HIS MATCH

16.

Surprise, Surprises?, Shock.

River.

The packgrounds were filled with lycans and wolves, everyone had gathered to witness as my mate ascends to take his place as alpha, I was nervous because as he took up the mantle of alpha, I truly became luna of the Forester Pack, I hadn't gotten used to it. "Nervous?" Riley asks as he stood next to me with his mate and I nodded. "Not only was Julian taking his place, so was Kirk, Brent and Clarke, he and I hadn't talked a lot, he was more reserved and he was always busy, I was yet to approach him to work in the medical centre, he was working toward being an independent doctor and his skill as a doctor was only rivaled by a few, its why I had to have him work at the medical centre, but that was a conversation for another day, I'd tackle the whole situation on a later date, right now my mate was getting ready for the ceremony.

"So most of the challengers dropped out." Zaya informs me as I look to her. "They did?" I ask with a tinge of confusion and she nods. "Apparently your mate is showing some, how do I say it, irregular power." She explained and I scoffed, yeah, irregular. "It's a good thing either way, I don't want to see him kill his own people." That was my response and reservation on the matter, I just didn't want him to hurt anyone. "Sure, so how are you feeling, you'll officially be luna by midnight." She asserted and I shrugged. "I don't know, I feel regular." I told her and she snickers. "Beings of power, you've already done some incredible things in the pack, they all respect you, luna, so there is no questioning that and no one is dumb enough to challenge you." She surmises as the horn is blown three times, the ceremony was to begin.

We all walk toward the sacred place where the moonlight always shined even when it was cloudy, it was a place blessed by the goddess herself, I felt power all around me as I got close, it was a large crater, carved out in the ground, an arena of sorts, faces of past alphas and most recently Khan, had been carved into the rock, it was indeed magnificent, we all descended into the crater, those who would be taking up the mantle of leadership in the pack, Julian was first, followed by Kirk, Brent then surprisingly Clarke, it wasn't a surprise for me though, I knew he was taking over his mother's role as the pack's head healer, chief doctor in modern terms. "River, please descend child." Elder Errin stated, and that indeed surprised me but I still followed her instructions.

"These five, shall take up the mantle of leadership, from their predecessors, some of them have yet to prove their worthiness and some have exceeded in showing how truly valuable they are to our pack." The elder exclaimed, her last statement she spoke looking me straight in the eye, she smiled before turning away and looking to the crowd. "According to tradition, it is not just birthright that gives a successor power, it is those of us who are part of the pack, who choose to give them that power, hence why, if there are any who wish to challenge these five, descend now and stand toward the one you want to challenge." She further exclaimed and I baited my breath. Four lycans descended down into the arena and my heart just might've stopped.

Each one stood in front of the lycans at my side and what truly surprised me, was anyone challenging Clarke, his strength was his mind, not his fists, but I guess he would have to deal. "Any others?!" Another elder called out as silence engulfed the space. "So then, shall we begin." The elder stated as elder Errin took my hand. "We shall observe." She muttered as I willed my magic to make us both levitate out of arena, her gasp made me chuckle. "Magical as always." She commented as we walked on crystal platforms making our way to where my brother, and the rest of my close knit family was. "Im nervous now, what happens?" I asked the elder. "They all fight, separately, first up is Clarke." She responded as I noticed Clarke and his challenger were the only ones left in the crater.