So he changed the law, making it so the Alpha had the right to take any woman in the pack as his Luna, even if she was already mated. To enforce his law, he threatened everyone with exile, daring them to disobey him and become nomads where they would surely perish.
What he didn't expect was for more than 80 percent of the pack to refuse him, starting with the Beta, all of them instantly becoming nomads or lone wolves.
A couple of Elders then swore loyalty to Hixxih, and after their example, everyone else did as well.
Do you remember the power surge you felt when becoming Alpha?"
"Yes, I do."
"Well, while the individual skills of the Alpha are important, they are multiplied proportionally by his pack. The bigger the pack, the higher the power increase.
But it works the other way around as well. So while Sigis lost so many, Hixxih gained them. And they did not want to leave their homes.
Under council from the Elders of his new pack, he attacked Sigis and forced him to a one on one combat, because the rest of the people that had stayed behind were mostly noncombatants and did not really put up a fight.
Probably in a duel, where two Alphas are reduced to their individual power before they fight, Sigis would have won.
But that was war, and Hixxih fought with all the support of the pack behind him and easily won, killing the former Alpha and annulling the unfair law Sigis had tried to force on them."
"I see."
"Why did you want to know that?"
"Oh, nothing. Just planning for the future and weighing my options. Thank you, Amisha! By the way, what happened to Hixxih?"
"He was challenged to a duel by the son of another Alpha, and he lost the position. But the young Alpha proved wise for his years and actually kept Hixxih as his own Beta. Though that is a story for another time."
"Once again, thank you Amisha! I have to go now and see to my pack, but I'll meet with you tomorrow morning?"
"Of course. The guests for your father's procession should start arriving tomorrow, and we need to get you ready."
"Shouldn't Lindator be greeting them?"
"Some of them were close friends of your father's and will want to personally show you their support. Etiquette dictates the rest to also officially present their condolences to the surviving members of the deceased Alpha's family."
"OK, If I have to..." Jena groans in agreement and heads for her Pack's camp location.
As the last of the flames die out, with the funeral pyre and her father's remains now only a mound of ash and smoldering coal, people form groups, wanting to come over to Jena and present their condolences.
Amisha takes one look at Jena and calls everyone to attention.
"Throughout this procession, all of the old traditions and proper decorum have been kept, so I ask you all, in the spirit of friendship and respect we all had towards Alpha Magnus, to finish this day in the same spirit. This evening there will be a grand feast in honor of our late Alpha and we, the members of the Oasis Pack, would greatly appreciate it if your condolences would come as toasts and maybe some stories about Alpha Magnus during the celebration tonight. So write your speeches and get your rest in cause there won't be any sleeping tonight. Except for the children of course," she finishes with a smile and a few 'oh mans' can be heard from a group of teenagers nearby.
Jena heads slowly towards the Oasis Pack central plaza where the fountain, the biggest and most obvious sign the pack is both rich and strong enough to maintain their position is.
Amisha catches up to her quickly, and for a while doesn't say anything.
"Thank you for everything, Elder."
"It's fine dear, it was both my duty and my pleasure, though a sad pleasure at that. Mind if we keep going towards the outside of the settlement?"
"OK," Jena says and sighs deeply.
When Amisha is finally sure they are outside the reach of anyone's prying ears, she finally speaks:
"So, tell me!"
"Tell you what?"
"What's bothering you?"
"What kind of question is that? My father just died! We just burned his body; Moons be damned!"
"If that's out of your system, could we talk seriously or do you feel like hurling more insults toward the Two Moons?"
"I'm... fine. I think. For now."
"At least you're honest. So tell me what's really bothering you. What happened in the other world?"
"How did you...? How do you know about that? Because I'm sure Alastair didn't tell you, so it must be one of the other two wolves that were with us."
"Actually no. You've garnered a lot of respect from your Pack members Alpha Jena, in a very short amount of time."
"Fighting side by side with them tends to do that. And you agreed on just Jena and Amisha while in private."
"True. Just making a point. And to answer your unspoken question, you tend to forget I was very close to your father. That and I had a dream-walk visit from Sandra. I believe you know her."
"What did the Witch want now?"
"You believe me? Just like that?"
"She sent me to a different world or planet or whatever. I'm ready to believe almost anything coming from that... Damn it! I can't even call her an old crone because she honestly looked barely older than me."
"So it's true. The other world, you being there."
"Didn't you just say Sandra told you that?"
"Yeah, but I didn't say I believed her. Well not until now, anyway."
"The thing is it all comes back to my father."
"Yes, I know... his death and all that, but that's not..."
"Wait and listen, please. Amisha, my father knew! He knew I would need to go to the other world, long before there was even a hint of this Master character which I promise I'll tell everyone more about tonight. My father knew I would need to go there and he had already paid for my trip!"
"He knew what? What did he know?"
"He knew I would find my mate there! If he had just said something to me, things could have been so much different! I wouldn't have needed to go on that diplomatic mission for the pack while in my heart I was really hoping to find my other half. I wouldn't have met Alpha Mahli. I wouldn't have annoyed the Second by defeating him in the defensive battle for my the pack, my father would still be alive, and I would be happily waiting for next year to come so I could find my mate on Earth and bring him back to Calla. HE SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME! He should have FCUKING told me!" Jena yells, shaking the Elder by the shoulders.
