3. Fortitude.

"Why is Loki back at the palace? I thought you'd driven him away," Natasha's accusatory tone cut through the tension in the car.

I turned to her, feeling bitterness rise within me not just at her words but at my own stupidity. I had let Ronald and Natasha convince me that Loki was going to betray me, even though he was my most trusted Beta. I had let them push me into banishing him from the pack while he still grieved for his father. The only reason he was here today was because Beatrice had convinced me, in my past life, to let him see his father get buried since his father was his only surviving parent. It would have been cruel not to give him this one thing.

Tomorrow, he is supposed to leave the pack, but I can't let that happen now.

"Let's not talk about pack matters, cous," I replied sharply, reflecting my hidden feelings. I exhaled, trying to calm myself down. "I just pity him. I'm letting him stay the week," I told her with a forced smile.

"My mate is right. Let's not talk about pack matters," Ronald said, placing his hand on mine in what was meant to be a comforting touch but only infuriated me. "You will be fine. I know there's nothing I can say to make you feel better about your parents' death, and I know you've said a million times you want to deal with the grief alone, but I'm here for you. Always will be. I need you to know that."

I gave him a strained smile. "I know," I replied, releasing my hand from his grip.

I watched him as he ate, and anger and pain seethed through me. Ronald was beautiful: blonde long hair, high cheekbones, deep green eyes that captivated me. He was my mate, my bond, and the reason I lived. Yet he betrayed me. For her! Natasha, whom my father had trained and loved like our own after her own mother abandoned her to marry the Alpha of the Bloodmoon pack.

Natasha, whom I called my twin because we shared the same blue eyes and dark hair, though I was taller and chubbier. I always praised her, told her she was beautiful, like a model. And she used that allure to win over my mate and betray me. I want them both dead.

Dinner passed in mindless chatter. I hurried through my meal, disinterested in their mundane conversation, only adding occasional "yeah," "oh," and "wow."

I glanced repeatedly at the clock, impatient to leave. "Let's go," Natasha prodded Ronald after finishing her meal.

The journey back felt interminable. After what seemed like an hour on the road, my patience wore thin.

"Ronald, please stop the car," I instructed firmly. He found a spot to pull over.

Eager to escape their suffocating presence, I grabbed my coat, only to find the car doors locked.

"Unlock the doors, Ronald," I demanded, my tone leaving no room for argument.

"You can't just leave like this. There's no other car on this road. What's the rush?" Ronald protested, his concern tinged with frustration.

"I'll manage. I don't mind running through the mountains. You seem to forget I am a white wolf, my speed is better than this car.” I asserted, sensing their silent communication through exchanged glances. I was giving them an opportunity to conspire in my absence, but I didn't care.

He opened the door, and I got out, swiftly shedding my clothes before shifting into my wolf form. I sprinted through the mountains toward the pack house.

Arriving, I spotted Loki pacing the grounds behind the castle, lost in thought. It wasn't the right moment to approach him, so I observed quietly, noting his restless demeanor until he seemed calmer.

When he appeared calmer, I shifted back to my human form. I quickly put on my black dress, now dirty from rubbing against the icy ground on the way to the pack house, but I didn't mind.

"Loki," I said, approaching him. The moment he heard my voice, he shifted and fled. Loki wasn't going to listen to me, not a word of what I had to say.

I exhaled, completely exhausted. How could I regain his trust if he wouldn't even listen to me? We had both lost our parents...

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind me. I turned around, and my heart skipped a beat. There stood the seven elders of the Crescent pack: Marcus, Ophelia, Benjamin, Beatrice, Adolphus, Levi, and Martin. They were adorned in white robes, a symbol of their royal duty, representing the lineage and sovereignty of our pack—the Crescent pack.

"Luna," they all bowed in unison.

I kept my head high, awaiting what they had to say next.

"Now that the burial ceremony is over, we need a new Alpha," Elder Marcus spoke first. He was the eldest of the elders, nearing a century old, scrawny and thin yet exuding a quiet power.

"Ronald needs to ascend the throne, and for that, you need to be bound to him. The mating ceremony must be tomorrow," Elder Ophelia added, standing by Marcus's side as his right hand, often conveying messages on his behalf due to his advanced age.

The other five elders remained silent, their communication among themselves unspoken but palpable.

I looked at each elder in turn, determined that my words would resonate deeply within them, leaving an indelible mark on their hearts.

"There will be no need for a mating ceremony, because I will be Alpha," I declared confidently, though fear gnawed at me from within. Making Ronald Alpha in my previous life had been one of my greatest mistakes. Now, I intended to rectify that error.

The elders were visibly stunned, exchanging urgent whispers amongst themselves.

"Women cannot be Alpha," Elder Ophelia asserted firmly. I locked eyes with Beatrice, whose expression remained unreadable, though a sense of pride emanated from her gaze.

Had it been any other wolves, I could have discerned their thoughts, but not with the elders. After half a century or more, wolves developed enough mental fortitude to shield their minds from the probing of the royal family.

"Do you understand what you are asking for?" Ophelia pressed on. "This has never been heard of before."

"Let her plead her case tomorrow at the pack assembly. Then we will determine if she is worthy," Beatrice interjected, her voice carrying a tone of authority. Though she was the youngest, she was highly respected among them because she had been the one most trusted by my parents.

"Very well then. Tomorrow at noon, we shall hear your proposition," Alpha Marcus concluded. With that, they turned as one and walked away.

As soon as they departed, I brought a hand to my mouth, trying to quiet my labored breathing. "What have I done?"