Chapter 119: The Bigger Picture

Chapter 119: The Bigger Picture

Janaína POV

I don't think I have ever felt as achieved and respected as I do right now. Before going up the stairs to the platform where the simple wooden throne bench awaited the Alpha for the welcoming of the newcomers, the Lady Phoebe came up to me. I am Truth Seer, yet I know the Lady Phoebe was one, as well as a Reader, she is oozing a supportive aura. The newcomers were still being welcomed by the pack at the docks so there was still a little time to get ready and digest my place in this pack I have come to love in such a short time.

"The first time it's overwhelming, but as long as you keep your link open to our Queen, the other Betas and myself you will be able to steady yourself and steady HER. Just remember that she's still a wolf and a strong Alpha at that... She will listen to you and listen your advice but you must make peace with those facts. Add to that the other fact that our Queen is a High Priestess of the Goddess. So don't be discouraged if she doesn't take your advice, it's not her dissing you, it's her following her intuition..." She went on with more advice and encouragement. For a moment I felt my heart swell up, I was so moved by this. I really hadn't had the opportunity to interact with the Lady Phoebe... I had heard of her power and seen it through the eyes of Bayoán and Víctor. I had heard that her mate Jacob was under intense training along with others to be a part of the Alpha Guard that was being organized by General Braka, but I had never spoken with her. I noticed that she had stopped talking. And she gave me a small smile.

"You'll be fine Janaína. When we are up there we work just as you're working with the other Betas... As a team. Believe me I know what your feeling, you may not have been fully appreciated by your pack... I was cast out from both sides of my family to become a slave and now we stand behind the strongest Alpha of the strongest pack on the planet." Gee thanks... No pressure! And she let out a laugh. Ugh! She's a Reader dummy!

"Don't kick yourself anymore, you're going to have to accept your position of power now and not shy away from it. You are where you stand by YOUR own strength and talent, understood?" She says putting a hand on my shoulder and I nod to her with a bit more confidence.

"Thank you My Lady!" And she gives a chuckle.

"It still feels strange to be acknowledged that way, how does it feel in your heart when they call you Beta?" I frown at this... I haven't contemplated it yet. Like REALLY though about it. The guys were so focused on making Shomari and I feel so welcomed and we went into synchronization training so fast that I haven't had a chance to reflect on any of that.

But she did have a point, I am now officially one of the Betas of The Osupa. I had heard stories about them since I was little, but even a lot of people in my pack thought it was just legend and speculation. There were other packs in Brazil that had made contact with them so we were almost certain they were real, but our pack hadn't had any direct contact, so we weren't 100% sure. For us The Osupa we're shrouded in mystery and we really did not know what to think of them, they had always kept to themselves and their territory. Now that I'm here, I would have never imagined this place! To be honest I would not even have believed it if somebody had just told me even as a Truth Seer, my old pack was a backwards village compared to this! And yet to be honest we did have technology and we were fairly well off before the attacks from The Council, it was just like any other werewolf pack.

I look back at her and find why she is comparing our situation... We are very similar. We now carry power and a voice within the tribe that our previous ones dismissed. And I finally REALLY understand the underlying meaning of her wanting to know me before we received the newcomers; not only was it to encourage me and to put my mind at ease, she was conveying the immense responsibility of our position. Today our numbers would swell exponentially, as well as that responsibility. I had always been arrogant and carried a lot of anger and resentment. I sat on one of the benches at the back of the Court and Phoebe sat besides me and put one of her tiny hands on mine, I was aware she was reading me and I was ok with it, I feel her sincerity in making sure I do well.

"I'm glad you understand now Beta, we still have much to do. Those feelings you carry will subside with time, but here..." She says signaling with the hand she just had on mine at the magnificence of the room we are in. "... There is no room for them." I look at our surroundings and I remember the first time I was here and our pack and Luna Llena de la Sombra were welcomed. Just the walk from the docks to The Fort had all of us in awe and as the Beta's sister I was allowed to join the Entourage that would be greeted inside the Court instead of having to wait outside. I had never seen such a structure. I look at Phoebe... She's right!

"Thank you My Lady! I guess I needed to really hear it to grasp it fully. I am thankful to the Goddesses that you are with us and by the Alpha's side." Loiza is so different than Federico, she really doesn't care about your background, she's carefully chosen those who advice her to get the most effective results while creating a harmonious environment. When I spoke with my brother and father when I was packing my things to move to my new apartment in The Fort I could feel some resentment, and yet before leaving, João stopped me... "Jana, if they chose you I expect great things from you, Blessed Be!" I didn't respond to him, I just glared at him and left. Ugh! Jana that was childish! I just wanted to rub it in their faces that I was a BOSS, but they were trying to be supportive albeit resentfully. I sigh thinking about it. We are ALL still adapting to The Osupa mentality... The pack comes first. That includes pettiness and now that I am the one in the true position of power it's MY responsibility to set the example within not just my family, but every Osupa member of Única Lua. My head just drops.