"Oh, honey!"
Amisha doesn't seem bothered, holding her arms out instead and Jena throws herself into her hug, breaking down into a full-blown fit of crying and letting go of her walls and Alpha composure for the first time in days.
"I know this may be presumptuous of me, but - and I know I'm speaking as one who is not mated - I have been waiting a long time for mine to show up. I was a Diplomat too and traveled my fair share, always hoping.
Maybe a better, happier course of actions for me would have been to look around and find my happiness sooner with someone that was available.
It might be too late for me now to change my way of living since I've kind of gotten used to being on my own. But maybe not for you? Since you are sure your mate is stuck on another world, and there is no way for you two to be together?
Isn't there someone around you that you might be into? Or just take an interest in knowing that? Someone strong that you respect and who admires you back? Someone that could easily accept the fact you are an Alpha and will remain an Alpha? I won't give names, but think about it!"
"I think she means Alastair," Lana hints.
"But that's crazy! He's like a brother to me!"
"Though not really."
"Don't tell me you are actually considering this!?"
"Well, no, but I can see Amisha's point. He has shown interest, and he would easily accept you as an Alpha.
Our mate is unreachable!
And I don't want to be selfish, but h
e doesn't even have a wolf!
And Alastair wolf's is rather handsome!"
"You're definitely considering this!"
"Maybe! Just don't shut this idea down completely. Think it over a bit!"
"I didn't even consider our mate not having a wolf. This is hard on you too!"
"On us. Let's just both dwell on the idea? We can decide later."
"Yeah. Let's do that."
"And one last thing before you go: I think it's time I gave you the letter from your father."
"Wh...hat?" Jena mumbles from Amisha's chest.
***
Meanwhile somewhere else in the settlement:
"One of their Elders approached father; this girl doesn't have any chance to become Alpha in her father's place. There have never been female Alphas for the Oasis Pack."
"Are you sure, Brayden?"
"Yes, little brother," he answers him.
"But you know I haven't finished warrior training yet."
"True, but Xavier, you will be done in two months' time. We will just have to force them to hold the trials then."
"And the girl, Jena? Didn't she already complete the training?"
"Another Elder said she was assigned as a Diplomat, so nothing to worry there."
"But isn't she an Alpha already?"
"Over a pride of cats? Common, I could take an Alpha cat any day. She probably tricked him into giving the pride to her with some diplomatic mambo-jumbo and in her arrogance, she then called it a pack. Not to mention, if by any chance she was allowed to compete for the position, pack bonds are blocked during the duel. It's all about individual skill. Aren't you top of your class?"
"Yes, I am."
"Then stop worrying Xavier. It will be fine."
"So what do you want to do when I get to be Alpha over the Oasis Pack?"
"Well I'll convince our father to retire and just be my advisor, and I'll start attacking the neighboring smaller packs, heading south towards you. Meanwhile, you do the same going north towards me."
"So basically you want to surround the Mountain River Pack?"
"On three sides since they have the mountain to their back. Then we unite and take that son of a bitch down."
"Sounds good to me."
"Yeah, but let's get you to be Alpha first. It's good both packs have Elders who can't stand Magnus's daughter. We got a lot of good information from them."
"Did you pay them?"
"Of course, in promises of what place of honor they will hold when I become King of the Alphas in the South, with you as my right hand."
"I still get to be Alpha though right?"
"Of course, you will only occasionally have to do a few things for me, and since we will both have access to fresh, uncontaminated water, we will have the strongest armies on Calla."
"What about the North?"
"Fuck the North and their stupid, everlasting winter. Damned snow lickers. At least here in the South, winter is not coming. Ever!"
***
In a third location in the Oasis Pack Settlement:
"Alpha, there is unrest in the Oasis Pack."
"Leave them be; it's their business who they want as Alpha. Though I think Magnus's girl should get it. I've read Magnus's letters about her, and I believe she would honor her father's deals with us. Our Packs have been allies for three generations."
"Weren't your grandfathers related?"
"Not related. Very good friends."
"I see."
"I really hope whoever they make Alpha is wise enough not to cause any trouble. Especially with this new threat we keep hearing about."
"You mean those religious fanatics?"
"Well they haven't come close enough to our lands yet, and I'm not truly worried about fanatical wolves, but those warhogs I keep getting reports on? They sound like trouble."
"We should go Alpha; the feast is about to start."
"Indeed. Let none say the Mountain River Pack Alpha is late to a celebration which honors one of his closest friends and allies!"
***
"My friends and honored guests, we have gathered here today to commemorate the return of our beloved Alpha Magnus to the Celestial Pack in the sky, where Alpha and Luna are the Two Moons and all wolves are equal, the forests evergreen and full of game with fresh water rivers riddling the landscape!"
"Hear, hear," comes the approval of most of those present.
"Thank you, Elder Amisha, both for your kind words and the effort you put in taking care of everything and making sure our guests are well taken care of," Jena speaks.
