chapter 6: council gathering

Council members gathered in the Umbra Pack meeting hall, beneath a crescent moon, their eyes turned toward the presidium. At the head of the table stood Loki, his face a mask of smug self-assurance. He was boasting about being given the honor of presiding at this critical assembly, hence taking pleasure in it. Voices spoke over one another, now loud and now low, as each council member clearly gave an opinion on who should lead their pack in the future.

"The matter is already settled," Loki cut in, his voice a blade lashed out against the noise. "Aria is just not suitable to lead the pack. Her heritage, if one may call it that, becomes a serious hazard."

A low, guttural voice opposed, but she is still Orion's daughter—does it count for nothing? Can we so easily turn our backs on her?'

"She carries tainted blood," Loki snapped emphatically, and his hand slammed onto the table. "With tainted blood comes a tainted future."

The debate continued, other voices rising above the heated argument. The room was thick with tension—now there was practically an affirmative weight of decision in the air. At that point, the hall's heavy doors were pushed open.

Maliya's step into the forceful presence of the room was like she had shifted the very air. Walking with confidence, her golden eyes sparkled like fire under dull light, and the entire council fell silent as gazes turned toward her.

 Yes, it has been her, the little birdy that whispered to Loki her father’s long-kept secret; apparently, one day when her father was alone, she overheard him talking about it and how Aria can never find out.

She saw it as an advantage and immediately looked for someone she could call an ally, someone thirsty for power just as she is.

“Apologies for my tardiness,” she said smoothly, her tone laced with calculated confidence. “I see the council has been busy deliberating.”

Loki’s expression brightened at her arrival, though he quickly masked it with a veneer of neutrality. “Maliya, your insight is most welcome. We were just discussing the future leadership of the pack.”

“Indeed,” Maliya said, taking a slow, measured step forward. Her gaze swept the room, her presence commanding absolute attention. “And it seems to me that there is little to deliberate. The solution is clear.”

“And what might that be?” one of the older council members asked, his tone skeptical.

Maliya allowed a small smile to curve her lips, the expression sharp as a wolf’s fang. “Strength,” she said simply. “Leadership must be earned through strength, vision, and the ability to unite the pack under a common cause. Aria, while my sister, lacks these qualities. Her condition has divided us, made us weaker. That is not the foundation of a leader.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy and deliberate. Loki, ever the opportunist, stepped forward to back her. “Maliya has demonstrated her capability time and again. She is the embodiment of what this pack needs: resilience, determination, and the willingness to do what must be done.”

Maliya turned her gaze to the council, her expression unwavering. “I am prepared to lead. To guide this pack into a new era—one of strength and prosperity. But I cannot do it alone. I need the support of this council, the backbone of our pack.”

The council murmured among themselves, the room buzzing with uncertainty and contemplation. Maliya remained still, her confidence unshaken. She knew she had planted the seeds of doubt, and now she only needed to wait for them to take root.

The clearing in the heart of Umbra’s territory glowed with silver light, the full moon hanging heavy in the sky above. The pack had gathered, their breath rising in misty puffs as they waited in tense anticipation. Tonight, the air carried the weight of expectation: Orion, the alpha, was to announce his decision regarding Aria’s place as heir.

Aria stood near the center of the gathering, her chin lifted high despite the turmoil raging inside her. Whispers rippled through the crowd, each one a dagger to her composure. She could feel their stares—accusatory, skeptical, expectant. They were waiting for her downfall.

Orion’s towering figure stepped into the moonlight, his silver hair shimmering like the light of the moon itself. His presence commanded silence, and the pack obeyed. His piercing gaze swept across the gathered wolves before resting on Aria.

“Tonight, we face a truth that challenges our traditions,” Orion began, his voice steady and authoritative. “It has been revealed that my daughter, Aria, is of mixed blood.”

A ripple of murmurs spread through the pack, only to be silenced again with a raise of Orion’s hand.

“Our customs dictate that only a wolf of pure lineage may lead,” he continued. “But I stand here tonight to remind you that leadership is not solely about blood. It is about strength, wisdom, and loyalty.”

Aria’s heart pounded in her chest as Orion turned to face her fully.

“She is my daughter. She carries my blood. And because of that, she will remain my heir.”

The clearing erupted into chaos. Some wolves shouted their dissent, their voices rising in protest. Others stared in stunned silence, while a few nodded reluctantly.

Loki stepped forward, his face a mask of barely concealed rage. “This is a betrayal of our traditions, Orion! How can we trust her to lead when her very existence defies our laws?”

Orion’s gaze was sharp as a blade as he addressed Loki. “Our traditions are meant to guide us, not chain us. Aria has proven her worth time and again. If anyone challenges her fitness, they may face her in combat.”

The weight of Orion’s words settled over the pack like a heavy shroud. None dared to challenge Aria outright—not yet.

Maliya, standing among the pack, plastered a false smile on her face. Inside, her blood boiled. This was supposed to be her moment. For years, she had worked tirelessly to outshine her sister, to prove that she was the rightful heir. Now, her father’s decision had crushed her ambitions in an instant.

“Well done, Aria,” Maliya said, stepping forward to embrace her sister. Her arms wrapped around Aria in a show of solidarity, but her hands clenched tightly, her nails digging into her palms. “You’ve earned this.”

Aria stiffened under her sister’s embrace, sensing the simmering anger hidden beneath Maliya’s words. She pulled away, forcing a tight smile. “Thank you, Maliya. Your support means a lot.”

As the crowd dispersed, Aria retreated to the edge of the clearing. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions—relief, frustration, and a gnawing sense of inadequacy. She had fought so hard for her place, years of combat training and strict hunting sessions with her father; he taught her the ropes of being a true Alpha while other female wolves at her age were playing, picking flowers and wild fruits in the forest. Aria dedicated her time to intense combat training, her sights steadily fixed on the ultimate goal: to emerge as the most exceptional heir her lineage had ever known. A woman had never sat on the throne before, so she had everything to prove; she made sure she was the best at everything.

At that moment all she could think of was going to her happy place, the river border, to find peace, but she feared meeting Luca there again. She still had not gotten over everything that happened the last time they met; she could still remember his face had been inches away from hers, his features a blur of rugged beauty. The scent of his skin, a mix of leather and spice, still wafted through her senses, bringing her back to that heart-stopping moment. And her traitorous heart still skipped a beat as she recalled the way it had somersaulted in her chest, as if trying to escape the confines of her ribcage.

She shook off the haze of daydream, her bare feet padding softly against the cold floor as she made her way to her sister’s room. She pushed open the door, a warm smile spreading across her face as she spotted her sister curled up on the bed, surrounded by pillows and blankets.

”Hey, sis.”.

She exclaimed, her voice shaking with excitement.”I couldn’t sleep, and I thought, why not have a sister sleepover? She bounced onto the bed, sending pillows tumbling, and wrapped her arms around her sister, pulling her into a tight hug. “We can stay up all night and gossip,” she proposed.

Her eyes sparkling with mischief. Her sister’s face lit up with a matching grin, and she nodded enthusiastically, already snuggling under the blankets to make room for her sister, ready to embark on a night of laughter and sisterly bonding.