The water of the Hudson River gleamed calmly under the moon. Damian's tiny pack had arrived second, the Alastar family was already waiting at the edge of the river in a remote area, away from curious eyes. He kept his pack far from the Pelisians, and no bitter comments passed between them. His pack was still too afraid of them, and the Pelisians didn't dare to face them after what they'd done.
As soon as he entered Bermuda, he shook the shining water droplets out of his fur and promptly lead his pack to the temporary territory. He only needed to do a single glance at each of them to count them all.
19 present, everyone accounted for.
He didn't have a beta, and with their small numbers he didn't need one. Though Trent was unofficially acting as some kind of assistant and confidante, he hadn't officially been inducted to the rank of a beta. Damian had offered it, but the ceremony involved summoning all of the alphas and betas at the next full moon. Trent didn't want them coming to their island, especially the Pelisians, and he turned down the offer. Damian had been slightly relieved, because he didn't want to call another ceremony either, but he felt it necessary for Trent to know that he wouldn't hesitate to finalize his cousin's position when he was ready.
Heaviness blanketed over his pack as they settled at their place. No one began rolling around on the grass, there was only one young child, but he had no playmates and chose to stay near Trent, who had taken the orphan under his wing. A couple of his pack stared blankly at the pond, many more retreated to the den they were to stay in. Damian, too, went up the Cliffside to his own den. He stood at the edge, staring inside at the phantoms of the departed.
Exactly one year ago, he and Kevin stood in the corner, they were teasing each other mercilessly and began wrestling, all in good fun. His father was laying at the mouth to soak up the moon with his eyes closed.
"Kevin," Devon scolded, lifting his head when their shouts and mock snarls were too much for him. "Enough, leave your brother alone!"
"It's practice!" Kevin laughed in defense.
"Practice?" Damian had gasped. "I don't need practice!"
"Let's be honest, little bro. You've never beat me."
"I let you win!" Damian claimed.
That started another bout between them. Devon had sighed and lounged again, letting their antics fade to the back of his mind. After all, boys would be boys.
Damian sighed heavily, the empty den gazed back with a hole in its heart. There were so many dens in the mountain that were completely empty now, while a few had only one person left to come greet them. His pack had found a way to go about their daily lives. They settled into their new home, he had even finished his first semester of college with high grades. But, certain events, like the solstice, made them feel their losses and remember that only 365 days before, they had everything.
Howls from the alphas took the air as each pack reported that all were accounted for, Damian joined in. When the song fell, he and his pack began to travel to the main rock for the start of the convention. He continued to keep his pack far from the Pelisians, and it wasn't just for them. He didn't know how to face Kayla after he'd left. She would demand an answer from him, rightfully so, and he wasn't sure he was ready to give her one. It was still too soon for him to even look at her.
Logan started the convention, since his pack had been the first to arrive. He announced the year's successes and failures, biggest among them was that his hotel chain had just expanded, bringing much more wealth into his pack. He presented the sweet sixteeners, and allowed his youngest daughter, the heir of his pack, to make a speech as well. When he concluded, all the packs cheered and praised him with high hopes and favors. He fell into those cheers, giving Damian an assuring glance because he knew it was the young, new alpha's turn.
Damian sucked in a nervous breath, then he gracefully jumped on top of the stage and stood before the lobains of Bermuda. A sharp hush fell over them, his small pack looked like a tiny nest compared to all the massive ones surrounding them, and they seemed frightened for him. To the left of the stage, perched on a tiny cozy enclave, like royalty, laid Kayla. He could feel her amber eyes gazing at him, full of encouragement.
He didn't look back.
Part of him wanted to, but he could not stop looking at his pack, surrounded and drastically outnumbered by all around, traumatized, and burned with the shadow of great fires still behind flaming tears. He had a lot of work to do to bring them back up safely. The burden of the legacy he carried on his shoulders suddenly weighed on him heavily. He missed his father, he missed his mother, he missed Regina and Trixie, and he even missed Kevin. He saw the ghostly deceased taking the space they would have, he saw his pack filling the audience the way it should have. His father stood up on the stage, and Damian down in front next to Kevin, they smirked between each other while their old man talked.
That old fool was a wise fool. How I miss you.
A breeze gave him a gentle touch, like a parent would. He closed his eyes to it, and felt his father standing next to him, urging him on. It occurred to him that he was not alone, the motherland loved him, and his parents' spirits were very near. They pulsed within his blood.
The packs were waiting patiently in total silence. Damian cleared his throat.
