The War Moon [3]

Twelve|| A Wish Answered

I exited the car, and was automatically blinded by the flash of cameras. The car was stopped outside Paravel, where crowds of reporters and a group of people with signs were gathered.

The reporters were shouting questions, and the people were cheering their support. There were a few protesting what we were about to do here today, but they were ignored.

This is what we needed to do.

I was dressed in red, the color of my pack, and Oliver was dressed in red and white. So were Daisy and Jack.

Anyone attending this occasion was dressed in the colors of their pack. If they were the Gifted, they were dressed in white, the color for the pack being made.

The Council was dressed in all black.

We entered the same room we'd been in when the Council had declared their support in the war. I'd been here just a few days ago with Tristan, making the plea for the Gifted to become a pack.

It had taken some convincing but eventually they'd agreed it was the most practical thing to do. For those who still had reservations when it came to the Gifted, now it meant that they had some level of control over them.

Oliver, Jack, Daisy and I sat down in one of the rows towards the front meant for the Alphas and their families. Hazel had to remain at the War Pack as a contingency plan. In case something happened to me, the bloodline of the Alpha would continue on through her.

It was something only the War Pack did for every important occasion, but in these times, the other packs were starting to do it too.

Ariel and Tristan entered, and the crowd silenced for a moment with a hush, before whispers started up again.

"Please be seated," Thelonius called after a moment.

Everyone sat, but Ariel remained standing.

"Today we gather for a sacred and rare occasion," Thelonius announced. "Today, a pack will be made."

"Today, the Gifted pack will be made," Thelonius continued after a moment. "And we are proud to declare Ariel Porter as Alpha of the Gifted Pack."

Thelonius turned to Ariel and nodded. She lowered herself to her knees in front of him.

"Ariel Porter, do you swear to love and protect the people of your pack?"

"I swear," she replied, her voice steady and unwavering.

"Do you swear to command them with justice, wisdom, mercy, and love?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to follow the laws of the treaty you signed?"

"I swear."

"Do you pledge yourself a loyal servant to the Moon Goddess?"

"I pledge myself."

"And do you pledge yourself a subject of Alpha King Tristan Castle?"

"I pledge myself."

"With the power vested in this Council, I declare you, Ariel Porter, Alpha of the Gifted Pack."

Ariel rose, and I watched with impression as one eye turned gold, the color of the royal, and the other turned silver, the color of the Gifted pack.

"Who do you choose as your Beta?"

"Isabella."

Ariel stepped to the side and Isabella knelt like she and pledged herself.

"And who is your third in command?"