Chapter 118: The Tiara

Loiza's POV

The boats arrived earlier than expected but we were almost ready. This will be the first time I receive new members not being pregnant, that alone helps my mood. I don't have to worry about anything going wrong and the pups being at risk giving me a sigh of relief.

Ximena had chosen a Navy Blue, one shoulder simple silk gown with a half cape draped on the side with the sleeve making a train behind me in the old Greek style with beautiful draping. She accessorized it with a gold belt around my back to normal waist with my family's crest in the center, displaying once again my hour glass figure... I have to go back to training. She added the gold leaf earrings, my wolf armband and of course The Guanín. Isaura added another layer to the Queen's Braid... Something to do with our numbers and the fact that I am now a contributing mother to the tribe. Where did all of these formalities come from?! I was in a great mood and now I'm getting annoyed! Then she places a golden Roman type tiara on my head and I catch her right there...

"Master with respect, such a thing isn't necessary, everyone knows who rules here." This is was a wee over the top. I know who I am and I don't need any crown of any sort, The Guanín is more than enough to give an ostentatious feel. Still she placed it on my head and adjusted it to look perfect... I can't stand the sight of it.

"It was ordered by the Betas and the Luna!" Shit! I go for my easiest target: 'BAYOÁN!'

'WOMAN ARE YOU INSANE?! I ALMOST CHOKED WITH MY OWN SPIT!' Morgana was supposed to go into labor this week... He was very on edge.

'What are you all thinking about this stupid tiara?! I FUCKING REFUSE!' I am almost roaring at this point and Isaura backed up feeling my rage through the Link even though she doesn't know what was said... But... Why was it bugging me THIS much? I felt that all the Betas and Isla were coming. I looked at my image in the mirror and for some reason I feel I have seen myself like this before. My hands are clammy and shaking... The fuck is this?

They all barge in the room and Víctor instantly notices my colorless face. He comes over with a soothing voice, he knows me well enough to know that getting agitated in this state could shut me down or make me explode. He's holding both my shoulders and gets down to meet my eyes... By the Goddesses that gaze would still give me a chill! There's no sexual tension, it's just Víctor's natural charm.

"What's wrong? Cariño take a breath." He says gently looking in my eyes and I obey, he didn't call me Alpha or Izz... Cariño, his words were so soothing and intimate. But now I notice that it's not just him, all four of them are focusing on calming me down. They were in full synchronization, all four pair of aquamarine eyes on me and I am stunned! My heartbeat is retuning to normal.

Shomari looks at the tiara and frowns and takes it off my head carefully and with respect and examines it, yet in our own Bond I already feel he's found nothing wrong with it.

"Alpha, did you react because we ordered it or when placed on you?" He asks. I think back...

"I was already VERY annoyed by it's sight when my rage hit, the fact that you all ordered it didn't really bother me, but when I saw myself with it... I just... I can't explain it... Please tell me that it's hexed or something and not me going crazy! I can't stand the sight of it!" I look at my brother and he sits me down and hugs me kissing my forehead as he searches my feelings.

"Leave the tiara, we wanted to establish... Nevermind, it doesn't matter. She's fine as she is." And he tells Ximena and Isaura to leave for a moment.

"By the Goddess, what was that?!" Janaína asks grabbing the tiara and examining it herself.

"It's not the tiara... Well I mean, the tiara isn't hexed. It was HER reaction to seeing herself with it... And the style... Izzy can you open your mind more?" We don't have time for this.

"No. I need all of you to help me cool down to subzero... We will definitely look into this once this very important matter at hand is settled. Those coming will soon be our brothers and sisters, what impression will we give them?!" Bayo holds me tightly... We may have our tiffs, but I'm so glad he accepted to be my Beta... Even if the asshole took his sweet time about it! I just don't want to think about how those days in Blood Moon and then back here would have been without him, and I hug him back tightly as well. I feel through his heartbeat how they are giving me a steady rhythm and I gave a heavy sigh of relief.

Once I start feeling like myself again I stand to compose myself.

"I think we should send the tiara to the lab, no matter what I would like to begin an investigation on an object which can distress the Alpha so much. Does anyone object? I don't want to leave it lying around." Janaína determined.

"I agree. Víctor do you mind taking care of that?" Bayoán asks.

"Definitely, once we make sure it's not the tiara we can cancel it out as the full source, yet I think it was the SIGHT of it that riled Izz up, I'll be back in a few, go on and start without me." And he left with that thing.

"Sorry Master Ximena, Master Isaura... We will allow you to finish with the Alpha, she's back to normal." Shomari holds the open door for them. The women came in again as if they saw nothing.

Janaína and Isla were fixing my train, but I could sense Janaína focused on my heartbeat and checking my adrenaline levels. She was also coaxing my serotonin to take over a bit more... She definitely is a skilled Beta! Then she let Ximena continue.

