The Aurelia⎪✓

{37}

Rectitude

(n.) morally correct behavior or thinking

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It was the day after I'd gotten my acceptance to fight, and for the first time since I got here I saw the entire pack huddled together on the fighting field. Never had I ever seen anything of this size, so many werewolves on one spot, all of them ready to listen to what Arrax had to share. He'd called a pack meeting, to inform everybody of what was going on. Seeing him standing in front of a microphone ready to speak in front to so many made my hands sweat in nervousness, he's without a doubt done this countless times before, but now he'd inform them of my idea about the women fighting.

As I looked around, we had a lot of strong and badass female werewolves so I hoped they'd support my suggestion. Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter in the end, I would still be ready to pounce once the rogues entered territory. This pack was my new home, my upcoming pride and joy, I had to do it for them. I had to do it for the children I saw running around by the school that one day, I had to do it for the girl that called me beautiful the first breakfast I had in the pack house. I owed it to them.

"Why do you look nervous, Asp?" Lilly whispered from next to me, we were standing off to the side, so we didn't have to deal with the crowd of werewolves.

Meeting her eyes I smiled sheepishly, "This was my idea and if they hate it.. I don't know, it would be embarrassing." Pausing, before deciding to just tell her what was on my mind, "I want Arrax to be proud of me."

She laughed a heartily laugh, "He is so ridiculously proud of you, I know you were occupied, but when you were kicking ass on the field, he was constantly smiling. I don't think I've seen his eyes shine like that before, he's already filled with pride. You shouldn't worry about that."

I got emotional by her words, knowing that my mate took pride in something I'd accomplished, nothing was better than this feeling right here. "Thank you, Lils. But still, let's cross our fingers and hope for a positive reaction." She showed me her crossed fingers, smiling at me while holding them up in front of her. "How is everything with you by the way?" I asked her, realizing that I hadn't heard any news about her situation.

Her smiled faded slightly, "Oh you know," A deep sigh left her lips, "I scared my childhood best friend away officially and my parents think I'm, and I quote, 'unforeseeable like a rogue', but I don't think our relationship is completely ruined. We can build it up, especially if I judge by how much they're staring at me right now."

"Oh, they're here?" I asked sounding shocked before it clicked, "Oh yeah, the entire pack is, I get it. Where are they?"

She laughed at my reaction and pointed into the crowd, it didn't take long for me to spot the woman who had the exact same features as Lilly. Her green eyes shone clearly between the mass of werewolves and her blonde hair was exactly like my best friends'. Next to her was a man with dark hair, his beard was nicely kept and very long, but what caught my eye the most was the huge scar running from his temple and ended at the back of his neck. He clearly tried to hide it behind a beard, but I was quick to spot scars since I had so many myself. The two of them looked miserable though, as their eyes were fixated on their daughter sitting next to me.

"You know what, Lilly, I think everything's going to be okay between you all." I assured her before Arrax took the stage, his huge frame behind a microphone was almost funny, but I held the laugh in.

The crowd quieted down and he didn't even have to say anything, it was his demanding and dominant presence that fell onto everyone like a blanket. I loved that though and it didn't stop me from being a bitch to him, especially not in the beginning. Grant and Balto were standing two steps behind him on either sides of him and all three of them looked as serious as could be, quite intimidating actually.

"Dark Moon Pack!" Arrax boomed, his voice almost unrecognizable, "A threat is looming over our heads, ready to pounce at any given moment and we need to be ready. This will end in a war and we need to be prepared for it with every possible defense. Rogues have formed a group and have already slaughtered the Crescent Tide Pack, their direction is headed straight towards us and it is not a matter to take lightly. The guards by the borders have been tripled, our Gamma will from today on be at the fighting field at all times, teaching every single one of us how to defend ourselves. It is your duty to show up and fight alongside us, to protect our children and mothers, to protect the entirety of the Dark Moon Pack!" The werewolves began howling by his words and I was shocked by how loud it was, they were ready for a fight, not one of them having any ounce of worry on their faces. Clearly Arrax had taught them well.

He smirked at them as his proud eyes gazed over his pack, all of them howling in agreement to his words. To outshout them, he used his Alpha voice, the mixture of his voice and the howling so incredibly stunning I'd never witnessed anything like it, "They're strong and unpredictable, therefore we cannot leave anything to chance. All of our men will be fighting and if a woman without pups willingly wants to fight, too, she has to be accepted by our Gamma and be taught the basics of defense from today. We've never allowed women in the field before, but this is a matter of survival and we need all the defense we can get."

I thought they would be against his proposition, but if anything their howling was even louder and some started chattering their teeth. Arrax met my eyes, his very bloodthirsty, mine overwhelmed by the whole ordeal and shocked at how positively they reacted, he smirked in my direction, "Now let's get ready to take every last one of them down, because not one single werewolf threatens the strongest pack!"

Everyone cheered him on as he left the stage and I was shocked, we had to win this, they couldn't outnumber us and we were thirsty for rogue blood. This was going to be one hell of a fight.