Chapter 736 I shall not let you down
Damon smiled but did not answer. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken things, with hopes that had been buried so deep they had almost forgotten how to breathe.
Seraphine thought Damon was just being cautious and assured him, her voice warm with certainty. “No one will reject your mate if you accept her, Damon.”
Only Voren knew the reason for Damon’s statement. He knew the weight that pressed down on his beta’s shoulders, the fear that lived in the spaces between heartbeats. “Damon, our queen is right. We are waiting for you to bring your mate.”
He turned to Liah, his expression softening to something lighter. “And Liah, you are a very busy woman. Is this arrangement okay with you?”
Liah nodded, her smile easy and genuine. “I have a capable assistant, and thanks to Sera, I am able to work remotely with the app. I am completely fine with everything.”
“Time for questions.” Voren said, and Callum asked instantly, the words tumbling out of him before he could stop them.
“King Voren…”
“Wait.” Voren stopped him, raising a hand. “First rule. Except when we are among pack members, leaders go by first names.”
For some reason, Faye could not accept it. Her face scrunched with discomfort, her shoulders tensing. “King Voren, you have to pardon me. I can never address you by your first name.”
She looked around carefully, as though seeking allies in her defiance. “It is the same for other leaders except Sloane. You have to allow me.”
Voren shrugged, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. “I will give you time to adjust.”
Callum cleared his throat and started again. “King Voren.” He was still finding it hard to go by the first name, so no one stopped him. “I was wondering if Nicole could join the pack leadership team. She is an exceptional talent.”
Seraphine smiled at the mention of Nicole, warmth blooming in her chest. Voren asked, “Did she express her desire to join?”
Callum forced a smile, though it did not reach his eyes. “She rejected her mate and seems eager to leave. I withdraw my request.”
Voren assured him, his voice steady and reassuring. “Nicole would always have a place in leadership if she so chooses. But as for now, you know about her relationship with my assistant. I doubt she will want to be away from him.”
Callum nodded, feeling deflated. He had worked with Nicole for so long that her absence gave him a hollow feeling, a space where something important used to be. “Do not worry.” Voren added. “If they are mated, then things might change.”
That was enough to calm Callum. No more questions were asked, so Voren and Seraphine went to see Bryan and Espe.
Seraphine used the opportunity to perform another paternal and maternal test, and just as the moon goddess said, it turned out positive. The results glowed on the screen, undeniable and miraculous.
Voren’s mood brightened greatly when they attended the welcome and send-off party. The grand hall buzzed with energy, laughter and conversation filling every corner.
Surprisingly, warrior werewolves from other packs who got mated to she-wolves at the Grimroot pack decided to join instead of taking the she-wolves to their packs. Their loyalty had changed, their hearts finding new homes.
In the end, only Tallulah and a few she-wolves had to leave. Tallulah was reluctant, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, but Beta Gordon’s position at the Silver Moon pack made it impossible for him to join the Grimroot pack. He was Alpha Jasper’s right-hand man, bound by duty and honor.
Excitement bubbled through the pack’s grand hall as more members were initiated and welcomed to the Grimroot pack. The air was thick with the scent of new beginnings, of bonds forming and strengthening.
Nicole left after with Emery and Zane, and Seraphine assured them, “If you choose to relocate to the pack, we can still work things out.”
Zane shook his head, his expression thoughtful. “No, Luna Queen. My value is in the city. But when on leave, I shall visit the pack to let out my wolf. I am on leave now, and when my mate gets pregnant, then we shall think about your offer.”
Emery smiled, her hand resting on Zane’s arm. She already had Zane’s mark, the bond sealed between them, and she had not regretted it. The guy had changed, softened in ways she had never expected, and she was happy. Truly happy.
“Nicole.” Seraphine pulled her friend to the side, their shoulders brushing as they stood apart from the crowd. “Let me know who you get mated to. The laws pertaining to mating with humans have been reviewed.” Seraphine explained the new law to her, the words spilling out in a rush of hope and possibility.
Nicole’s shoulders dropped, relief flooding her features, and Seraphine added, “The new pack constitution will be made available to everyone digitally.”
Nicole embraced Seraphine warmly, holding her tight, before leaving. The next day, Seraphine and Voren met with Beta Bright.
After Seraphine conveyed the result of her meeting with Cassandra to Voren, he had summoned Beta Bright, though the man had already left. He arrived a few minutes ago, and the meeting went on.
It was clear that Bright had also harbored a lot of bitterness against his Alpha. The lines around his mouth were deep, carved by years of swallowed pain.
“As a Beta, we are trained to take orders without question. I lost the desire to mate with any other she-wolf when Alpha Dean took my woman. But do not worry. I feel like their inability to have a pup of their own was punishment enough for what Dean did to me.”
“And yet you remained loyal?” Voren asked seriously, his gaze sharp, searching.
Bright sighed, the sound heavy with resignation and something that might have been pride. “Alpha King, I owed it to my pack and family to be loyal to my Alpha no matter the pain he caused me. I believe the moon goddess has given me justice.”
“In that case, I am giving you a month to prove yourself worthy of the title of an Alpha. If I come to see the pack in a better condition, I will vouch for you.” Voren said seriously.
Bright lowered his head in reverence. “I shall not let you down.”
“I will send you the status of the pack first when I return there, and afterwards, I will see what I can do.”
“And do you want to continue your relationship with Luna Cassandra?” Seraphine asked, her voice gentle but probing.
Bright forced a smile, though it was tinged with sadness. “Luna Queen, I would have if the mate bond had not been restored. Right now, I do not want to go against the moon goddess. But if she rejects him and is bonded to me, I shall take her back. We were both victims anyway.”
The corner of Seraphine’s lips curled into a genuine smile. There was hope for the Western Tribe. Real hope, the kind that grew from ashes and refused to die.
By evening, Luna Cassandra gathered the courage to meet the traitors. Her steps were slow, hesitant, each one a battle against the weight of everything she had endured.
Seraphine took her to see Dean in the dungeon, and she almost fainted at the sight of him.