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won't, my friend," the vampire calls back, leaving me alone in my office. 
    I sigh, stepping out only to follow Hayden downstairs to the pack's meeting chamber.
    Halting before the entrance, I run my hands through my hair, hoping to get myself back in order and not look too flustered when I get inside. Another deep inhale and I nod my readiness, following Hayden inside.
    Obediently, they have gathered in the spacious room, so many of them that there's hardly any breathing space left in the vast chamber.
    Hayden takes his spot on the front row as I climb up the small, improvised stage near the entrance of the room, just opposite the sitting area, my pack's attention tracking my every move with anticipation of what's to come.
    I struggle for a blank expression, wrapping a composure of calm around me. Weak I might be in front of my mate, hopeless even in my attempt to claim her as mine, but never before them. They need a strong leader, someone to both fear and respect. Someone they will die for without a second thought. No questions asked. No reasons needed.
    My judgment may be harsh at times, some days they may see me as nothing but a monster, nevertheless, I am the one who will protect them. They know this now.
    I take my place in the middle of the stage, the tension making me feel stiff on my feet.
    Gathering my strength, I clear my throat, muffling the soft whispers.
    "Pack wolves, as you know I have been waiting for this moment for a long time and now I have finally found her. I found my mate," I announce in a voice that sounds nothing and everything like my own. Loud and clear, it quivers at the end, crumbling under the attention and the expectation of hard judgment I know will follow as soon as they realize who I am talking about.
    "I found your future Luna," I say to them. My eyes skip from face to face, the realization dawning on them as the last string of events seems to surface from their memories.
    The crowd stirs up, a movement in the middle of the rows of sitting wolves until a blonde rises above headlevel. A she-wolf I know so very well.
    "It's her, isn't it?" Sasha accuses after propping up from her seat. Face crumbled with anger and disgust, an expression I never thought I will see pointed towards me from the sly and calculating girl, she's fuming.
    "It's the  hybrid ," she spits derisively. It's indeed the hybrid, as she calls her now, the same girl she once stood by to protect.
    I'm tempted to laugh at her. How easily do loyalties change! I settle for a soft chuckle, pretending to be amused by the scene she's causing when, in fact, disgust is roiling up inside me.
    "Did you think that I, the Alpha of one of the strongest packs, a pack with centuries-old history, will fall for the pathetic schemes of a low ranked she-wolf such as yourself, Alexandra?" I question, cocking a brow to complement the mockery in my voice.
    "You were not bad of a choice for a quick fuck but that's all you've ever been to me. I hoped for your own good you had more good sense but I guess I was wrong." And ain't that the truth? This female seems to be dumb as fuck to oppose me so openly and mock my mate in front of my whole pack.
    "Sit down and shut the hell up before I decide to regard what you just did as a challenge to my authority." The threat in my low voice is a reason enough for her to pin me under her murderous glare before she takes my advice and drops back to her seat.
    "Anyone else wants to voice out their concerns about this pack's future Luna?" I call out, daring them to oppose me.
    For a few minutes, there are just murmurs, flickering glances in between my pack members, the mind-link buzzing with activity as some see it safer to discuss the matter more privately. Even Alphas can't keep track of that many conversations and my wolves know it, opting for this means instead of the vocal one.
    There are a few strong enough to have a chance at defeating me if they combine their efforts and rise in challenge against me but most