"Perhaps now would be a good time to discuss the succession of your father's Role as Alpha," Elder Qubdaig interrupts.
Remind me to accidentally kill him, Alastair says to his wolf, taking a step forward towards the Elder but Jena notices him and with a shake of her head, has him stand his ground.
"It is actually a bad time, Elder Qubdaig, with Magnus's ash not even settled. One might suspect you have a hidden agenda in hurrying up the succession, no?" Amisha asks raising an eyebrow.
"Of course not! That is absurd! I'm just worried about all the unrest in our pack without an Alpha to lead us, you know with the rumors and everything."
"Aren't half of those rumors started by you yourself, Elder?" Alastair points out.
"That is irrelevant, though," Jena interrupts, leaving Qubdaig to exhale relieved, hoping nobody noticed his reaction.
"This sounds more like an internal matter to me, which perhaps shouldn't be discussed at this time and with such an audience," one of the Alphas there says, commanding everyone's attention with his presence.
"Who did you say that is?" Jena asks leaning into Amisha.
"Alpha Aaron, of the Mountain River Pack. He was a close ally and friend to your father."
"I know who Alpha Aaron is; I just didn't have a face for the name."
Then Jena turns towards everyone and continues:
"Since the subject has been brought up, let's discuss it now. I do not know how many of you have heard of this new threat of warhogs, but I assure you it is quite real."
"That's hear-say only, I have no reliable source confirming it for me," another Alpha says.
"Just because you don't have proof, doesn't mean it is not a real threat."
"I am Alpha Sorin, of the Southern Start Pack. I have no reason to believe Alpha Magnus's daughter would have any interest in lying to us. With that said, though my pack is probably privileged in terms of wealth when compared to others, we still depend on getting our water through trade from the Oasis Pack or the Mountain River Pack. In light of this threat, it is even more important we settle the matter of the Oasis Pack's Alpha as soon as possible. I'd hate to become dependent on getting my water from a single source because of internal unrest. No offense meant, Alpha Aaron."
"None taken, Alpha Sorin. It's common sense to have alternatives."
"Now if I understand correctly, it would be no issue to succeed Magnus if he had a male heir. Am I right Elder Amisha?"
"That is true."
"And everyone loves Magnus's daughter and would accept her as Luna of the Oasis Pack, isn't that so Elder Qubdaig?"
"Of course! We've always planned and wanted Jena to become our Luna when she found her mate, which knowing her..."
"Does he actually believe what he is saying, Lana?"
"I think what he is doing is publicly trying to kiss everyone's asses simultaneously. Notice the brown shade his lips are starting to take."
"... would be a worthy Alpha for our Pack. Sadly, to my knowledge, our beloved Jena..."
"Can I puke now?"
"... has not yet found her mate."
"I see. Though, I do believe I have a solution for that. Normally, Magnus would be alive, and Jena would have as much time as needed to find her mate, but this is not a normal situation. So I would like to propose, my eldest, Brayden - stand up, son - as an arranged mate for Jena for the stability of the entire region. This would form a very strong alliance b
etween our Packs, getting us evermore ready to face an outside threat. Provided, of course, she would renounce her title of Alpha of the... I'm sorry I didn't quite get the name of her 'pack', and rejoins the strong Oasis Pack for this to work."
"That's not what we discussed, Brayden!" Sorin's youngest mindlinks his brother.
"Chill bro; just think reversed roles between us, you from the North and me from the South. Same thing, only I get a nice mate to play with as a bonus."
"I can't believe your luck, though. You get a pack and a mate! It's like you're privileged by the Moons or something."
"I was first born after all. Don't worry Xav; I won't forget about you. Plus once you are Alpha, the she-wolves will start throwing themselves at you anyway."
"Extremely well spoken, Alpha Sorin! And a very thoughtful and generous offer. I'm sure that Jena..."
"Could do better than your son," Alpha Aaron interrupts.
"I beg your pardon? What are you implying?"
"That your son is a womanizer, who likes to 'occasionally' hit his women? Not acknowledging his behavior doesn't excuse it or make it all better, Alpha Sorin. I would like to offer the alternative of myself as a matched mate. I too have yet to have met my mate, and this would strengthen our already existing alliance, by completely merging our packs, under one rule, truly ready to face any adversity this threat may throw our way."
"So you can have control of the two largest clean water sources in the Southern Calla Region? That is unheard of! You'd be able to rule like a tyrant through economic sanctions alone, with nobody to stop you from bringing us to our knees! No single pack should have that power!"
Unless it's mine, of course. I am the most suited for this after all!
Shouts and mutterings of agreement follow Alpha Sorin's loud reply, descending the entire area into general chaos.
"ENOUGH!" Beta Lindator yells over everyone, forcing them to quiet down.
"Before any more of you think to throw yourselves, your sons, brothers and whoever else comes to your minds at me, with the idea to become my mate and therefore Alpha of the Oasis Pack, let me enlighten you on the fact that I already found my mate."
An eerie silence descends upon all present, while the most gasps come from Jena's own and her father's Oasis Pack.
Rise of an Alpha Female (Two Moons Book 1) Page 20