"My father has retired, and I have taken his place as alpha of the Serius pack." He began. "I have no beta, mate, or heir. In fact, there are currently no upper ranks in my pack except me, for now."
Kayla lowered her head and dropped her ears as she listened to him with heartbreak and guilt fresh on her features. Raul and Silvia were next to her, he nudged her good naturedly.
"I'll be honest, my family is in a dark season right now. Our count is at 19, including myself. We suffered a devastating blow and lost many lives, economically speaking, we are in shambles, emotionally we are scarred, spiritually we are humbled. It looks as if we had nothing but failures and destruction this past year." He caught a few wolves nodding their heads softly, a few of them within his own pack.
"I disagree with that." He asserted confidently. "My pack survived an attempt of annihilation from two different sources, one of those from my own brother. Despite a traitor from within us, the Serius name lives on, and I believe that to be a great success." He stopped suddenly and addressed the Pelisian alphas directly. "My pack and I hold no grudges against those who attacked us. We accept our blame in the matter, and realize that many lines were crossed, and tensions snapped when it went too far. I accept my own fault in encouraging a pointless rivalry, and I assure everyone, here and now, that rivalry is no more."
Anthony and Bernese nodded solemnly at him, and he progressed his speech naturally. "As an heir, I promised a better future to this pack, and as an alpha I live only to ensure this promise of mine fulfilled. Like a Phoenix, we are going to rise from the ash stronger, better, and closer than before. I guarantee that none of you will see us ruined. But rather, you will see us grow again, and prosper, because we are Serius and, most important of all, we are lobains of Bermuda."
Many were encouraged by his speech. Especially his little pack, they had shifted from fearful to proud and hopeful, howling for their good alpha happily. He leapt off the stage to join them. Anthony took his place. Again, silence followed, everyone wanted to know what the Pelisian alpha would retort to the Serius alpha.
To the shock of Serius, Anthony delivered a remorseful apology to them. He admitted his mistake and irrational decision to attack their pack. When he had delivered his apology, he departed the stage without reporting anything else about his pack. Damian nodded softly at him, Anthony bowed respectfully through the crowd of thick furred wolves. He had not expected Anthony to deliver such a public apology, he had already forgiven him when they'd had their short conversation last time, but this made him almost want to like him. After all, he felt it to be an admirable act to own personal faults and confess them, rather than pretend to be something else. He realized suddenly why Anthony was so well respected, and he gave the Pelisian alpha that respect, because he had earned it.
Kayla took the stage after her father, she had no idea what to say after him. Damian stared at the floor, her heart pained when she realized he did not want to look at her.
"Like my father stated, we are very sorry for taking everything from the Serius pack. We broke the law and attacked without warning or peaceful consult. I represent the future, and in the future I am to bring, I see peace between the packs, and a world that is rid of grudges and bitter associations. As the Serius alpha so eloquently stated, that rivalry is no more." She glanced at Damian and his pack. They watched her, but he still kept his eyes averted. She wanted to ask why: Why did he leave without goodbye? Why did he pretend they'd had no connection? Why wouldn't he look at her now? But she knew that was not her place.
"I'm sorry, Damian." She finished.
His ears flickered when she said his name. He slowly placed his green eyes on her, they were full of sadness, covered by a thick fog. He nodded at her, professionally, the way he nodded at everyone else. She paced off the stage, his eyes dropped to his black paws regrettably. His ears and tail had wilted automatically in a depression that his whole pack caught, and they knew that particular sadness didn't come only from the memories Bermuda brought.
The other alphas made their speeches. At the end of it all, the packs began to mingle and head back to their territories. Spirits were bustling with good will as the packs greeted one another and individuals broke off to enjoy their stay in Bermuda. The alphas decided amongst themselves how long they planned to stay in Bermuda. Damian decided he would leave right away, he had too much work to do back home and his pack was anxious to leave behind the pulling reminders.
Before they could leave, the Alastar pack met them in their territory. Logan had been helping Damian with anything he needed, so the Serius alpha was happy to have his pack join them.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Damian grinned with his tail in a relaxed wag.
Logan was a handsome dark grey wolf. The dark fur around his face was starting to pale in his age, but he carried an aura of wisdom and respect. He stood above Damian, but he knew that the Serius alpha would catch up to his size within a couple years, most alphas weren't full grown until the age of 21. He also knew that Damian's pack would grow soon, and he brought with him the guarantee of that.
"Some of the solos in my pack wish to join you." Logan informed casually. Under standard circumstances, alphas were offended when wolves left to another pack, but Logan rather liked Damian, and he was honored to be the first to help him grow.
Damian was startled. "My pack? But why?"
