Read The Half Blood Luna by The Black Daisy
Chapter 37
Klaus’s POV:
“I introduced Ella to Linda and Stephanie. Linda is currently staying with her. They will also be responsible for her training,” said Joseph.
“That’s great. They are perfect for the job, good choice Joseph,” I told him.
A little weight seemed to lift from my chest. Now, I am certain that no harm will ever come to her.
I was still thrilled that she accepted my apology and was on the verge of forgiving me for the pain I have caused her.
I still wasn’t sure if forgiving me will mean that she still wants nothing to do with me.
I wanted to ask her about this in the corridor before we went our separate ways. But I was afraid of her answer, so I kept my mouth shut and let things go the way they are meant to.
I looked nervously at the time on my phone. I was sitting in my office waiting for my meeting with the pack elders.
The pack elders are men who are basically very old. Anyone who becomes 100 years old, can instantly become an elder and have huge influence over the pack. Even the alpha has to abide by their decision if their votes were unanimous on a certain thing. If they all agree on something, it is out of my hands to refuse to do it. If the vote isn’t unanimous, I get to make my own and final decision.
The elder position was established a long time ago. Werewolves can live a really long life. They can reach 175 years before they d*ie. However, due to the constant battles and dangers that we always put ourselves in, a very small group get to become elders. Most werewolves d*ie very young.
They were established because given their very old age, they were considered wise and full of experience and knowledge because of how much they have witnessed over the years. That’s why their decisions matter and hold a lot of weight over the pack.
The elders don’t always need to overrule the alpha. Usually, they let the alpha rule over the pack without any interference.
I was called to an elder meeting once before. It was months after my father and Kate d*ied. I was in a very dark place then. Shutting myself inside my room all day and all night. Refusing to go to meetings or run the pack. Joseph; who was able to recover from the loss faster than me because of Sara, was secretly running the pack for me for months while pretending that he was carrying my orders. But that did not p@ssby the elders. They knew everything happening in the pack. That’s when they summoned me and basically told me to get my sh*t together or they will f0rce me out of my position as alpha of my pack. And that’s exactly what I did.
Now, I was called into another meeting with them. And I don’t know why, but there is a very sour pit in my stomach that tells me this meeting is not going to go so well.
“What do you think the elders want this time?” asked Joseph warily. He could probably tell that I was worried about this.
“I don’t know. But I have a feeling that whatever it is, I am not going to like it. They only call for a meeting when they want to f0rce my hand into something they know I will not be able to refuse” I said in a hard tone.
“But you must also know, that whatever they tell you to do is always for the greater good of the pack. So, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Even if you are f0rced into something you don’t want to do, in the end it will benefit your pack. That’s one of the alpha’s top responsibilities to always put the need of the pack above his own” he said wisely.
I narrowed my eyes at him “Why do I feel like you know what this meeting is about?” I asked accusingly.
He gave me a sad smile and said “I have a hunch, but I will not tell you anything. You must go and find out from them.”
I gave him a long hard look then left my office to head for my meeting. I tried to take deep breaths to calm down my nerves. If this meeting is really going to piss me off, I can’t lose my temper in front of them, no matter what. I have to remain respectful, or they will just initiate a voting to f0rce me out of my position.
I reach the room and knock three times.
“Come in alpha Klaus,” a deep voice invites me in.
I enter the room and close the door behind me.
The room was basically a meeting room. It had a huge rectangle wooden table in the middle, where the three elders sat together on one side and I sat at the opposite side.
The three elders were Thomas, David, and Isaac.
You could instantly tell that they were elders just from looking at them. They all had white hair, and wrinkled faces, necks, and hands. Given their very old age, they still radiated power and authority. They might not be able to fight anymore, but they had an aura around them that imposed respect.
They all knew me ever since I was a boy. My father always made sure to take me with him to all formal occasions and introduced them to me. They knew my father and his father before him.
I stayed quiet and waited for them to begin.
Isaac was the one who began the meeting.
“Thank you for meeting with us alpha. The reason this meeting was called for is not going to be easy on you, I should warn you. But I should also start by telling you that it has your utmost interest at heart.”
“Your family has been ruling the Crescent Moon pack for 7 generations now. With your father not having any other children or siblings, with your mate’s death, you are the last of your line. The Morgan family is one of the most powerful families in the entire region. Not just that, after all power means nothing if not used to protect the pack from injustice, racism, and oppression. Losing that line, is going to weaken the pack, making it vulnerable to be taken over by other packs that will not be as fair and wise as your family.”
“Waging war against the Grey pack was justified to avenge your family. Plus, you liberated a pack that has been suffering from great inequality for years. But did you stop for a second to think what would’ve happened if alpha Grey managed to K*ll you and take over your pack? With no one in line to rule after you, no interim alpha appointed by you before you left for battle, the pack would have been f0rced to surrender to alpha Grey. Can you imagine how many of your half-blood people will be K*lled, abused, and belittled just because of their blood?”
He was right about everything he said. My pack would have been suffering the same fate as the Grey pack if I d*ied in battle. Everything my family has worked for hundreds of years would have been lost. Everything he said was true, but the turn that this conversation was going to take made bile rise in my throat. I know exactly what Isaac is about to say to me now. And the worst part, they had every reason to say it. No argument on my side is going to convince them or even me of the opposite.
“With you being the last in line alpha Klaus, we are faced with only two options for you. You either find yourself another wife and extend your line, or we will be f0rced to choose another line to take over the alpha position for the Crescent Moon Pack. I know how hard it is for you to marry someone else after your mate, like I said it is no easy decision for you and even for us. But the pack always comes first.”
I curl my hands into fists to keep myself from exploding. What they were asking of me was unbearable. But the other option I was given was more unbearable. The possibility that my family will no longer rule the pack was so painful. My hands were tied. I needed to continue the line.
None of them spoke for a while, they were giving me a chance to wrap my head around my options.
I finally said in a hard tone “I will marry and continue the line.”
Relief showed clearly on their faces. Confirming the importance of my decision.
“You have two months starting today to marry a woman. We don’t care who she is, her background, her blood origins, or her age. As long as you see her fit to be your Luna, fit to carry and raise your children, we will not interfere with your choice. She has one year after your marriage to carry your child and become pregnant. It is very crucial to continue the line as fast as possible. That’s the only way to guarantee the pack’s survival and push away potential threats,” said Isaac.
Two freaking months! I thought they’d give me at least 6 months. I gritted my teeth in frustration.
Isaac carried on “In addition, we need to appoint a contingency alpha in case something happens to you before you father a child, or your child was still underage to rule. It is the same contingency we sit up with your father if something happened to him before you became of age. We need your recommendations, alpha.”
“If something happened to me, I want you to appoint Joseph Shepherd as the next alpha in line” I said firmly.
He nodded and said “Your father made the same recommendation.”
“We thank you for putting the interest of your pack above yourself alpha Klaus. We hope that you will be able to continue your line while leading your pack for many years.”
I nodded my head, stood up, and left the room. I was too tense to say anything else to them.
My blood was boiling, how the hell am I going to marry someone after Kate, sleep with her in our bed, and make her carry my child? It was completely unbearable. My heart was breaking in a million pieces with every step I was taking.
The thought of living with another woman, a complete stranger from me, for years to come, was making me shiver in sorrow.
I never thought that the pain of losing Kate could ever get any worse, turns out I was wrong. It just became a lot more worse, almost intolerable.
I ended up in the only place that could take the emotional pain away and replace it with a more endurable physical pain.