"Better Alpha?" I nod. And she nods back. "I will be at your other side opposite Phoebe, I will be cross checking with her that everything is 1000%, if you feel like you will get a panic attack like that again link me so that I can focus on your mood at once and contact the guys so they can channel through me, understand?" She explains her plan, she is crafty and meticulous, I definitely like her!

"I feel much better Beta and now more that you stand behind me, thank you." I look at her and put my hand on her shoulder and Isla wraps one arm around her waist and puts her hand on her other shoulder. "You're doing exceptionally well, thank you for accepting being my Beta." I feel that she's overwhelmed by what I said, her Alpha and Luna were showing support and gratitude, I could feel she was taken aback. Janaína is the first Beta female in Osupa history, so I'm not going to give Federico shit for not naming her over her brother... We might be a bit more empowering towards females in our pack but we also have a long way to go. However I could also feel that she was keeping her emotions in check, her main focus right now was to make sure my own emotions were in check as is her duty. If Víctor hadn't noticed it himself her talent would have been wasted.

"Yo Alpha! We are keeping your emotions in check, don't mess her's up or we have to take up her slack!" Shomari isn't very familiar with me, I even had him in the dungeons for almost a month in isolation and yet his informality and casual brazenness makes me smile and I give a silent chuckle. Bayoán just straight up laughed at that making me glare at him making him laugh harder.

"Git her Shomari! You both have to start learning to put her in her place when she looses it, otherwise we'll have a tyrant in our hands!" I see a faint smile on Janaína's lips and a beaming one on Shomari. They are achieving it! Four Betas working in harmony as one unit! I am very proud of them but show must go on, I will meet with all of them before Víctor's leave to congratulate them and verify the numbers on how in sync they are and what potential that could be unlocked by it. Either way I give my brother a death glare...

"Que pendejo eres!" I look back at him through the mirror to watch the end touches the Masters were working on, but despite my serious face he laughs harder with Shomari joining him and Isla and Janaína and even the Masters giggling. It's fine... I don't want MY pack on pins and needles from me, I want that sentiment for anyone from the outside who wishes to cross us. It's those who would harm my people I want to be deterred from even THINKING on making a move against us.

Either way my mood wasn't as it was before, but I was calm and even had a soothing feeling of serenity. They really were an outstanding team! I am definitely a very lucky Alpha to have them, making me sigh in relief. Janaína went to one of the couches joining the others and Bayo puts his arm around her shoulder and giving her a gentle shake like telling her: 'See? You're doing great.' And she pulled one of Shomari's dreads scolding him for his informality making him laugh again.

I hadn't noticed I had a beaming smile on my own face looking at them through the mirror. Isla comes closer to me... "Master Isaura, the Alpha needs a retouch for her make-up here." Isaura responds choking a little bit on her giggle.

"At once Luna!" And she takes a look at my face and goes to work while Isla takes a seat next to me holding my hand.

"I know you are proud of them mija, so am I. In our history never had we had such harmony, you can feel it throughout the Hive, I am so proud of you as well, and I know that the dead are too." This brings a chill down my spine. With all that has been going on I had no room in my mind to even remember those who are gone. I have been so focused in protecting those alive, increasing our numbers and defenses and taking revenge to vent my own rage and frustration of what happened that day that I had lost sight of underlying issue. We mourned our dead back in Blood Moon when the future was so uncertain, yet I just noticed that I had not decreed anything on it. Thousands of my people were dead and many more still lived in pain because of it.

She notices my lost expression, her eyes have always been sharp, for a Kappa small details are very important.

"We should have lunch tomorrow mija, we can have a little chat... What do you think?" She says as licks her thumb to fix some of my baby hairs in place with a serene face, making me feel like the little girl who still hadn't left for Avalon and she used to pamper along with Yadiel and Natalia. I grabbed her hand before she took it away and kissed it. Sometimes I get caught up in my passions and drive that I overlook important things.

"As my Luna commands." She gave me such a gentle smile. The last time her Alpha called her that was when Guarionex was alive... As a pack, following the hierarchy helps maintain balance and structure within the hive mind, I had made sure her place in it remained intact, however I myself always treated her like I did before... As a mother. I had forgotten that for her to garnish the strength to continue being Luna, especially after her own devastating loss it was also important for MYSELF to acknowledge her position not just in my own heart but within the tribe. Just me saying those simple words I felt like I had breathed a bright flame inside her. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and when she opened them I saw resolve and determination in her now sparkling eyes that thinking on it were a little dim before. How could I overlook this?! I thought I had everything in check!

"Alpha, enough... Don't dwell on what I know you are spinning your mind over. You're Cacique and Queen of The Osupa, not just an Alpha and you will be just 20 years old in a few days." We look at each other in the mirror and no more words are needed. Whatever happened to my mother and Tía Ayiti that prevented them from nursing us, I will forever be grateful that she asked Isla to do it and to Isla for accepting. And my heart swells as I imagine my mother looking out for me even if she's gone...