Annalise

The Blood Toast

He released me and stood silently as the other guest filed out onto the manicured lawn. The noise from the party filled the area as mated couples crossed the grass, younger wolves walked over to their parents, clusters of sentinels and old friends conversed, and others grouped with their immediate families. There were only a handful of dormants here, and they were serving, so I knew this was a shifter only occasion, and this is where it would happen. Though this would have been Cristians second year attending, I wished he was here, because this was a tradition, and I hated my first time being without him.

Eric forced his fingers between mine and led me up the stairs to the stage. He pulled me to the chairs on the left and looked at the crowd. I self-consciously kept my eyes on the post and avoided any direct eye contact with the crowd. Lucas and my mom stood the closest to the stage, as the ones giving me away. He kept a hand in his pocket and the other on his glass as he scanned the crowd. She tapped under her chin, and reminded me to keep my head up, and smile. 

We stood there as Eric's parents, and the others ascended the center stairs. There were occasional hoots, and hollers, and whistles, and praises as Gabriel waved. He was giving up his position without a fight and allowing his son to take his place. Eric had been the only challenger, but I suspected that was at the urging of Isabelle, so Gabriel was stepping down. He stood strong and smiled in the center as Amarog, T.B. and Marcus Walker joined us. My brows furrowed as I let my guard down and opened myself up to Eric. He felt the confusion that engulfed me, as I wondered why they were here when they ran the neighboring Timmons Hills, and Dogwood Pack, and should be having a celebrations of their own. "Their children have already ascended into their positions." He whispered. I noted that and returned to my shell. Two council members who'd relinquished their positions to their sons, as Gabriel was doing. 

The crowd fell silent and Mr. Gadreal began to speak. He was more energetic than I had seen in previous times, but he still spoke in that booming demanding voice that was rarely heard. "Best damn Blood toast I ever been to," the crowd clapped, and whistled some more, "I wanna give thanks to the moon and to rejoice in the strength of our clan as we welcome our youngest members and their transitions into the pack." Everyone clapped and cheered and praised us for joining the ranks. I noticed happy fathers slapping their sons' backs, or hugging their daughters, as the kids from school blushed, or flexed around the yard. I counted a total of nine new wolves this year, including myself, and Lily. There was a total of ten from the year before, that included Clara Ansley and a few other students from our class, and six from Cristians year, two years ago. 

After a while Mr. Gadreal wrapped up his speech, and nodded for Eric to step forward. He pulled me along at his side to the front of the stage, as his mother and father stepped back. It felt as if we were replacing them, not just him replacing his father but me taking her place, and I didn't like it. Eric gripped my waist protectively at my need to flee and gave his speech. He held me steady, so that I wouldn't move away from him as he spoke. "I would like to thank you all for welcoming me as your new Alpha." They accepted him with claps and whistles of his own, "Before we begin, I wanna introduce you to Annalise Jamison, my fiance," He smiled.

"FINE ALPHA FEMALE, SHE'LL MAKE," a woman yelled from the crowd. "HOPE THE PUPS TAKE AFTER THE MOTHER," Jonathon replied with the same joke from the last party, as everyone laughed. I blushed and allowed my hair to cover my face at the attention.

"Well she will make a fine Alpha," Eric doted, "but lets get her married first, " he joked. More laughter, and whistles, and yells about pups erupted until he kissed my cheek, and yelled to the crowd. "Let the blood toast begin."

The crowd went wild and whistled some more at the festivities, as two men were dragged onto the stage. I attempted to step back, but Eric held tight to my waist and forced me still. They were blindfolded and bound with their hands behind their backs as they turned their heads from side to side at the ones who growled and toyed with them. From the scent, I could tell they were human. They looked rough and grungy, as they donned multiple tattoos, bald heads, and the same dirty blue jean vest with the viper logo on the back.