The Alpha's Oath and a Serpent's Gift

VANESSA

The air vibrated with magic and meaning as my father and brother clasped their bleeding palms together at the sacred altar. The cut stone gleamed beneath the moonlight, ancient and unyielding as it had been for generations of Moonstone Alphas before them.

My breath caught in my throat. This wasn't just ceremony—it was transformation happening before my eyes.

"I, Richard West, relinquish the power of Alpha to my son," my father intoned, his voice stronger than it had been in months. "May he lead with wisdom where I led with strength."

Leo's shoulders straightened as if bearing a physical weight. "I, Leonardo West, accept the mantle of Alpha and vow to protect the Moonstone Pack with my life and honor."

Their clasped hands began to glow—first faintly, then with increasing brilliance until I had to squint against the light. The pack members around us fell to one knee in unison, heads bowed in respect.