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A tinkling sound filled the room as the alphas grouped together to start the festivities. The Gala always began with each pack revealing any changes to the ranks that might have happened the previous year. My uncle would be introducing me as the new beta of the pack. My plan was to then introduce Pearl as my mate and the newest Alpha Seeker.
‘We protect our mate, no matter the outcome,’my wolf said calmly.
I envied his ability to see the world and situations in black and white. There were no other colors either. They accepted us, or they didn’t. Any other alternative was dismissed immediately.
The hosting pack always went first, then it went down the line in order of formation. Aruna went first, but there weren’t any introductions or changes, so the pack acknowledged this and sat down.
Aibek was next, revealing that they had a new alpha-apparent since the last one passed away this past year. Selver, the alpha, looked saddened by the reminder of his son’s death, but nevertheless, he stood proudly when his second son, Cam, rose to his feet and bowed to the room. To lose a son in a position challenge was hard, but it revealed who was the strongest.
The Arche Pack went next, followed by Sanda. The last pack was mine, Daywa.
I moved away from the guards and made my way through the crowd as the Deva pack was finishing up their announcements. A tingle ran down my spine when my uncle stood, Ledger by his side.
“I’d like to introduce my only nephew, Rylan, as the beta for my son. He’s strong and level-headed, which is something my willful son needs.” The crowd chuckled at my uncle’s words then clapped when I took up position by my cousin’s side. “That’s all the introductions we have…”
My uncle trailed off, his attention fixed on something at the back of the room. The crowd turned to see what had caught his focus. A hush fell over the gathered wolves as a vision in pearly white strolled into the crowd. Everyone drew back, making a path to the front of the room where I stood.
Pearl looked absolutely stunning. She was ethereal and magical, which was the vibe that I was going for.
I abandoned my position, hurrying to meet her, needing her by my side, where I knew she was safe. Her smile was radiant as she watched me approach, her steps quickening until she stood before me.
“You look…” I was at a loss for words. She looked like the Moon Spirit personified.
“You look dashing,” Pearl complimented, placing her hand on my chest and leaning up to give me a gentle kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for the dress.”
My heart sped up at her whispered words while I was tempted to pinch myself. Pearl was a dream, and I couldn’t believe that she was all mine. I grabbed her hand, pulling it up so I could brush my lips across her soft skin.
With her hand still in mine, I turned to face the front of the room, where the alphas were located. I met each of their eyes without flinching, my wolf peeking out at them as a warning.
“This is my mate, Pearl. She has been chosen by the Moon Spirit to be the next Alpha Seeker.”
My words echoed through the silent room. Every eye was on us, and I had to remind myself to breathe. A presence entered the room and seemed to hover over the two of us. Sharp intakes of air told me that I hadn’t been the only one to feel it. The Moon Spirit was showing her support of us, and it made my chest puff out more than usual.
Pearl squeezed my hand, drawing my attention. Looking down at her, I saw that we weren’t alone anymore. A white wolf stood in front of her, its head swiveling as it took in the gathered wolves. It took three steps forward, eyes staring at the leaders of the pack, its tail thrashing aggressively. The Moon Spirit was challenging the alphas. None of them moved a muscle, the power of the god-like wolf flowing through the room, making it hard to breathe properly.
No one moved for almost a full minute, though a couple wolves were visibly vibrating as they fought against the Moon Spirit’s overwhelming power.
Finally, with effort, my uncle stepped forward, followed swiftly by my cousin. Ledger’s jaw was clenched, his hands balled into fists as he stared into the white wolf’s eyes, the same as my uncle. They were accepting the challenge, though I could tell that their wolves were fighting the decision.
“You have no power here,” my uncle said, the words sounding strained.
“You have no power here,” my cousin repeated, face pale as he fought to say each word.
“You have no power here,” the alpha for the Aruna clan said, stepping forward, his eyes swiveling in their sockets, looking panicked.
Each alpha and their alpha-apparents were forced forward, repeating the words my uncle and cousin had said. With each pair that stepped forward, the Moon Spirit began to growl, the menace in the sound sending chills down my spine.
I stepped to the side, putting Pearl behind me. I had no idea what was going on, but I didn’t trust any of them. I’d defend my mate until my last dying breath.
Pearl’s right hand touched my shoulder, stopping me. I looked at her and found that her eyes had gone white while her hair floated around her like she was suspended in water. She stepped forward, dropping my hand as she went.
As soon as her skin was removed from my own, an overwhelming pressure assaulted my mind. I reached for my wolf, needing his strength to fight whatever this was. I found him there, but there was a wall between us. I couldn’t reach him. He ran at the dark wall, ramming against it to no avail.
We were trapped.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Pearl
