Reality Sets In

5. H I S A L P H A C E R E M O N Y

Chapter Five: HIS ALPHA CEREMONY

I wasn't really averse to Natalie's condition. In fact, I was kinda surprised that she had thought of it but nonetheless, she had and I was glad she did. We knew that Zara had blocked all of our numbers, but still we tried to reach her via our own number. I called her twice, so did Samantha, Natalie, Aiden and my dad. We didn't get any answer from any of them, not that I was surprised. Zara had literally ignored our existence in order to start afresh.

But we didn't stop there. We got several burner phones and tried her number at different times. All of us tried to reach her in any way we could. We even sent emails, even though we knew she doesn't check them regularly.

I asked Aiden to swipe the phones of Zara's brother and mother, hoping at least she would answer them. We kept calling till their batteries died but we didn't get any answer from any of them. Did she drop off the face of earth?

We were running out of time because rogues never stood at one place. We had to attack them as soon as possible before they disappeared. Right now, we had the element of surprise on our side, we knew their location, we could destroy them but this situation could very well change any moment if the rogues decide to randomly change their location. So far, our trackers had reassured me that the rogues were not in any mood to relocate. They were relaxed and living in the camps they had set up.

When we had exhausted all our options, my wolf howled in pain, knowing what we had to do. I excused myself from my friend's company and drove down to the hospital, hoping to talk to my dad. The doctor had advised me to not give him stress and I would try my best to not put him on edge.

I met my dad in his hospital room and talked to him and my mother. They had been aware of the threat of the rogues looming on the pack but the threat on the humans made it all the more pressing and urgent. I explained to them how I was planning to have the alpha ceremony, so I could lead the best warriors of the pack and attack and destroy the rogues.

I didn't know if I hoped or dreaded for them to agree with me. I think it was a little bit of both. A part of me wanted my parents to tell me that I was being foolish by becoming an alpha without Zara, and that another solution to this rogue problem could be possible. But the sane part of me and my wolf, both knew that there was no other way. We couldn't sit back and wait for the rogue wolves to die by themselves. If we wanted them gone, we would have to kill them ourselves.

My parents had sad but proud smiles on their faces when they said that they would gladly give up their alpha and luna titles to me and Natalie. They asked me twice if I was sure and I said that I was, even if there was a part of me that was afraid and felt like a lost little child, grasping onto twigs in a flood, in an effort to stay afloat.

I couldn't have my alpha ceremony without my parents anyway. There were certain parts of it that required them being willing to give away the position. I felt a heavy weight settle deep into my stomach when I had got the go ahead for the ceremony.

We needed the ceremony to be quick, with none of the pomp and show attached to it. The reasons of the ceremony being held weren't celebratory but were grim. So, hours after I talked to my parents, the news was announced to the whole pack.

Me and Natalie stood in front of the whole pack and announced our alpha ceremony to be held the next day. Voice and murmurs rose from the pack, hinting at uncertainty, determination and fear. The whispers died down as soon as they started and were replaced by a sea of howls, celebrating the crowning of their new alpha and luna, which was equivalent to the start of a new age for a pack. It was a long time coming but the circumstances couldn't diminish the enthusiasm of the pack when the news settled in.