Hunter and hunted

Retirement Part 2

~Three hours later~

Guests have coming in all day, getting announced and taking their places under their banners, some of the Alphas look stern but this is just to keep up appearances, the only time they are actually mean to one another is if they're at war with each other, but that's few and far between. Five packs, first entering the sun and moon pack the oldest and biggest pack, next the red moon pack, a bunch of vultures the second pack to be created but not the second largest, the third pack the white moon pack which is the second largest pack the fourth pack the copper moon pack the secondary pack to the white moon pack and lastly the snow moon pack with no affiliation to any other pack and the smallest, I see the new Alpha and Beta, both with sorrowful faces and I know why, it's been three days since Lori Ann's exile and you can see the pain on her mates face. Everyone sits in their designated areas, each Luna wearing a dress depicting the packs colors, Lisa wearing a beautiful, floor length dress, open back, with white and blue snowflakes hugging the stitching, it looks like a remake of the dress she wore when she became Luna. Lisa looked up at me and gave me a saddened smile which I return.

After all had been seated one of the council members stands from his seat with the other four of us seated, two on either side of the stage, he turns the microphone on getting feed back, "welcome alphas and their guests, today is a sad but rejoiced day, today our beloved council member Alexi retires and we welcome a new council woman" he backs up and I stand, walking to the small podium "welcome all who have made the journey to our home, do to some surcomstanses I will be returning to my homeland retracting my position as emperial councilor. I am fully aware that normally we do not retire, but it is not as rare as anyone thinks, my father as well as his father both retired from the position due to births in the family, and as I do not have children of my own, I give the position to council woman Radha." Radha stands and bows to everyone and then to the crowd, she steps forward in front of the microphone, "I want to thank the current council members, as well as my predisesor council woman Alexi, I will do what is needed to make sure the pack coalition is respected and given everything that is coming to them."

Radha backs away from the podium and one of the other council members comes up beside me with a dagger cutting mine and Radha's palms, I recite my portion "I council woman Alexi Gardonna with sound mind and able body relinquish my title, my power, and myself of all responsibility to the title of the council, all laws that I have passed shall be sealed without changing." Sadness is shown over the faces in the hall, Radha steps up " I Radha Elvania, swear to uphold the position that has been appointed to me by the council, to always place the good of the people and packs above myself, no matter the consequences, no matter the being." As she finishes the last word a gust of wind blows through the hall placing a connection from her to the other members of the council. I walk off the stage and take a seat, each alpha and beta are now invited to introduce themselves to the new council woman with few of them offering me their condolences about my retirement. The last to come up to me are Nicholas and Lorin they both hug me and say how sorry it was to have come to this, next the Luna's from each pack do the same, with Lisa coming to me and giving me a bigger embrace than I thought, after sending her best friend away I thought she hated me. We all leave the hall to wait a few moments and we enter back into the hall to see a giant feast on one long table.

Each member of the council sitting at the far end, each alpha beta and their mates sitting at their spots depending on their social stance and then me at the other end of the table, I could have chosen where to sit but beings I had become close to the snow moon pack I decided to sit with them, most were eating and talking, snow moon was silent, Nicholas was just trying to get through dinner so the could go to bed and leave the next morning. A question was thrown from somewhere towards the middle of the table at Nicholas, "so… is it true that you gave up your title as Alpha?" Nicholas ignoring the question continues eating, a smile starts engulfing one of the betas faces, "Now Nicholas, why would you ever think of doing that? Everyone knows the story of the forbidden mates, the story is one we all got told to as pups, it's not a real thing anymore." Nicholas continues to eat but I can see his hand shaking with anger. I had taken a quick glance at who it was, he was a small portly man, the Alpha of red moon, trying to goad Nicholas, there has been peace between packs for the last two hundred years, not until recently no one has wondered why snow moon has still stood, attacked by rouges, vampires and other beings, and red moon has been known to try to start wars with everyone.

His mate alongside him cackling at the thought of a children's story having so much effect on the hurt Beta "oh I can't mate because of this or that" saying sarcastically. Nicholas goes to stand but I grab his arm and shake my head, "you know my lady, I would not be one to talk of such things knowing you are only Luna of the red moon because of sleeping with that disgusting wolf next to you" I say before taking a drink. Everyone stops what they are doing and look at me with suprise. The red moon Alpha wipes his mouth with his napkin and throws it onto his plate, "you should watch your mouth Alexi, you no longer have the backing of the council." From the far end of the table the new council woman clears her throat and everyone turns to look at her with her wolfhound next to her, " oh I wouldn't say that's completely true Alpha." Winking at me. Everyone sees the red moon Alpha get flustered standing up and walking towards us stopping for a moment and looking at myself and snow moon, "this isn't over, you may least expect it when you get a visitor." He walks out in a huff his Luna and Beta walk out slamming the door behind him. One of the council members stands up speaking with amusement "well I think that's enough excitement for one night, might we adjourn." We all go to our rooms for the night.

~ flashback ends ~