Bonds

Chapter 41

-Maya's POV-

My foot tapped against the wooden floor, a nervous counterpoint to the tense silence gripping the room. The power struggle that had simmered ever since my father's imprisonment had finally erupted, reaching its boiling point after two humans ended up dead. The wolves of the Crescent Pack, my pack, were spiraling out of control. As my father's only child, the mantle of leadership now rested uneasily on my shoulders.

My gaze swept over the gathered crowd. Modernity had forced us to abandon the communal living arrangements of old. But during times of crisis like this, we still assembled in a secluded building deep within the woods, away from the prying eyes of the human world.

Ivan sat beside me, a silent pillar of support. I knew every eye in the room was fixed on me, waiting for me to speak. The high-ranking members, some of whom harbored their own ambitions for the Alpha position, were seated on a raised platform surrounding me. Public speaking had never been my weakness, but in this charged atmosphere, words seemed to desert me.

Suddenly, a warm hand settled on my leg, a silent reassurance from Ivan. Squeezing his hand back, I drew in a deep breath and rose to my feet. Clearing my throat, I began, "First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you for coming here today. I know we all have busy lives, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to be here."

A beat of awkward silence followed, then I continued, my voice gaining strength with each word. "Let's not pretend otherwise. My father is currently incarcerated, facing investigations that render him unfit to lead the pack. That's why I've decided to step in and take charge until his situation is resolved."

Before I could elaborate, a gruff voice cut through the room. "Step in?" boomed a burly man from the gathered wolves. "What you the right? Last we heard, you threw away your position when you ran off with that bastard."

gives My jaw clenched, and my wolf lunged to the surface to make him pay for the insult. But I forced myself to remain calm. "I faced the consequences of my actions," I replied, my voice laced with steel. "My father forgave me and welcomed me back into the fold. Don't sit there and question it. And the next time you interrupt me while I'm speaking, you will face consequences of your own."

A flicker of fear crossed the man's eyes, and he bowed his head in a grudging submission. It wasn't a complete victory, but it was a start. At least I'd established my boundaries.

"Does anyone else have anything to say before I address the situation with the humans?" I asked, scanning the room.

A throat cleared beside me. Of course, it was him.

Petrov. He'd always seen himself as the rightful heir apparent, constantly vying for my father's favor even though he was never officially named second-in- command. And he never missed an opportunity to assert his dominance, especially when he saw a chance to undermine me.

I plastered a smile on my face, masking the annoyance churning in my gut. "Petrov, you seem to have something on your mind?"

He leaned back in his seat, his eyes gleaming with a dark challenge. "Just a clarification, Alpha," he drawled, deliberately using the title. "Nicholas raised a valid point."

Of course, he did. I wouldn't be surprised if Petrov had been the one whispering in Nicholas' ear, encouraging him to question my authority.

"Valid?" I repeated, my voice dripping with skepticism. "Or simply convenient for your agenda?"

Petrov continued, unfazed by my jab. "When you abandoned your pack to run off with the Nightshadow Pack, your father disowned you. As far as anyone knows, he never officially reinstated you."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. His words stung, but I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me sweat.

"My reinstatement wasn't a public ceremony," I explained, my voice calm but firm. "It was a private matter between my father and me. And trust me, he is fully aware of his responsibilities to the pack, and he has full faith in my ability to lead in his absence."

When I was done, I'd pray to the Moon Goddess to forgive me for lying but there was no way I was letting this as e get the better of me.

Another wave of murmurs arose, this time tinged with uncertainty. "Look," I said, my voice rising above the din. "I understand your concerns. My actions in the past were reckless, and I accept full responsibility for them. But I've learned from my mistakes, and I'm here now, ready to serve the pack. We can't afford to be divided. Those humans who died - that was a tragedy, a direct result of the chaos that's erupted since my father's absence. We need a strong leader, someone who can unite us and restore order."

A few heads nodded in agreement, but a skeptical frown remained etched on Petrov's face. He rose from his seat, his imposing stature casting a shadow over me.

"Strong leadership," he scoffed. "That's easy to say, but where were you when this pack truly needed you? The past seven years, while your father and I toiled day and night to hold things together, you were off playing house with the Alpha of the a pack that has rivaled outs for years. Did you even spare a thought for the wolves who remained loyal?"

His words struck a chord. Shame flared within me, a potent reminder of the hurt I caused by leaving. I opened my mouth to speak, but Petrov cut me off before I could get a word out.

"We all know the story," he continued, using my old title with a mocking emphasis. "Blinded by love, you abandoned your pack, your duties, everything. Now, suddenly, you reappear and expect to waltz in and take charge? It doesn't work that way."

I forced myself to meet Petrov's gaze, refusing to back down, "That's just your option."

"My opinion," Petrov sneered, "is that the pack needs a leader who's been here, through thick and thin. Someone who understands the struggles we've faced, not someone who waltzed in after years of gallivanting around with strangers."

He glanced around the room, his gaze connecting with various pack members. Heads were nodding in agreement, whispers. erupting amongst the crowd. The tide was turning against me, doubt clouding their faces.

"I understand your frustration, Petrov," I said, trying to regain some control. "But the past is the past. I'm here now, and I'm committed to doing what's best for the pack."

"Committed?" He barked a humorless laugh. "Commitment is staying by your pack's side, not abandoning them for some romance with a rival Alpha. Commitment is putting the needs of the Crescent Pack above your own happiness.

fleeting My face burned with anger, but I forced myself to remain calm. Raising my voice wouldn't help. I needed to find a way to reason with him, to prove my loyalty and commitment.

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"Petrov, you're twisting the narrative," I said, my voice tight. "I left because..."

"Because you were in love," he finished, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "A perfectly acceptable reason to abandon your pack in their time of need."

"It wasn't that simple," I stammered, frustration building. "There were...

extenuating circumstances."

"Extenuating circumstances?" He threw his hands up in the air. "What could possibly justify abandoning your pack during a critical time?"

I opened my mouth to explain but the words wouldn't come.

Petrov continued his tirade, his voice gaining volume with each sentence.

With each passing moment, the room tilted further in Petrov's favor. Doubt and uncertainty clouded the faces of the pack members, their initial tentative support for me crumbling under his relentless attack.

I stammered, searching for words to counter his accusations, to remind them of my loyalty, of my love for the pack. But Petrov wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise, his voice drowning mine out. He spoke of the strength and unity they needed, qualities he clearly believed I lacked.

By the time he finished, the room was filled with a tense silence. The wolves looked at me with a mixture of disappointment and anger. Just as i felt the Weight their disapproval pressing down on me, Ivan's voice boomed through the room, "Petrov, that's enough!" He rose to his feet, his posture radiating a quiet power. Waves of alpha energy rolled off him, momentarily silencing the

room.

"We can all agree that Amaya has made mistakes in the past," he acknowledged, his voice steady and commanding. "But here she stands now, willing to face the En consequences of her actions and work towards making things right.

That's exactly what she's been doing ever since she returned. However," he continued, his gaze sweeping across the room, "what truly matters right now isn't dwelling on the past."

A beat of silence followed, then he locked eyes with Petrov, his voice hardening.

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, Petrov, but you're not going to be the Alpha of the Crescent Pack. I am." S

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