Chapter 228
CADE
My father's will had been read in the presence of my brothers and the entire pack council about a week after his death.
In his will, it was his wish that my brothers and I got to decide among ourselves who was to be the Alpha. All of us would be Alpha's but only one of us would bear the title officially and lead the pack.
As I sat there, listening to the lawyer speak, I reflected on this. I had never given a thought to who would be Alpha after my father passed. And really why would I?
My father, strict and stern yet loving, had always been there ever since I was a little boy running around the estate with my brothers in diapers. I had expected him to still be there for many years to come.
To me he had become as much a fixture in my life as the pack itself. Now he was gone. Gone to a place where neither I or anyone else could reach him.
Hearing the lawyer read out my father's parting words of advice was like another blow to my already aching heart. Looking around at my brothers seated on either side of me, I could see they felt the same way.
The lawyer had suggested we discuss the decision of who was to bear the title amongst ourselves and give the council an answer at a later date.
"Exactly how long do we have to decide?" I had asked mechanically.
At that point I had already begun feeling tired as I had been doing lately. The exhaustion was actually more mental than physical. With time I supposed the feeling would go away.
"No rush," the lawyer had said, rolling up the document he had read out of. "Take as much time as you need. Still don't take too long."
I nodded and was getting to my feet when Jace had stood up, looked around and said, "There will be no need to wait. Cade should be Alpha. He's the oldest among us after all."
"I agree," Chase said, interrupting before I could say anything. "He should take the title."
And so here I was, sitting on the throne-like chairs with Hannah, facing the crowd who had come to see us coronated as Alpha and Luna of Icestone and Breakstone. My brothers flanked us on both sides.
While the officiator talked about the significance of what we were gathered here to do today, I turned a little in my seat to glance at Hannah.
I must have stolen at least a hundred of these glances since I had seen her coming down the stairs this morning, dressed in a flowing backless gown with her hair piled up in intricate curls atop her head.
She was so beautiful it made my heart ache. She looked like a princess.
No. A queen. She was my queen now. My Luna. Or so she would be once the ceremony was over. She took the pain out of mourning and made everything better.
Hannah must have felt my eyes on her because she turned, saw me staring. A small smile crept up her lips making her look even younger than she was.
We were probably the youngest in history to ever take up the position of Alpha and Luna, I thought. My brothers and I had looked forward to years of practice, years of learning with my father around to teach and guide. But the responsibility had been thrust upon us so soon.
The thought made my heart ache. I lowered my head. Hannah's soft warm hand reached across the armrest and slipped into mine. She squeezed. A gesture of comfort.
Thank you I told her with my eyes.
With some effort, I shook off the sad thoughts. I had promised myself days ago as the date of the coronation got closer, that I would think only happy thoughts.
For the sake of my father who had been the strongest man I had ever known, I would be strong. I wouldn't see leading the pack as a burden anymore. I would see it as a privilege, a way to show everyone the good sons my father raised.
The officiator was concluding. "And now with the sudden passing of the late Alpha..." He paused. A sigh went through the crowd. "...we gather here to put a son, deserving of the title in his place."
He bowed and walked off the stage. The pack's council, seating on a slightly lower platform bur still in front of the crowd, stood up.
They approached, their red ceremonial robes billowing out behind then as they walked. The man in the middle held a small old book passed down from Alpha to Alpha for many generations. In the book was written the oaths we were to take and the tenets we would have to live by as rulers of the pack.
The councilman held up the book for all to see, then flipped through it's pages.
"Cade Wallace and Hannah Wallace," he began, reading in a loud, carrying voice. "Do you solemnly swear to lead the pack to the best of your abilities, to protect the innocents on your care, to only do what is right for the pack for as long as you both draw breath?"
My voice and Hannah's rang out clear and certain. "We swear."
The councilman went on reading, pausing every now and then to get our responses. At the end of ten minutes, he shut the book with a snap that echoed throughout the silent room.
As one the councilmen stepped aside, motioned us forward. I took Hannah's hand and we walked to the end of the dais.
I felt rather than saw my brothers move along with us. I smiled a little. This was as much my coronation as it was theirs.
A second councilman took a step forward.
"By the laws of Ice stone, now united with Breakstone, and the by the mercy of the moon goddess who rules over us all, I present to you Cade and Hannah Wallace, Alpha and Luna of Ice stone and Breakstone."
The room instantly broke into applause and cheers. I raised my Luna's hand. The applause got deafening.
***********
The sound of a metal clinking on a glass rang out down the length of the table I was sharing with my family.
All around us, the guests were eating drinking and mingling.
"A toast," Chase said. "I propose a toast."
We laid down our forks and knives, and promptly raised our glasses.
Chase had been smiling. Now his eyes grew sad. "Here's a toast to my father. Our father. A strong leader, a good man who always stood for the truth. A brave man who went down fighting..."
Willa whimpered and screwed a handkerchief into her eyes to catch a tear.
Chase started to say something else. He gave his head a slight shake, took a deep breath and raised his glass higher.
"To the late Alpha Wallace," he said.
"To the late Alpha Wallace," we all echoed.
We drank. There was a moment's heavy silence as we all thought of the great man who had passed. It was my coronation, a happy occasion, but it would be deceptive to say today wasn't tinged with sadness for us all.
Willa had only sipped her wine. Now she remained staring down into the depths of her wineglass while Hannah shot worried looks at her.
I rubbed Willa's shoulders.
"Cheer up, kiddo," I said.
That got her attention. Her head snapped up. She snorted indignantly. "Kiddo? You're not much older than me!"
"Still your big brother though," I pointed out then continued softly, "Wherever dad is, I'm sure he'll always protect you."
"That's true," Jace said. He turned to Hannah. "Willa was always his favourite. When we were much younger and Chase was in his practical joke phase-"
"Look who's talking," Chase said. "You were such a troublemaker I always used to wonder why dad didn't just give you up for adoption."
Willa snickered. Jace rolled his eyes.
"As I was saying," Jace went on loudly. "My dad would whoop all our asses when he couldn't find out who put a rubber snake down Willa's back or who kept hiding all her school books. But when Willa played her own little tricks on us-"
"Like the time she loved to slip those farting toys under us when dad had people over," I said.
"Yeah. Dad would just turn a blind eye."
"Farting toys!" Hannah gasped, almost choking on her wine as she laughed. "That's genius!"
Willa giggled and then we were all laughing until the tears stood out in our eyes. Under the table, I found and gripped Hannah's hand.
I felt grateful for the family I had; supportive brothers and a sister and a mate I loved.
"What would your first decree as Alpha be?" Chase asked when the laughter had died down.
I didn't answer immediately. I hadn't really thought about it but now I did, an idea was taking shape in my mind.
Finally I said, "My first decree will be for the social workers to look deeply, much deeply than they have been looking, into families so they can identify abusive parents and help the children in those homes. Abusive parents do more harm to the society than we think."
That was true at least of Asher. If he had someone like my father, someone who would have taken his hands to guide him out of the darkness and onto right path, he would have turned out okay.
And none of these unfortunate events would have ever happened.
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