Before Logan could answer, a fawn brindle she-wolf stepped forward.
"You give us a chance for a new beginning. It's not everyday we can move to grow with a pack."
"This is my niece." Logan introduced. "Raylene. Her and her mother are two of the few that want to transfer."
Damian nodded. "Nice to meet you."
Raylene bowed her tiger striped head respectfully. "My mother and I have been to Yonaga and Lesion, but neither gave us what we were looking for."
"What makes you think I can do that?" He asked.
"I already told you." She turned her head to the side and then glanced at her uncle.
"They need your permission." Logan stated.
"Let me see them."
Logan nodded back at his pack, 10 of them stepped out in a straight line for Damian to see. The rest of the Serius pack stood behind him, watching curiously and sizing up the potential new members. The black wolf circled all 10 of the solos, sniffing them and inspecting them. He couldn't believe that 10 wanted to move, part of him desired to accept all of them, but he refrained. He couldn't afford to bring in wolves with hostile intentions. 3 of them bothered his instincts, he rejected them and took the other 7. Logan was pleased with his discretion.
The 3 dissolved back into Alastar and the 7 tentatively moved forward into Serius, who immediately began sniffing the new wolves and rubbing against them with friendly wagging tails. Raylene's mother stayed behind next to Logan.
"Thanks for understanding." She said to him.
"Just take care of yourself." He said to his sister.
She smiled and pushed her snout into his cheek affectionately. "See you next year." Then she joined the ranks of Damian's pack.
When the solos had been taken, the Alastar pack began to move out. Logan gleamed at Damian with smiling yellow eyes.
"If you ever need anything, don't be afraid to ask. My pack and I are here to help." Logan assured.
"Thank you." Damian said. "I couldn't have done any of this without you."
"Your father had his differences with all of us, but he loved and raised you well. I'm only repeating what he already taught you. He would be proud of you."
"He already is." Damian's tail swung proudly in the air.
He and Logan bowed respectfully to each other in farewell. He turned around to gaze at his pack. They were excited, welcoming their new friends gleefully. He leapt into the welcoming party, the wolves rubbed against each other to pass on Serius scent and expel the Alastar scent on the newcomers. After they'd acquainted themselves enough, Damian decided a good long run would be a perfect way for them to bond. With a flick of his tail, they rumbled away shoulder to shoulder with excited yips.
He was happy. His pack had grown to 26 and he knew that they could only continue to move up. Everyone that had joined was grateful for the chance to be part of his pack, they showered him with gratitude and in a surge of joy he released a howl as they ran. His pack followed suit, Bermuda was filled with beautiful music for the gleeful little pack. The land responded with fairies and sprites that began to dance around them and lay flowers on their thick wolf fur.
A crown of purple flowers accented with gold veins and evergreen leaves that matched Damian's eyes rested on his head right over his black ears. He looked like a king with it. He bounded on top of a high mountain, the pulsing volcano towered into the sky ahead of him and he nodded for his pack to head for it. He wanted to make the climb again, with them at his side, and show them the beautiful Palisadian blossoms at the summit. Back towards the pack territories, he caught sight of the Pelisians weaving through the forests. His heart thumped when he saw Kayla's pointed ears, raised toward his direction. She was listening to them, and looking for him. He noticed her pack members around her, Anthony watched over his pack like a prudent sentry, Bernese nuzzled against her daughter affectionately, and Raul suddenly pounced on the princess to play, with Silvia laughing nearby.
He smiled at her direction. Part of him wished to have her, but he knew it would be wrong to take her from them. She had a good family, and though he caught her that day longing for him, watching her now told him she wouldn't be that way for long. He sighed deeply and turned away, releasing a loud song into the sky before sprinting to his pack and leading them at the head. Kayla stayed running through his thoughts. As they came to the base, he almost saw the vision of her that had helped him climb it the first time. For now, he would have to stay far from her and her family, so everyone could recover emotionally. After that, he didn't know where she would be, or who she would be with. He wasn't even sure about himself, whether he'd have his own family, and a little heir of his own. He hoped that when she rose to power, he'd be able to pursue a simple friendship with her pack, but the future was tricky and confusing. He was certain about one thing: no matter how much they grew apart, he would always love her.
He didn't hide from that fact anymore. Kayla had carved herself behind his eyelids, and tattooed paw prints in his brain. She was stuck to him forever, and he was going to cherish that in any way he could, even if that meant watching her from afar, glad that she was okay without him by her side. She was his soulmate, there was no doubt about it, and for the rest of his life, near or far, his heart would belong to her.