"I will keep the secret that you almost let your head fall from the rest of your body Beta, yet I only request that it never happen again. Remember that your a Beta of The Osupa and that head must stand tall and firm." I lift my head looking at her serene face and give her a grave nod.

"You have my word My Lady... Thank you." She stands up slowly and I notice her stomach and the tiny bump and she grabs my chin rapidly but gently.

"Focus on NOW Beta, our Queen will know but I will not interrupt her focus. My beloved Jacob knows, and it's because it's his right and because I knew it would help him focus on his own training which has kept us apart, but you will have our leave requests at the time I determine. Daniella is also aware and monitoring me, we are doing fine. Damn now the Betas will know... I wanted to give you guys more time to not worry about that." I was a little puzzled at first, I am still new at being in such an intimate position with the Alpha.

Then I realized she was referring to the daevas! Besides from the emotions I felt from the Alpha with that whole thing with the tiara, I really haven't felt fear from her since joining The Osupa, and now that I am Beta I can search through her emotions since Bayoán became her first Beta... I search both Bayoán's and Víctor's memory and not even when she was declaring war to The Council was she nervous or afraid, not even doing all she has done while pregnant was she really afraid... It was the daevas which truly scare her and Phoebe is the only one who can exorcise them from a person!

And now I look at her as if I saw her for the first time. A fae/elf rejected by her clans who found a true family and has taken to heart that the pack comes first! She's thinking about the bigger picture... Just like Loiza. She's looking at me taking in my epiphany with a calm face, I notice her tattoo on her right forearm... That's where I got mine too, I know it was the trend to put it there but now that I understand what is REALLY happening here I am glad I did put it there. This is so beyond the stupid Council of Warewolves, The Council of Vampires, even the fae and elf Courts! I look at her and I imagine my eyes must be the size of saucers and she gives me a gentle smile.

"This is Gaia's will. Everything else is trivial and meaningless Beta Janaína, we are building a new Empire, we are joining the supernatural world under one rule. We are bringing balance and harmony to our world, we are trying to bring an end to the meaningless wars and animosity within the supernatural kingdoms. We are trying to bring the harmony of Avalon to everyone! The Great Mother and Selene have chosen our Queen and her mate to move forward on their will, however there is a greater force than these small trivial institutions that are hunting our Queen. I have my own theories, but I have to be very cautious with any name I speak, for it can bring unwanted attention to us. If it's hunting our Queen we cannot allow that, she is after all the driving force of this whole endeavor. I will make sure my pregnancy does not affect any protection for Her. Tell the other Betas we will meet in my office tomorrow afternoon, again I did not want any of you to lose focus... but me keeping it a secret for no from you is not effective either we always have to have another plan just in case. I have been working the incantation with Morgana, however it is not working, maybe it's her pregnancy. I am worried that if a gifted witch such as Morgana with the powerful blood of Morgaine Le Fay can't do it, it would be very difficult to find someone else who can. The Lady Ayana has been working on it too, and she is very powerful in her own right, beside her skill as a High Priestess... yet I still don't know if she could achieve it."

I am stunned! I feel my mouth dry. The other Betas know of The Alpha's fear of the daevas... But THIS! This is basically a direct order from---

"The very TOP!" Phoebe finishes my thoughts. "Why do you think that even Moira is a little kitty now when it comes to BOTH Loiza AND Kayden?" She finishes. And I search through Bayoán's memories to get a better understanding of The Grand Priestess of Avalon. Almost a goddess in her own right! Then I focus again on his memories of Alpha Kayden... he was actually PISSED that the Goddess dare mate Loiza, to someone like Kayden.

Being a Beta is complicated. You're true power lies with finessing the mind, being able to foresee even if you do not have psychic powers, you must assess the emotional and mental capability of the Alpha and have enough physical strength and power at the same time to override him or her if the order given is completely unreasonable or dangerous to the survival of the pack. It just made me remember the pack in India who cut the Alpha's tongue off... It must have taken a LOT to get to that point! They must be desperate! Because at the same time as a Beta, the sense of loyalty and devotion to your Alpha is almost impossible to fight. That's what keeps balance within the high leadership of a pack.

He took it personally... he even felt that Moira had something to do with it! But he saw she was unbiased. And yet as more time has gone by he has grown to respect Alpha Kayden and is even working together with Victor, which I already know about his past with the Alpha, to make sure that the mates return to be together. Both Loiza and Kayden are powerful Alphas, however Kayden never received the same training and education Loiza did, and yet now that he has been mated to her and decided not to put a Block and apparently is accessing her thoughts and memories to better himself, he's even the personal executioner to Gaia herself! He will more than likely match Loiza not long! I can feel my brows so knitted together that it's giving me a headache.

"Oh, your very good Beta! Are you excited to build a new world?" Phoebe asks. My lips slowly curl up.