Shey's POV
"Are you sure you want the Legion present in that very important event?"
An immense level of concern could be heard from Uncle Stan's voice. More lines could be seen in his already wrinkled forehead.
As my father's right-hand man, he had all the rights to worry. Earlier today, we had received an intel from one of our organizers that the Legion of the North was pressuring the owner of the venue to gatecrash the event. Of course, Uncle Stan was not happy about it.
"Let them be, Uncle Stan," I said confidently, as I put down the pile of folders I was busy with.
I posed a confident grin trying to reassure my father's younger brother that I am still one step ahead of our enemies. "I want them to know who we really are as a group and what we can do," I responded.
My middle-aged uncle held a deep sigh. In the end, he surrendered. He knew very well that once I had made my decision, no one could talk me out of it. Not even him nor my father.
Tomorrow, the Scarlet Union would name me as my father's successor after the members of the union had voted for me. Contrary to a normal werewolf pack, our leader had been determined by the rule of the majorities. We were electing our heads instead of following the regular rule of alpha ascension. In our ways, everybody had rights to express their opinions on leadership. We would make sure every single voice in the community would be heard.
The journey I had taken until this very moment was not easy. There were a lot of tears shed. Sleepless nights were a common thing. Anxiety and doubt were my constant companions. But I wouldn't want it any other way. I am who I was today because of these trials. These made me the she wolf everybody would know about.
My name's Shey Collins, the only child of the famed Maximilian Collins. He was the notable leader of an organization called the Scarlet Union and I am his protegé and successor.
Being a woman in a world dominated by strong and aggressive masculine wolf pride, I was not expected to do anything other than submit to a man. Thank the goddess my father was different from other stereotype alphas. Moreover, a not so typical werewolf parent. Although I did not have a motherly figure to look up to, my father had ensured I would be molded into somebody that every werewolf parents, especially the mothers, would be proud of.
My father had an extremely radical approach to being a father and a leader. Some called him an extremist and a revolutionary wolf man. But in my eyes, he was just a simple being with a vision of a more progressive society for us werewolves. And that was something I would forever be in awe of.
He had dreamed of a world that had equal opportunities for everyone. A world that wasn't controlled by the powerful alone. A world that looked after the weak and powerless. A world designed for every wolf man and she would be proud of.
A world where choices were more important than traditions.
And through his vision, the Scarlet Union was born. And I am glad to say that in the span of 10 years, our philosophies had reached hundreds of werewolf packs which decided to take a stand against the gruesome effects of social rankings. And there were more.
"Does your father knows about this, Shey?" Uncle Stan asked. "I think it is best to let him know about what is going on."
"No need to bother him with this stuff, Uncle Stan. You know very well that these things might trigger another threat to his health."
I bit my lower lip as I had said this. The only reason my father was passing on the scepter was because of his declining fettle. Being a 75 year-old werewolf, he had done so much for our world. And now, the effects of his dedication and hard work to the cause had taken its toll on his physicality.
Uncle Stan held a deep sigh. "I trust your judgment, Shey. If this is what you want, then you have my full support."
"Thanks, Uncle Stan. I know I can count on you." I got up from my seat, extended my hands and asked for a hug. Uncle Stan smiled and inched himself towards me.
"Why wouldn't I? You are the pride and joy of our family. We are confident you will do well as the organization's new leader just like your father."
I was deeply touched by his kind words and became overwhelmed by my emotions. A tear had fallen into my right cheek out of utmost gratitude as I gave him a tighter hug. I am so lucky to be part of a family that could see the things I could do outside my gender. Outside my weakness as a female werewolf. But not everyone was as lucky as me.
There were still a lot of lower-ranking wolves who were subjected to violence and abuse because of their status. There were still female wolves who were deprived of opportunities and had not been given a chance to explore their potentials because they were bound with overbearing traditions.
They were the reasons why the Scarlet Union would continue to flourish. They were my goaded to keep on going. They were my inspiration to keep on striving.
As long as the Scarlet Union was here, no werewolf would be left alone to battle their own beast.
I would do everything in my power to reach out to them. Nothing could stand between me and my duties to the union.
"Hush now, my darling Shey. No need to be emotional." Uncle Stan caressed my back lovingly. This gesture gave me a warm feeling. "Always remember that me and your father will always be here for you no matter what. Be it as the queen of our family or as the new head of the union. Whatever you embark on with your life, you will always have our backs."
"I know you both are, Uncle Stan. That's why I am ready to make you, my father and the whole Scarlet Union proud. I promise to be at least half of what my father was as a leader." My eyes were filled with hope and determination as I looked at him. This made Uncle Stan nod with eagerness and conviction.
"That's our girl," he uttered as he tapped my right shoulder displaying his full confidence with my words. "Go and show the world what you can do."
