Chapter 19

ELIZA’S POV I caught Lily's eye across the room as the settlement papers were signed. A subtle nod passed between us – it was time. My heart pounded as I stood, knowing what came next would change everything. "I request all pack members to gather immediately," I announced, my voice carrying the authority I'd earned. I watched as Derek's face contorted in confusion, clearly not expecting this turn of events. "You don't have the right to request such a thing. You are no longer the Luna of the pack and therefore the pack no longer answers to you." "I never addressed the pack when our marriage was annulled. It was my right and since I never did that, I request to do it now." I shot back, but Derek scoffed. "You lost that right when you..." "You mean when you had an affair and brought back another woman to the pack?" Alexander butted in. I was thankful for the backup but he needed to let me fight my own battles. Due to these words, Derek's lips went into a straight line, the poke at his own morals shutting him up. "Eliza will have her audience with the pack when and as she pleases," Alexander announced to the room before he turned to me with a soft look. "What do you need?" "I want them all to be in the pack house. I'll address them there." Alexander gave me a nod before he turned to the maids in the room. "Call all the pack members into the pack house. Tell them that their Luna wishes to speak to them." The maids shared a look but without saying a word, they left to do as they were told. Derek and Maya, on the other hand, gritted their teeth, staring daggers at me. I rolled my eyes and turned around to leave, my next destination being the pack house where I could end this chapter of my life once and for all. I traversed through the pack grounds and got to the pack house right on time. Fortunately for me, the house was already getting filled up by the time I entered. I went to the front of the room with Alexander still trailing behind me and faced the audience still settling in after me. As they took their seats, I steeled my nerves. "Welcome to the pack house. I called you all here today to make an announcement. I'm sure that you all have heard about the annulment between Derek and me. I have come to address it. It is true. The Alpha of the pack and I have had our union annulled and therefore I am no longer the Luna of this pack," I declared, the whispers and murmurs of the pack members reaching my ears. Still, I continued. “Today marks not just the end of a marriage, but the beginning of a new chapter. I am leaving Crescent Moon Pack to establish my own territory. I intend to bring the Silver Moon pack back, better and stronger than ever." My eyes swept the crowd, landing on familiar faces as I spoke. "This is a goodbye and an appreciation for allowing me to be your Luna. Hopefully the new Luna will be able to carry out my duties once I leave," I said, throwing a little jab at Maya. I couldn't help it. I turned to leave the podium when I heard a woman's voice shout out. "What if some of us want to follow you? To rebuild your pack... Are we allowed to?" I moved my focus to her, a smile tugging at my lips. I mean, I knew that some of the pack members respected me when I was Luna but I didn't expect any of them to try and follow me to form a new pack. "I have the same question," another pack member stood up, watching me. "I also." I finally allowed my smile to show. "All who wish to come with me are welcome." Once I said those words, the room erupted in murmurs, and then, one by one, wolves stepped forward – primarily the women I'd mentored and supported over the years. Each declaration of loyalty made my wolf howl with pride. "You can't do this!" Maya shrieked, jumping to her feet. "Derek, stop her!" The bitch. When did they arrive at the pack house. However before Derek could move, Alexander stepped between us, his presence a solid wall of protection. "I believe she can, and she is," he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. With that Derek slunk back, a permanent scowl on his face. The wolves who stepped forward, bowed to me, pledging their loyalty for a moment before rising up and moving to the side of the pack house, awaiting my command. That was the easy part. Now came the part I'd been dreading – the pack severance ceremony. Although the magic that bonded me to Derek was already broken, the one binding me to the Crescent Moon Pack also had to be broken if I ever wanted to leave for good. One of the shamans who attended the meeting stepped forward. He looked at me, silently asking if I was ready to do this. I gave him a nod and watched as he proceeded to take some chalk from his pouch and begin to draw a circle with runes different from the annulment ceremony I had with Derek. Once he was done, I moved forward and knelt in the circle as the pack shaman began the ritual, ancient words echoing through the room. The pack looked on as I felt some warmth creep into my body but soon enough it all changed. The pain started slowly, like tendrils of fire creeping through my veins. I gritted my teeth, determined to endure it with dignity but as the magic intensified, it felt like my very soul was being shredded. My wolf howled in agony as decade-old bonds were severed one by one. Without any self control I heard myself scream out in pain as the fire engulfed my entire being. As soon as it started, it stopped and I felt my body cool down, the previous trial ending. I felt my feet go numb and I felt hands trying to steady me. I heard the concerned voices all around me, asking if I was alright but before I had the chance to answer any of their questions, black spots appeared in my vision and the darkness took me. When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed and the first face I saw was Alexander. He sat beside me, his presence oddly comforting and his grey eyes locked with mine immediately. "Welcome back," he said softly before my attention was drawn to something else. A doctor appeared in my line of vision, clipboard in hand and a wide smile on his face. "The severance was successful, Luna, I mean Alpha Eliza," she informed me, now aware of my will to go back to my own pack as its leader. "Though you'll need a few days of rest to fully recover." "I can't rest," I protested, trying to sit up. "I have a pack to lead." Alexander's hand on my shoulder gently kept me in place. "Your pack needs you to be healthy," he reminded me, not budging. "What are your plans once you're recovered?" I met his gaze steadily. "I'm taking my people back to our ancestral territory. It's been abandoned since my grandmother's time, but with work, it can be great again." Alexander's lips curved into an approving smile. He pulled out his phone, already typing. "James," he barked into the device, "I need a team of our best builders assembled immediately. Yes, full renovation crew." He paused, listening. "Priority status. Have them ready within the week." Wait. Did he just do what I thought he did? Alexander dropped his phone and turned to me. "I've requested for skilled builders to be made available to help you rebuild. So, in the meantime just rest," he assured me. Warmth bloomed in my chest at his immediate support. No hesitation, no questions asked – just immediate action to help me achieve my goals. "Thank you," I told him genuinely. After all, it was the least I could do. Lily entered the room then, carrying a stack of papers. She looked at me and smiled. "You're awake. Thank the gods," she said as she walked over to my bed. "I'm fine Lily. How's your wrist?" I asked her, remembering what Derek did to her. "It's better since the pack doctor treated it." She said to me before turning to Alexander and handing him the documents in her hands. They both fell into easy conversation, discussing logistics and resources with the familiarity of long-time colleagues. Something twisted in my gut as I watched them interact, their easy rapport making me feel suddenly like an outsider. "Jealous?" my wolf teased as we watched them talk. "Don't be ridiculous," I snapped back, pushing the feeling aside. I had more important things to focus on than whatever this strange reaction to Alexander might mean. I couldn’t be jealous about him being with another woman. I wasn’t jealous.