HEIR'S OATH

As part of the ceremony I would make a blood oath to my father, the alpha, and to my pack.

This would require that I stayed wounded long enough for blood to drop from my palm. The ceremonial knife was made of silver, the only metal that could injure a wolf of Alpha heritage long enough to draw blood.

Every pack had a ceremonial blade made of a special silver blessed by the moon goddess. It was this blade that my grandfather held in a velvet cloth.

Most wolves would have burned at the touch of the blade even through the cloth, but not a wolf of an alpha family. That was why at least one elder had to come from the alpha bloodline.

"Are you ready?" My father asked as he looked me in the eyes, I simply nodded in response.

I didn't trust my voice, I was worried it would break and I would end up embarrassing myself in front of the pack and the council members.

"Do you, Amaya Raven, eldest child of the Raven family, the alpha line of the Shadows pack, swear to dedicate your life to the Shadows pack?" My father asked as he picked the knife up.

"I swear." I said as my father slashed my palm.

Despite the silver blade he only managed to get a few drops, which fell into a chalice that my grandfather held under my hand.

"Do you, Amaya Raven, eldest child of the Raven family, daughter of Matthew Raven, Alpha of the Shadows pack, swear to protect your own life for the future of the pack until you produce your own heir?" My father asked, catching me off guard.

I never knew that this was part of the oath.

'We can't join battles.' Ares said in a stunned tone. 'We can't fight too protect our people.'

'Staying alive is how we will protect our people.' I told Ares as I nodded at my father.

I knew everyone was holding their breaths, worried that I would not be willing to make this part of the oath.

'We have to do this, for our pack.' I said as I tried to convince Ares that this was the right thing to do. I could never make this promise without her.

'Then we will do it for our pack.' Ares said, letting me breath a sigh of relief.

"I swear." My voice echoed throughout the hall, making my words feel heavier than they actually were.

Dad smiled as he heard me swear to put the pack ahead of my selfish desires. He knew that it was a difficult promise for me to make.

"Do you, Amaya Raven, swear your loyalty to the death to the Shadows Pack?" My father asked.

"I swear." This promise was much easier to make than the last.

"Do you, Amaya Raven, as future Alpha of the Shadows Pack, swear to uphold the laws and decisions of the Council?" My father asked as he let his eyes wander, scanning the crowd.

Something told me that this was an oath that other members of the Council were waiting for me to make.

"I swear." I quickly promised.

'What if they make us leave our mate?' Ares asked with a worried tone.

'After tonight that will be impossible.' I promised her.

'Tonight.' She mumbled as she half heartedly agreed to make the oath.

"I swear." I said, making sure that the other Council members could hear my promise.

"Amaya Raven, as the future Alpha of the Shadows pack, do you swear to someday take up the role as Presider of the Council of Supernaturals?" My father asked.

'See, someday we will have a voice.' I told my wolf as I tried to encourage her.

'We already have one.' She said with a smile as I glanced back at Jason.

"I swear." I said in a determined tone.

With every promise I swore, my father had cut my palm and a little blood managed to trickle into the chalice below.

As I looked down I noticed that there was more than I had expected.

"You heal fast little one." My father said with a smile as he cut his palm and let a few drops join with mine.

"Father?" He asked my grandfather, the representative of the elders as he handed over the knife, taking the chalice.

Grandpa simply nodded as he cut his palm, uttering words in latin that I couldn't understand.

'So that's why dad told us to listen.' Ares chuckled in my head.

'Yeah, and we didn't.' I hissed.

The chalice suddenly glowed and our blood changed from red to gold, coating the bottom of the chalice.

"It's done." My father said with a nod as he took my hand and raised it in the air.

"Shadows Pack, Council Members, I present to you, formally, my heir and your future Alpha, Alpha Amaya Raven." Dad said proudly, his voice booming across the banquet hall.