What did it even mean? Howard wanted Jeremy to be the new Alpha of the pack?
Celeste wondered if she had heard the man right. Her eyes grew wide with shock as she struggled to comprehend what Howard was proposing.
The room fell into a hushed silence, the previous whispers dissolving into the air as all eyes turned to Howard in shock.
Despite the stunned looks on everyone's faces, Howard stood tall and confident, as though he had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
Celeste shifted her gaze at Byron, expecting the Alpha to immediately deny the idea, or at least look outraged by the man's words. Even Bobby had his jaw dropped to the floor. But Byron remained silent, his expression unreadable. She didn't see surprise or anger on his face.
She couldn't help but furrow her brow as she recalled the way Howard had prevented Byron from speaking earlier. What was going on between the two of them? What kind of deal had been made in secret?
"Wait, are you saying that you want Jeremy to become the new alpha?" One of the members of the wolf pack spoke up, his voice uncertain and filled with disbelief. Like Celeste, they were struggling to comprehend what was happening.
How did they end up here? They were only here for Byron's answers, and they didn't sign up to unthrone their Alpha.
The air in the room was getting sour. Yes, the pack was not very happy with Byron for keeping secrets from them, but at the same time, everyone liked him. It was just his handling of the situation this time that made everyone a little angry. Byron had always been a good Alpha. Celeste had Byron as her Alpha ever since she was a child. The thought of anyone else taking his place seemed unfathomable, even though it was Jeremy.
Jeremy also widened his eyes, looking incredulous at the unexpected turn of events.
"Yes," Howard answered with the same confidence, his voice ringing out in the room, completely oblivious to the shocked gasps and widened eyes of the other werewolves. "I think Jeremy will be a better Alpha for us. We all see what he's done in these two attacks. He was unflappable, organized, and a natural leader. He guided the pack out of danger and kept us all safe. Not to mention, he also risked his own life to save Sarah and Byron, a true Alpha in every sense of the word."
Howard paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the room, taking in the reactions of his pack members. "We can all see his potential," he continued, his voice rising with conviction, "even though he's just a young pup who recently turned into a wolf. But he's proven himself time and time again, and he has what it takes to lead us forward. And the Goddess speaks the same."
The room was silent for a moment as the other werewolves considered Howard's words. Then, some began to nod in agreement, murmurs of approval and support rippling through the pack.
"And it's not just about leadership," Howard added. "We all know that Byron won't give us another Luna. But Jeremy is young, and there's a chance that our pack might have a new Luna in the future." When he came to the end of his words, he landed his gaze on Nancy. Everyone followed his gaze at Nancy.
Nancy's cheeks flushed pink with the hint of a shy smile on her lips.
Celeste couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that had settled in her chest. A cold, hard weight was pressing down on her, suffocating her.
"I believe our pack will have a capable Alpha to lead us out of this predicament, and this Alpha will also have an equally capable Luna to assist him," Howard said, each of his words striking Celeste's chest like heavy hammers, hitting her heart, and brutally landing on the wolf within her. She felt trapped. She felt like she didn't belong there.
Luna Nancy...
Luna Nancy and Alpha Jeremy.
That sounded just so perfect, didn't it?
Goddess. She had been fooling herself all the time. She didn't belong here. She should have just left as long as she realized who Jeremy was to her and her wolf.
She should have left.
The idea had been planted in her mind a long while ago, but now Howard's words had helped it grow, ripping off a cover and revealing her most unbearable thoughts in one go.
Of course, Jeremy and Nancy were a perfect match without the curse of blood tying them together. So there were no ugly taboos to prevent their feelings and bonds from developing further.
Nancy had also shown her own abilities in the recent wolf attacks, making her an admirable Luna figure.
And Celeste didn't miss the way Nancy looked at Jeremy, her eyes full of passion and desire that she couldn't hide.
Suddenly, the whole room seemed too crowded for her to breath. Celeste hated the room. Every time she stayed here for even a little while, it felt like all the air was sucked out of her. She didn't know what Howard was about to say to encourage everyone to welcome their new Alpha and Luna. And she was unable to stay here and listened with a forced smile on her face. She couldn't handle it anymore.
Her wolf was clawing at her mercilessly, urging her to leave. Celeste felt ugly and out of place, and her mind was buzzing.
Silently, she approached the door and walked out.
This time, she felt Jeremy's gaze on her, but she didn't have the courage to turn around and check. Her wolf didn't stop her, and she didn't dare to pause for even a second. She didn't have the courage to stop and wait for familiar footsteps and warmth to catch up with her as she walked out of the place.