Pierre's POVYou are invited to attendA Black Tie EventInduction Ceremony for the new leaders of the Scarlet UnionMay 17, 2021 | 7 PMThe Lunar Shrine Hotel and CasinoAs I carefully read the details on the black tie invitation which Alpha Lexington had secured for me and my Beta Jaxon Smith, I was overcome with anticipation.As this was a fancy event, I made sure to be at my best. For this occasion, I chose to wear a black tie dinner jacket with satin lapels and shawl collar. As for the black tie itself, I selected something that was proportionate to my head. Finally, I finished the l
Shey's POV Tonight was the moment of truth. Some said a female werewolf can only achieve great things through her man. I was born to a society where a woman was only expected to be a wife and a mother. That they were nothing but a homemaker, a supporter and an unrecognized shadow behind every wolf. This evening, I would prove them wrong. I looked at myself at the mirror. For the succession ceremony, I chose to wear something bold. Something that would echo strength and independence. A color that would shout prominence and wit. In the sea of black and white, I chose to wear red. Red as dawn, my floor-length gown had an asymmetric neckline. The high-slit design revealed the nakedness of my right leg yet the flowy, silken garment put an elegant contrast to it. I finished my looks with a pair of black, platform shoes and a golden threader earrings. As for my crowning glory, I decided to curl it a little for so
Shey's POV My head ache like hell. I am feeling a bit under the weather the moment I opened my eyes. I only drank a single glass of red wine last night and hurried home after the formal accession ceremony was over yet I feel like my whole body had been ran over by a monster truck. This must have been because of stress, jitters and fatigue from the recent event. It was crazy! I tried to communicate with Kaya inside my head but she was ignoring me. The profound sadness and despair was all over her. Perhaps that was the reason I was feeling sick today. Kaya's depression was manifesting on my body. The clock sitting at the top of my bedside table hit quarter after nine. Realizing it was almost 10 o'clock in the morning, I forced myself to get out of bed. I let the morning air inside my room by opening the windowpane. The sunlight that came inside had a hint of sudden warmth. The morning sunshine erased all the sleepiness that was left inside of
Jaxon'sPOVIt was a very quiet Saturday evening at our house. The night sky was clear and full of twinkling stars. Cold breeze was circulating inside our home so my wife decided to lift down the small windowpane we had at our dining room for warmth. Afterwards, she began fixing the table and serve dinner.Tonight was nothing special yetLysa, as always, cooked a feast. I could smell thesmokinessof the fall-off-the-bone barbeque ribs paired with rich and creamy macaroni and cheese. The warm, yellow hue of the mac and cheese and the dark, red tone of the ribs complemented each other. Tonight's meal certainly made a picture-perfect plate. This was one of the many reasons why I had fallen head over heals with my wife. She was a fantastic cook who su
Pierre'sPOVWhat could be a better way to forget the matters of the heartthanburying yourself in mountains of paperwork?This had been my routine for the last few days after witnessing what could have been the best night of my life. In a normal circumstance, I might have been in bed, lying next to my loving mate while discussing our plans for our future. However, the goddess of the moon had other intent. Instead, Iam stuckhere in my office disconnecting myself from the world while trying to figure out how I could get the hell out of the situation I am in.On how I would be able to accept that my long-awaited mate was the very person I should destroy.
Shey'sPOV"Shey, an urgent letter came in the mail earlier."I looked up at my secretary as she handed me the whiteenvelopecontaining the letter she was talking about. After carefully scanning the outer part of the letter out of curiosity, I immediately grabbed the paper knife made of stainless steel from my desk and had its way through it. When I completely teared the paper enclosing the communication, a familiar logo appeared. The branded blank was that of the Legion of the North.I had my full trust on Janice who's working for Scarlet Union for almost 12 years. She needed little to no supervision in doing her job. Most of the time, she was able to filter all of my works down to the level that only needed my int
Pierre's POVFinally, the day I had waited for had arrived.I couldn't help but to look at myself in the mirror a thousand times. In my bed laid couple of my wardrobes and some accessories. These are the ones I had tried earlier until I came up with what I am wearing now. The last time I had been this pressured about selecting what to wear was during my inauguration as the leader of the Legion of the North. I had to commission a stylist just to look presentable that night but it was all worth it.To give myself a fresh yet a smart, boy-next-door look, I chose a gray slim-fit Chino pants, a white shirt and a blazer. Wearing a pair of black leather shoes was a no-brainer as well. I alsohad an appointmentin the salon yesterday to have my hair styled. I adorned my wrist with a gold watch to which I am constantly checking to prevent myself from ge
Shey'sPOVTonight was far from being ordinary. Somehow, it flooded me with both nerves and anticipation. Why wouldn't I? I was about to meet the head of the number one opposer of the Scarlet Union.Eager tomake a statement, I decided to went with smart yet elegant get up. Selecting a white boat-neck sheath dress paired with a black stiletto gave me the confidence I need to face probably one of the most egocentric and narcissistic persons I would possibly meet in life. Well, what could I expect? He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and knows nothing about hard labor to survive. And unfortunately, this was a common trait for someone who had been born to a privileged life in the werewolf society.