Chapter 12: Meeting with the pack(2)

Crassus POV

Crassus stood at the center of the gathering, his sharp gaze sweeping over his pack members. The air was thick with anticipation, murmurs rippling through the crowd as they waited for him to speak. He stood tall, exuding the dominance and authority that made him their Alpha. At his side stood Estella, her presence unfamiliar yet undeniably captivating.

"I'm sure many of you are curious about the woman beside me," Crassus began, his deep voice carrying through the clearing. "I have no doubt that by now, some of you have heard whispers that I brought a woman back to the pack." His tone was steady and unreadable. "Well, now it's time for you to know the truth."

A hush fell over the pack, all eyes locked on their Alpha. Crassus took a breath before continuing, his expression softening slightly.

"As you all know, for the past twelve years, I have not found my mate. I had long accepted that the Moon Goddess had not destined one for me. I had given up on ever finding her." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "But fate works in mysterious ways, and the Moon Goddess has finally blessed me."

A flicker of something unreadable passed through his blue eyes as he turned to the woman beside him. With deliberate intent, he reached for her hand, entwining his fingers with hers. Then, he turned back to his pack, his voice unwavering as he declared, "This is Estella Hendrix, my mate."

A ripple of reactions surged through the crowd—gasps, murmurs, widened eyes.

"She will be the Luna of the Northern Pack," he continued firmly. "And I expect every single one of you to treat her with the same respect you give me."

Silence followed, a tense stillness that stretched for a moment too long. Then murmurs in the hall swelled like a tide, uncertainty rippling through the gathered wolves. Then, amid the restless whispers, a voice rose above the noise.

"Alpha Crassus," an elder called out, stepping forward with a firm gaze. "I have a question."

Crassus, standing at the head of the grand hall, regarded the older man with a cool stare. "Ask." His voice carried authority, silencing the scattered muttering.

The elder cleared his throat, standing tall despite the weight of the Alpha's presence. "Have you thought this through? Taking Miss Estella as your mate?" His tone was cautious but firm. "Why did she suddenly appear now? Who is she? And how do you know she is not a spy sent to deceive us?"

Silence fell over the hall. All eyes turned to Crassus, awaiting his response.

Crassus' blue eyes darkened, sharp as a blade. He leaned forward slightly, his posture emanating a quiet but dangerous intensity. "Tell me, Elder," he began, his voice deceptively calm, "when your son brought home his mate—who was not from our pack—did you consider that she might be a spy?"

The elder's expression stiffened, his lips parting as if to respond, but no words came. Crassus did not wait for an answer. His voice dropped lower, colder. "I will not tolerate disrespect toward my mate. Estella is mine, and that is the only answer you need." His gaze swept across the hall, daring anyone else to question him. "If any of you wish to insult my mate further, then perhaps you should reconsider your place in this pack."

The tension in the air was thick, the unspoken warning clear. No one else spoke. The murmurs ceased. The elder lowered his head, stepping back in silence.

Crassus leaned back in his seat, his gaze lingering on the gathered wolves. "Let this be the last time I entertain such foolish questions."

As the heavy silence settled over the grand hall, the pack members stood still, subdued by the commanding presence of their Alpha, Crassus. Their earlier murmurs and skepticism about Estella were now nothing but echoes in the grand space.

With an air of grace and authority, Sheila, Crassus' mother, stepped forward, her expression warm as she reached for Estella's hand. Her touch was gentle yet firm, a silent reassurance.

"Welcome to the family, my dear," Sheila said, her voice carrying through the hall with the elegance of a true Luna. "And don't let their words trouble you. The people of this pack have always been a little... shortsighted." She gave Estella a knowing smile, her eyes gleaming with both amusement and confidence.

Estella looked at her mother-in-law, reading the sincerity in her gaze. She felt an unexpected warmth in her chest. Though she had braced herself for hostility, she had not expected such kindness. With a small, appreciative smile, she replied, "I won't take their words to heart."

Sheila nodded approvingly before turning her attention to Crassus. "Now," she said, a sudden spark of excitement in her voice, "when are you planning to hold the wedding? There's a banquet to prepare, invitations to send out, and far too much to do for me to sit around waiting."

Crassus glanced at Estella, his fingers instinctively tightening around hers before he looked back at his mother. His voice was steady, certain. "Two weeks."

A murmur of surprise rippled through the hall, but Sheila only grinned, clearly unfazed by the short notice. "Two weeks it is, then," she declared, already mentally assembling the grand event. "It will be a wedding they'll never forget."

Crassus surveyed the gathered pack members, his sharp gaze sweeping over the room. The discussions had gone on long enough, and everything that needed to be said had been said. He leaned forward slightly in his chair, ready to put an end to the meeting.

"If there are no further issues—"

Before he could finish, Elliott, his ever-vigilant Beta and right-hand man, spoke up, his deep voice cutting through the room with authority.

"If the wedding is in two weeks," Elliott said, his expression unreadable, "then what about Katreena? She won't be here by then? She's due to return in a month, isn't she?"

A ripple went through the pack. Low murmurs spread among the members, their voices a mixture of agreement and something unspoken—something heavy.