Chapter 9: ⁹: acession starts

Looking into the mirror, I could still see the guilt buried deep within my eyes.

Even now, my heart refused to stop blaming itself for not being enough in the past. But if I could not change what had already happened, then I would make sure I didn’t carry the same regret into the future.

I couldn’t protect my father.

But I would protect the pack he had given his life for.

Stepping away from the mirror, my gaze landed on the framed photograph resting on my nightstand.

It was a picture of me and Dad, both of us smiling brightly while cake covered nearly my entire face, making me look absolutely ridiculous.

A chuckle escaped my lips as the memory surfaced.

It had been my sixteenth birthday.

I had planned to smash cake into Dad’s face as revenge for all the teasing he had put me through that year.

Instead, my plan had backfired spectacularly.

I was the one who ended up covered in cake from head to toe while Dad laughed so hard he nearly fell out of his chair.

My fingers gently brushed against the frame.

"Dad, I hope you’ll be watching me from above as I begin my journey to the Alpha Oath Temple," I whispered softly. "Even though I have to walk this path alone, you’ll be with me every step of the way."

My throat tightened.

Before tears could gather again, I turned away.

Today was not a day for grieving.

Today was the day I would claim what was rightfully mine.

And everyone who thought otherwise would learn the consequences.

Straightening my shoulders, I stepped out of my room and entered the ceremonial hall.

Several temple attendants stood waiting there, surrounding Temple Master Mayyel, who held the traditional ceremonial robes meant for the future Alpha.

The moment I entered, all eyes turned toward me.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward.

"I, Athena Roosevelt, daughter of Alpha Steven Roosevelt, humbly greet the great Temple Master Mayyel."

Master Mayyel nodded towards me and began the process with adressing the whole process of acession

"The Alpha Ascension Ceremony is a sacred tradition that every bearer of the Alpha Tally must complete before being recognized as the rightful Alpha of Rosemoon Pack."

His voice echoed through the hall.

"After wearing the ceremonial robes, Miss Athena Roosevelt will march alone to the Rosemoon Temple, where she will place the Alpha Tally within the Sacred Spring and receive the blessings of our ancestors, officially marking her as the new Alpha of the pack."

I moved to the center of the hall where the first stage of the Alpha Ascension Ceremony would take place.

The attendants stepped forward.

Master Mayyel handed me the ceremonial robes, and with the assistance of two attendants, I changed into them.

The moment the robes settled over my shoulders, the ceremony officially began.

I looked around the hall.

Almost immediately, my eyes found Romana.

She stood among the crowd with a proud smile on her face.

I smiled back.

Without her, I wasn’t sure I would have found the strength to face reality and stand before my pack today.

Then my gaze shifted to the right.

As expected, Harry was standing there as well.

The last few days had felt like a never-ending nightmare.

Between my father’s funeral, the council meetings, and preparing for the ascension ceremony, I had barely spoken to him.

He must have suffered too.

He had been there when Dad died.

Alongside my father, he had likely lost countless comrades during the war.

Once this ceremony was over, I would make sure Harry and every warrior who fought for our pack received the honor they deserved.

"Good luck," Harry mouthed silently.

I nodded.

For the first time since Dad’s death, I didn’t feel quite so alone.

At least I still had people I could trust.

People I could rely on.

.....

"What do you think the famous heir of Rosemoon Pack looks like, Brother?" a man dressed in sleek black clothing asked with a grin. "Maybe we should have a little fun before we send her off to reunite with her father."

Several men around him laughed darkly.

The man standing at the front remained silent.

Although he wore the same black clothing as the others, there was something vastly different about him.

Something dangerous.

Slowly, he turned around.

The moment his piercing gaze swept over them, the laughter died instantly.

Even the air seemed to freeze.

"Underestimating your enemy is what fools do, Morey."

His cold voice sent chills through the group.

"I need Athena Roosevelt dead as quickly as possible."

His eyes narrowed.

"So keep your cock under control and start thinking with your brain instead."

Morey laughed awkwardly.

"But Brother Kaer, there are dozens of us and she’s only one she-wolf. How dangerous could she possibly be?"

He shrugged.

"It’s been a long time since we’ve had any fun, so wh—"

His words were cut short.

A fist slammed into his stomach with terrifying force.

Morey’s body flew backward before crashing violently into the ground.

The others immediately lowered their heads.

No one dared make a sound.

Kaer stared down at him with murder in his eyes.

"If I say we kill her immediately, then that is exactly what we will do."

His voice was deadly calm.

"She is not some ordinary she-wolf."

The muscles in his jaw tightened.

"She is Steven’s daughter."

A strange expression crossed his face.

"As far as I’m concerned, she is someone we should never underestimate."

Still lying on the ground, Morey stared at him in disbelief.

For a moment, he had assumed that he was punched because he had not listened to what Kaer orderd but now he could see something in kaer’s eyes, something forbidden for them- fear.

The realization sent a chill down his spine.

"I understand, Brother Kaer," Morey said quickly while struggling back to his feet. "We will follow your orders."

Kaer said nothing.

He simply turned his attention toward the mountain path leading to the temple.

The path Athena Roosevelt would soon travel.

Silence stretched between them.

Then suddenly, one of their scouts appeared from the forest, running toward them at full speed.

The man’s breathing was ragged as he stopped before Kaer.

A grin slowly spread across Kaer’s face.

Their target had arrived.

Athena Roosevelt was here.