Chapter 8: A responsibility

“Cut off the formality as what she said,” the man commanded. Standing in front of the class like a superintendent. 

“You can take a break, kids. Training will resume shortly as trainer Lachlan will get back here,” Denise instructed, letting the children play around. She walked toward the man smiling at her, “Father, Lachlan told me you went to the Alpha conference.”

“Yes, it’s very abrupt that I even need to rush everything just to attend that. I should have been the first to welcome you at the gate an—,”

“No, it’s okay Papa. It’s much great that way.”

          Brandon looked at her with his narrow eyes, depicting there is something he needs to know about his daughter. “Tell me what is it?”

“Tell you what, Papa?” Denise answered in denial, smiling normally.

“There’s something not good on your scent, did you already—” He shoved her long hair aside, revealing the mate’s mark on her neck. It was a crescent moon with three raindrops on its left side.

“Yes, I did. He showed up that night, deceiving me to enter and play with him in his territory. M-My strength and ability weren’t enough to defend myself, and I hate it. I was like a useless piece of trash in his eyes, a coward plaything who couldn’t even scrape his annoying face,” Denise complained after letting out a deep sigh.

“And how did you escape?”

“Sydney helped me, she’s from Alpha Rylandrien’s pack. I met her in the human world, she’s a good friend besides her bratty attitude.” Denise walked forth the mansion’s entrance, following her father’s steps. 

“Where is she then? I want to thank her,” Brandon requested, his normal terrifying voice echoing in the entire house.

          She started mind-linking her friend, “Come down, here at the living room.”

“Wait, don’t tell me your father is that good-looking man you’re talking with,” Sydney replied to her friend’s mind-link.

“Who? What good-looking man? Are you trying to describe this old hag?” Turning her head towards her father, leaving an awkward grin.

“Oh? I’m not mistaken then, right! I’ll be down there in a minute.”

“Also tell Lachlan he needs to leap down from the balcony, my father shouldn’t see him chatting with you.”

“Copy, Madam.” 

“Going back to the topic, have you known who he is?” Denise’s father asked, sipping the cup of tea the maid had just served. 

“He’s an Alpha,” she answered bluntly, causing the sudden noise of a shattered teacup on the floor from her Father’s hand. Denise bit her lower lip and crossed her hands, sitting like a statue on the couch.

          Everything went on in silence followed by a cricket sound. Down from the stairs, Sydney stepped silently, no footsteps to be heard. Realized her friend had just spilled out what she dare not to.

“Alpha? You are mated to an Alpha?” he asked in a low voice. The most frightening way he always uses when he doesn’t seem to agree with a situation.

          With that scene, Sydney stepped back. Hiding behind the wall, ‘Darn, his dad was a terrifying man!’ she cussed in her head. Not wanting to create even a tiny sound of her footsteps. 

“You are aware of the consequences of being mated to an Alpha, right?”

          Upon hearing that, she nodded. Having an Alpha mate isn’t easy, having two burdens to carry at the same time. Responsibilities on the pack and the duties being a Luna, and that is to bear an heir. A must you can’t escape once you are marked as one. 

“And I wouldn’t let that happen, I have my own decision and choices. Fulfill what responsibilities and obligations I have pledged to do, and this is what I should do now,” Denise said in assurance. Brandon leans on the backrest, staring at her as if she had done something very nasty. 

“Alright then, if that’s your final decision. Here’s the letter.” He sighed, handing her a blue envelope with their pack’s name printed. As she opened the letter, her father spoke out again. “You are someone’s Luna from another pack. But if you want to be an Alpha of your own pack, take precautions.’’ With that, he stood up and walk away from her. “I’ll be in the quarter with Lessandro and Rafael, and by the way welcome home, my Daughter. I hope you respond to the council’s request politely, they wouldn’t like your arrogant reply.”

“Am I that arrogant, Papa?” Denise questioned as if she was very innocent of the accusation.

          Brandon sneered at her daughter, “Is that even a question? You know what you are, an Arrogant Shadowstone.” Turning his back again before walking straight forward to the quarters.

“Yow! Even your father was aware of you being an arrogant lady.” Sydney popped up, getting out of her hiding place.

“Did you just… came out behind that wall? Are you hiding?” Denise asked with her brow raised, referring to the wall her friend came from.

“Oh yeah, your father looks like a tyrant dinosaur. I better stay away,” she replied while brushing her short ash gray hair with her own hands. “So, what is that thing?” pointing at the blue envelope in Denise’s left hand. 

“It’s a letter from the council,” she answered, detaching the seal securing the letter inside. Denise let her eyes travel and explore throughout the whole paper, reading its contents. 

