Note:
Thank you so much, Rhonda (ZZgirl), for gifting a castle to this book earlier. Love you! Hope you are well. xx
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If only Sophie was in perfectly good health, Leland might have considered his life to be complete. The Alpha understood why Sophie was not happy with the war and even a part of him simply wanted to retire and live happily with her and their children.
Unfortunately, peace was not yet possible.
The only way Leland saw that happening was to become the Lycan King. His mate's words only strengthened the resolve of the Alpha to become more powerful and finally rule over the rest of the packs.
It was the only way that Leland could give Sophie the life that she wanted.
"Sophia, I also desire what you wish for… and yet we've already discussed this before, haven't we?" The Alpha reminded her gently. He held her hand and said. "Please focus on your own recovery first."
"I am taking care of myself, Leland." Sophie pouted. "But it's not like I can keep pretending that we're separate from the rest of the world while we're here. That's only wishful thinking."
"Indeed." Leland sighed and remembered something. He eyed Sophie reluctantly and said, "In the upcoming full moon, a multitude of packs will be gathering together and I will need to attend there, Sophia."
"Oh?" Sophie blinked and smiled. "That sounds like quite a gathering. If the Blood River Pack was nearly a thousand strong before, I can't imagine how big of a gathering it will be."
Leland cleared his throat. "Not everyone will attend, it's usually the Alpha, Luna, and other selected members. It will be the elders, Beta, and other influential members usually."
"Oh... the Luna usually attends too?" Sophie asked. She knew that she hadn't been able to fully take the role of a Luna. She had done her best to be more comfortable around the pack members and they did start to warm up to her.
However, if Sophie attended the meeting, it would be something that solidified her role and position more. Even though Sophie couldn't shift, it still showed that she was the Luna.
The Alpha sensed her desire and felt himself sadden a bit. A part of him also wanted to take her there and proudly present his mate to everyone. Sophie was even the granddaughter of the previous Lycan King, Malachi so she was practically royalty too.
Unfortunately, there were too many complications.
"Yes, but I cannot take you there, Sophia," Leland said.
Sophie swallowed down her disappointment. "Is it because I'm sick?"
"Yes," Leland said. "But do not worry, I will return here as fast as I can. I think it will only be a week or so. It will take place in the Gazi Desert."
He didn't have the heart to tell her that it was mostly because of her human nature, although the Alpha knew that his mate probably also knew that. However, he didn't want to risk her life any further.
"Well, at least I'll be able to spend more time with the children." Sophie smiled and nodded. "I'll stay here, Leland. Please don't worry about me, alright?"
The Alpha kissed his mate's forehead. "I will try, but I will be missing you."
"We'll miss you too."
***
The burial rites for Alpha Zaros finally ended and Isla's eyes were red and swollen. She was still mourning, but because she was going to be the Luna and her mate, Elias was about to become the Alpha, she did her best to be strong.
"I need to stop crying now." Isla wiped her eyes and tried to smile. She knew that the ceremony of the Alpha and Luna needed to be done fast because of the upcoming Lunar Gathering of all of the packs.
This meeting was done every year to keep close ties with all of the packs, sell goods and services unique to each pack, and most importantly exchange new and vital information.
"In the past, it has always been my father alone who attended it…" Isla muttered to herself. "Perhaps I will be able to see my cousin, Leland, at last, and maybe exchange some words with him."
She stepped out of her tent and saw the shaman of the Obsidian Sand Pack already waiting for her. The elderly lycan had a small lycan boy hold out three small bowls filled with different colored paints.
Black. Red. Gold.
"Young one," the shaman reverentially greeted her.
Isla knelt in front of the shaman and felt the older Lycan's fingers paint marks across her face. The tribal marks of the Obsidian Sand Pack were now on Isla's face, arms, and even across her legs when they were done.
"Thank you." Isla smiled and looked up to see that her mate, Elias was already done with the markings of the Alpha and right now was being preoccupied with a lot of excited lycan children.
"You have a lot of paint all over you!" an eager lycan cub said.
"Can I be the next Alpha after you?" another older lycan child asked.
Elias laughed and ruffled the child's head. "You must defeat me in a battle to the death first before I give up my place, Pavel."
"I will train hard, Alpha."
Isla knew that her mate had always been good around kids, unlike her. She watched him interact accordingly with the children. However, her eyes were drawn to her mate's back which was a beautiful swirl of colors of intricate designs.
It was the same design that she once saw on her father's back when he took charge of the Obsidian Sand Pack. Isla held her breath for one moment and slowly came up to him and did her best to smile.
There was still a pang of loneliness in her heart, an emptiness in her that couldn't be quite erased. Elias kindly gave her all the space she needed to mourn for her father, but now, he needed her to be his Luna.
She could do that much for him, couldn't she? She was raised for this role ever since she was young.
She could do the job, she cheered herself.
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