Chapter 626 - You can’t fail
Voren smiled faintly, a ghost of amusement flickering across his features. "The father I know does not give up. She’s his wife, and he needs to bring her back," he said with certainty.
Then he turned to face his wife with a seriousness that made her slightly nervous, his dark eyes boring into hers. "We really need a shaman. The sooner she awakens and begins her training, the better for all of us."
Indeed, Seraphine knew he was right. Her stomach clenched at the memory. Perhaps if the shaman at the Centenary Pack had not died, Ravyn would not have easily been fooled by Daisy.
It wasn’t as if she cared anymore but it made her understand the importance of having someone spiritually guiding them in the werewolf community.
Also, the Grimroot Pack was the only one with a shaman so far, and Voren knew her value. His jaw tightened as he considered the weight of that responsibility.
If they had to bring down Coco and her mother, they could not bear to do away with a shaman. She was a great asset, their secret weapon.
"Alright. I’m here to give you the needed support," Seraphine said affectionately, reaching out to squeeze his hand. Her touch was warm, steady, a grounding force in the storm of his thoughts.
There was no party like last night, just eager pack members hanging on their Alpha’s words. The air was thick with anticipation, the crowd a sea of upturned faces and gleaming eyes. They stood in neat rows, their bodies taut with excitement.
Voren stepped onto the raised platform, his presence commanding every ounce of attention. The murmurs died instantly.
"I requested this meeting to establish a few things. Corvine is my co-Alpha, but he needs to report to the Silver Moon Pack the day after tomorrow, leaving us no time for the coronation ceremony. We just have to wait for his return to have all coronations at one sitting. I suggest we have it during the Blood Moon Festival to save us the stress of hosting guests over and over again."
Satisfied roars echoed through the crowd, a thunderous wave of approval that shook the very ground beneath their feet. Voren raised a hand to quiet them before continuing.
"My wife, Sera, will be joining training if she’s up to it, but for now, she’ll focus on the hospital matters, the lab, and furnishing of the guest quarters and new offices. We are working on new pack constitutions and will make them available during the coronations."
Seraphine was excited to not be caged because of her pregnancy and she loved that her husband allowed her room to flourish in the things that interested her the most.
She couldn’t be happier. A ripple of murmurs passed through the crowd, but Voren pressed on, his voice growing sharper, more purposeful.
"Finally, there is an opening for a gamma, so interested candidates should see Kael. I strongly recommend for she-wolves to try. I’m tired of so many werewolves handling she-wolves."
The last part of his words caused the she-wolves to scream in excitement, their voices piercing the night air like a battle cry. This was a wonderful opportunity for them to grow, to rise, to prove themselves. Their faces glowed with hope and determination.
By the time Voren discharged them, the energy of the crowd had graduated from eager anticipation to buzzing excitement. He was already having another meeting with his leaders during dinner.
It was the first time they used the main dining hall, big enough to host fifty guests. The long table stretched before them, laden with steaming dishes, the soft glow of modern recessed lighting reflecting off polished stone walls and gleaming surfaces.
"The space for the office of the Alpha King is ready," Voren began to speak. Each leader had a private office, but some positions were new, so those offices weren’t furnished.
Voren loved for each leader to have their offices customized to their taste, leaving the space for them to do so. "Corvine, you can discuss with Sera how you want your office to be..." Voren was saying when Corvine cut in politely, his voice strained with exhaustion.
"Voren, can you please wait until I win?"
"You can’t fail, Corvine," Voren said seriously, his eyes boring into the younger wolf with unwavering confidence.
Corvine was lost for words, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. His shoulders sagged under the weight of expectation as Liah spoke up, her voice gentle but firm.
"I believe Corvine would win, but can you please let him focus on training? He got battered this morning and should train more," she said politely, Corvine heaved a sigh of relief. It was a wonderful feeling to have the woman he loved buying into his vision.
Voren was disturbed but for some reason, he allowed the matter to drop, a flicker of understanding passing through his eyes. "Then let’s focus on the Blood Moon Festival. Damon, you are in charge of sending and receiving information concerning the event as well as the payments."
Damon nodded, his expression serious. "I’ll begin contacting all pack Alphas concerning the arrangement."
"Kael, you are in charge of security. Make sure our strongest warriors are on duty at every given time. I won’t be surprised if some Lycans sneak into the pack using the ceremony as a shield. Make sure to contact the shaman to ensure we don’t welcome any strange scent. If there’s anything else, I’ll let you know."
When the meeting ended, the other leaders filed out, their footsteps echoing against the stone floor. Voren pulled Kael aside, his voice dropping to a low, private murmur. "I haven’t seen you make a move. Do you want someone to steal her?"
Kael understood Voren’s concern and smiled bitterly, a shadow of pain flickering across his calm features. "Alpha, I’ll wait for the Blood Moon Festival."
Voren instantly felt something off, a prickle of unease crawling up his spine like icy fingers. He studied Kael’s face, searching for the truth hidden beneath the mask of stoicism.
"What’s going on?"