“What does it say?” 

“From Clayton Aggasi, the council’s head advisor. He invites all the Alpha from the four werewolf pack divisions all over Claveria Haltera.”

            Claveria Haltera has seven packs that were officially documented. Four divisions, namely the Livan part of the east, Kitezh of the south, Shanum of the west, and Aramoor of the north. The Aramoor, where Denise’s pack belongs, consists of three neighboring packs— The Shadowstone, the Abberant, and the Okami. 

“What for?” Sydney’s forehead wrinkled.

“For the second conference, it was intended for the wolves who are next in line, the highest three of the pack— Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Father wants me to attend.”

“That’s great then, have you chosen your beta and gamma?”

          Denise shrugged her shoulders, “Sure, I want you to meet Auriel.” Introducing a tall guy in a red sweatshirt who just entered the packhouse. 

“Hey! You didn’t tell me you came back,” he uttered. Dashing his hands through Denise’s ponytailed hair. 

          He was one of her playmates way back then, he is Laria’s (one of their maidservants) son. Auriel’s mother became her second mama for a few months before she entered Laxon University. Lilia left her when she was still five years old, which pushes her desire to step into the Alphas’ games and clashes. Prove that everyone has a right and responsibility to take over, whether one is a man or a woman. 

“So I guess it’s a surprise! I would like you to meet Sydney,” Denise smiled. Grabbing her friend beside her, “Auriel is my gamma.”

“Ya? What?” he reacted. Shocked at what their Alpha’s daughter had proclaimed.

          Sydney raised her forehead, “Did you just abruptly declare who’s gonna be your gamma today?”

“No, I have thought of this many times. And I guess I made the right decision. Lachlan! Come over.” By how she reacted to the circumstances, she seems like she was really certain about who she appointed to be her beta and gamma. 

“Another conference will be held at the central conference hall next month. I would step in for the Alpha position, Lachlan for the beta position, and Auriel for the gamma. Congratulations!”

           Everyone looked at each other silently like stunning human beings. Lachlan and Auriel in a dumbfounded state, thunderstruck, standing straight with their hands in their pocket. Sydney with her jaw nearly touched the ground. Denise kept her eyes widened and her lips puckering, waiting for any responses from these cynical persons in front of her. 

“A-Any violent reactions? Impulses?” she asked awkwardly. And all of a sudden, the two men unexpectedly rushed towards her and cuddled her tightly making her gasp and yell in shock, “What are you doing?”

          

“Thank you, Denise.”

“This is a great responsibility for just a mere being like me. Gratitude to you, Denise!”

           The two shrieked, hugging Denise in between them. Gripping her tightly that she couldn’t even breathe, “Let me go, Bastards!” she screamed as she forcefully scrapes off their hands clutching on her shoulder. 

           A sound of a camera clicking, flashed to them, “One more! Say cheese!” Positioning the camera to get a perfect shot of them.

“Why would we scream that name of a human food?” Auriel asked in confusion.

          With Lachlan hanging his arms on Auriel’s shoulders, forming a smirk on his face. “What is that? Are you that allured by my teasing skills that you wanted to capture my soul with that thing?”

          Sydney rolled her eyes in annoyance, looks like she found another narcissistic man in someone’s pack. “But I am loyal to my future mate, I’m sorry to turn you down but I really need to.” 

          ‘What a wonderful adventure, I see… wow! Just wow!’ she screamed in her head. Crossing over her hands and tilted her head. “This is a camera in the human world, just as for your information. You can take a picture with this and print it whenever you want to.”

“Stop with the fuss, place that camera by the side table. Five seconds will do, turn the timer on,” Denise commanded as they all postured in front of the camera. 

          Lachlan and Auriel had never been to the present human world, their last visit there was way back in the eighteenth century. Werewolves and other creatures in Claveria Haltera couldn’t just enter the human world without any important reasons and purpose. Thus, Denise clearly violated this law and so as Sydney. 

“The first pic for you all, guess this will be your remembrance. Future Alpha Denise, Beta Lachlan, and Gamma Auriel, Congratulations! But wait, do you really have that authority to formally appoint your beta and gamma?” Sydney raised one of her eyebrows, facing Denise who is now sitting comfortably on the couch, sipping tea.

“Maybe yes but probably not,” Denise muttered, closing her eyes. Causing the three of them to swing their mouth open again. 

“You are not serious about this?” Sydney protested, overreacting like she’s been cheated on.

         But Denise just let out a genuine smile, “Kidding aside. Tomorrow’s the inauguration.”