. He won the Alpha challenge. So what exactly is stopping him from becoming Alpha?”
“Moon Goddess,” Mr. Darius answers firmly.
“What?” I frown deeply.
“Mrs. Geeny wrote down the prophecy for us. Surely you haven’t forgotten it already.” He picks up a folded paper covered in faded writing from the table. Then he reads it aloud as though announcing the winner of some twisted contest.
“She, the one who possesses supreme Lycan power rivaling the ruler of darkness, born with the purest silver blood. Forged through six springs by the exiled hermit, with her one true Alpha mate reigning the throne. Choosing between two fates, rising under the moon’s blessing or ruling above the great ambitions of darkness. ”
The room feels suffocatingly silent afterward. “You are the woman mentioned in this prophecy,” Mr. Darius continues. “Everything matches perfectly.”
He glances toward the elders, and several of them nod in agreement. My stomach twists.
“Then we come to the next line.” His breathing grows heavier as he continues. “With her one true Alpha mate reigning the throne. The Moon Goddess revealed your mate is the true Alpha. Therefore, by the time you are crowned Luna, you must already stand beside an Alpha.”
“Harlow is an Alpha,” I insist firmly, emphasizing every single word.
“When you read the prophecy, Harlow wasn’t an Alpha,” Mr. Darius replies while wagging his finger in the air. “And right now, if he isn’t officially appointed, then he still can’t fulfill the prophecy.”
“Then appoint him already!” My frustration spikes higher. “What the hell is stopping you people?”
“He’s an illegitimate child born outta wedlock.” Mr. Darius snorts coldly before placing the paper back onto the table. “A bastard. No respectable pack wants a bastard son as their Alpha. Especially not ours. Never in generations before us, a bastard crowned as the Alpha.”
“That has nothing to do with his capability!” I snap immediately. “Anyone strong enough has the right to become Alpha regardless of status. Isn’t that why the Alpha trial exists in our pack in the first place?”
Both my fists clench at my sides. My entire body trembles with fury. It takes everything in me not to attack Mr. Darius right there.
“Mr. Pascoe.” I turn toward him desperately. “You said he’s your nephew, didn’t you? Say something. Don’t you recognize him as a legitimate heir of the Wright family?”
Mr. Pascoe exhales heavily, his brow deeply furrowed.
“I understand, Alexa. I even ordered the DNA test myself, and it confirmed his bloodline, but...” He can’t finish the sentence.
“Alexa, he may be trapped too,” Mythril whispers sympathetically inside my head.
Mr. Darius interrupts before I can respond. “The elders already reached a majority decision on this matter,” he declares firmly. “So we hope you’ll follow the destiny chosen for you by the Moon Goddess.”
He folds his hands together calmly while continuing.
“The situation is becoming dangerous. Reports about mysterious victims around the pack continue increasing. I also heard you were the one who discovered the corpse near the cliff. The Lord of Darkness has already moved, and we need every possible source of strength.” His eyes narrow.
“The closest Alphas available are Alpha Romero and Alpha Alastair. Both already acknowledged themselves as your potential mates, haven’t they?” He shrugs carelessly. “Simply choose one of them. If you refuse, then let them fight for you. The winner marries you.”
I stare at him in complete disbelief. “Are you serious right now?” I ask slowly. “Did you honestly just say like I’m some kinda prize of a damn competition?”
My eyes sweep across every elder seated around the table. None of them speak. None of them even look ashamed. Only Mr. Pascoe seems uncomfortable in his seat.
“If you don’t wish to be treated like a prize,” Mr. Darius says coldly, “then choose one of the two Alphas. Not Harlow. Not the bastard child.”
“That’s enough, Mr. Darius!” Mr. Pascoe suddenly slams his hand against the table. “I won’t tolerate you insulting him again.”
The door behind me suddenly opens. Everyone falls silent. We all turn toward the newcomer.
“No offense, Alpha Alastair, but this is an internal pack meeting,” Mr. Pascoe says while gesturing toward the exit. “Please leave.”
“Aw, don’t be so stiff, Mr. Pascoe.” Mr. Darius waves dismissively. “Let Alpha Alastair speak his mind. This matter concerns him too. Frankly, at this point, we should be grateful if he’s willing to marry Alexa.”
Alpha Alastair steps fully into the room wearing a confident smile. His black hair falls carelessly around his face. Fine stubble shadows his sharp jawline. His eyes gleam with amusement while his tongue slowly drags across his lower lip as he takes in the tension filling the room.
“What Mr. Darius said makes sense,” Alpha Alastair says calmly, his tone smooth but bitter underneath.