“So you admit to using your aura to make weaker wolves do your bidding with the she-wolves in your friend’s group?”
Jay and his wife, Sheila, drew in a breath, obviously hearing this for the first time. My father looked back at me as I stared at the pair.
They didn’t know.Nix’s voice rang through my head.
“How are you so sure?” I whispered back.
I commanded their wolves to tell me.Nix growled back and I felt her slam my aura out. The Williams all dropped to their knees and Jay bowed down to the ground. “Did you know?”
“No Alpha.” Jay’s voice trembled out as I released my aura, allowing them up. I looked at my father and nodded.
“Amanda?”
“They didn’t know. My father would have punished me.” She whispered and Nix let out a low growl, black fur rippled down my arms. “I swear it.” Amanda screamed as she looked at me. “They did not know.” Louder this time.
“Who did?” I growled out. I fought to control my anger, but something in the Agora was making it almost impossible to control myself or my wolves.
I closed my eyes to refocus, and Nix and Megan were trembling. “What’s wrong?”
The Agora is a place of power, and it is pulling us to come forward, to bond fully, to shift.Nix’s voice was ragged with her effort to stay back.
You will have to shift.Megan panted.It has to be Nix, or else I will be forced to shift. She needs to stop fighting. Soon. Or else we won’t have the choice of who comes forward.
“Okay.” I shook my head, trying to clear it. My father looked back at me, and there was concern in his eyes. The fur pulled back a little as I reined it in. I glared down at Amanda and stood. I stalked down to her with my fur rippling with my anger. “Who knew, Amanda?”
Amanda shook as she tried to fight against the aura that was leaking out, but she failed. “Aurora.”
Jay and Sheila drew in another breath. “Amanda, why?”
“Because!” she snarled and rose up to glare at her parents. “You were weak. Both of you are so weak. I deserved to be a ranked wolf. I worked my ass off to become stronger, only to find myself stuck in the middle with you two.” She looked disgusted.
Her parents reeled back from the venom that was spewing from their daughter. “We loved you.” Sheila whispered, her voice trembling.
“What’s so wrong with being an unranked wolf?” Someone from the stands shouted.
“Yeah?” Another called down. Soon, the entire pack was riled up.
“Everything!” Amanda stood and whirled on the crowd. “You are weak. Unimportant. Poor. Pathetic wolves who are happy in your pathetic, insignificant lives. I deserve to be a Luna, I deserve to lead. I deserve-” She stomped her foot.
“Nothing.” My voice echoed around the clearing. “You deserve nothing.” Amanda turned back to me with a glare. “Being an Alpha, or Luna, isn’t something we deserve. It isn’t even something we earn. We are born to lead. We are born stronger, faster, bigger than normal wolves. Not to lord over them, but to keep them safe. You think being an Alpha is about power? You are too ignorant to realize it’s about protection. It’s about listening to everyone in your pack, even the lowest, and making them feel heard. Loved.” My lip lifted in disgust. Amanda had missed the importance of the ranking. “You think the Betas and Gammas lord over the pack, but their jobs are to support the Alpha and Luna. You know nothing of pack structure. Even less about pack dynamics. You would be a horrible Luna.”
“Well, we will see.” She smirked as she stared at my father.
“If you think Aurora is going to be my Luna, you are wrong. Her plan failed.” My father finally got back to his feet and pushed Amanda back to her knees. “Stay on your knees. The judged aren’t allowed to stand until sentencing.”
The gasp that went through the pack was deafening. “Judgement?” Sheila’s voice wavered as she dropped to her knees. “Please Alpha.”
“I’m sorry, Shiela, but she shows no signs of remorse. She colluded with Aurora to deceive this pack.” My father turned and settled back on his throne. He patted the seat next to him and held out a hand. But I couldn’t settle. My wolves were struggling to stay back. Fur rippled farther up my arms and on to my chest.
“Dad?” I walked closer to him. I panted. “I can’t hold on for much longer.”
“It’s okay pup. I have you.” He weaved his fingers into mine, and I could feel my wolves settle a bit. He turned to face the crowd. He mind-linked Ronnie, but left it open, so that everyone heard.Bring Aurora to the Agora for her crimes.
There was silence on the other end. But then Ronnie’s voice called back.She’s gone, Beck is injured, but Aurora is gone.Everyone gasped as my father shot to his feet. He released my hand, which left me alone to struggle with my wolves.
“Doc, head to the pack house now. Save Beck.” My father called out as Amanda laughed.
“You thought you won? Aurora is smarter and stronger than all of you combined.” My father growled, but she kept mocking him. “She will take this pack and kill you all.” She laughed harder, but my father was focused on the pack.
