Escaping Duty

Chapter 35

'I'll prepare the ceremony. It won't be as nice since its rushed, but I'm sure it's the message that matters to you more. Shift back when you're ready,' she said nodding her head and brushing by Mason.

'Wait, Olivia! I...I didn't want it to happen like that. I should've found another way,' Mason called after her.

'Mason, if I could reverse time there's so much I wish I could've done differently with him too... but things happened the way they did for a reason. This outcome may not be as bad as I once thought,' she said walking away and leaving Mason looking after her.

After shifting back and accepting some pants from a wolf Mason spent a little more time thinking. They didn't have time for a ceremony but Olivia looked as if she needed it to be done. Beyond the trees, Mason heard the other werewolves setting up. It's ironic that he was going through with this now when the responsibility of becoming alpha was the very thing that sent him running at first.

Eventually, Jaden came and got him, having shifted back himself. They were all terrified, injured, and desperate but when Jaden arrived he smiled as if everything were normal.

"They're ready for you," he said dipping his head in respect.

Mason got up walking towards him and bumped his shoulder. "Relax you don't have to bow to me. You'll be my beta after all," he said. Jaden looked at him wide-eyed and pulled Mason in for a close hug patting his friend on the back.

"I promise u will not regret it," Jaden muttered.

"I should hope not. If you're like how you are now then there's nothing to worry about. But I did want to thank you when you -," Mason started but Jaden pulled back.

"Save that thought for later because we are definitely short on time. Now get out there," Jaden said.

He mock bowed next to Mason then pushed him through the trees to where Olivia and the other wolves had set up. Both the pack wolves and rogues were gathered in something like a semicircle leaving an opening for Mason and Jaden to walk through.

As he approached the wolves dipped their heads in his presence and he nodded in their direction. Amongst the wolves, Mason was surprised to see Yasmin, having thought she was taken by the hunters. A shake of her head told him their reunion would have to wait.

In the center sat Olivia in her human form, donning a loose white dress leaving her body a silhouette through the fabric. with her platinum hair falling in loose waves over her shoulder she looked like the moon goddess herself. She kneeled before a large well in the ground with a spike sticking out of it and swirling marks outside of the well. As Mason walked forward her exhausted face broke into a small smile.

"Mason Lowe, you have challenged former Alpha Adam for the position as Alpha of the pack. By pack rights, you have won and accepted the strength, responsibility, leadership, guidance, and compassion of the pack. Do you officially accept honoring these standards for the pack?" She asked, and Mason nodded.

Olivia nodded in return leaning forward to prick her finger over the spike in the well, drawing blood that sparkled like a ruby in the moonlight.

"As the pack luna and former mate to Adam, I accept you as Alpha," she said bowing her head in submission to him.

All around him and Jaden the pack wolves stepped forward to prick their paws drawing a drop of blood and accepting him as their leader. Even Zane gave Mason a long look, nodding his head in acceptance, but the rogues fidgeted in place unsure of what to do.

"Do you accept them into your pack?" Olivia asked Mason.

He didn't hesitate in his reply, "Anyone without a home is welcome to the pack as long as they honor the rules and seek to help benefit their new family," Mason said voice echoing in the forest.