She shrugged her shoulders. “Then you mess up, but holding back won’t do you any good.”
She turned. “Stay on the path, or don’t. It is up to you all.” Then I was back. I staggered a step, and Thoth steadied me.
“Are you okay?” His question was soft.
“Yeah.” I patted his hand and I felt a spark jump between our skin. I furrowed my brow as I pulled away. I turned back to the others. “So I am sure you have questions.” I tried to smile but it was forced.
The others were staring at me. “That was the Goddess.” Alpha Chris was pale.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Could that have been magic?” Alpha Tim looked at the others, but they all shrugged.
I blew out a breath. “Magic can do a lot.” I smiled. “I can change my appearance. I can change how I sound. But there is one thing forbidden.”
My father nodded. “It’s forbidden to imitate a celestial.”
I nodded. “If any pretend to be a Goddess in any way, they will lose their blessings. Magic, shifting, or whatever else was gifted. Rank, power, aura. All stripped instantly.”
Toya’s father shook his head. “There is no way that was faked.” He looked at the others. “I have felt the Moon Goddess before. I know you have too.” The others nodded. “I need you to look at me and tell me that what you felt was not the Goddess.”
Tim looked away. “She felt like the Goddess. But I just wanted to offer any explanation.”
I nodded. “That’s fair. But I want to ask a question.” I tilted my head at him.
He met my stare and then nodded. “Okay.”
“Since you have come into this office, you and a few others seem to be almost against my father.” Everyone snapped their attention to me. “He saved your pack from death, made sure you had places to live. He took care of you and welcomed you into his confidence, while still giving you the dignity and reverencedeserving of an Alpha.” Alpha Tim opened his mouth, but I held up a finger. “When there was yet another attack meant to kill everyone here, he took you to our sacred meeting place. Somewhere no one outside of our pack has ever been. Yet you still question him.” I felt my eyes tighten as I glared at the man in front of me. “Why?”
The question hung in the air. Alpha Tim looked at the others, but I just looked from one to the next. “It’s not like that.” He finally spoke up.
Thoth stood, coming behind me and silently showing his support. “It is like that.” He looked around the room. “I have met with you multiple times, and every time I see some push back. When Gavin leaves, there are always some murmurs. I bit my tongue because Gavin asked me to, but Amy is right. After everything he has done for you, for your packs, you still act like this. Why?”
Toya’s father stood and spun on the others. “I have kept quiet for peace. But the Macleans have been nothing short of saviours for my pack. My wolves look up to their example.” He turned to my father and bowed. “I should have said something earlier.”
“You have Roderick.” My father’s voice was a little tired.
“I have spoken to you about it all, yes, but I should have said my peace to the others long before this.” He spun around to look at the men. “You mumble about Gavin taking our power, our pack, but he has never tried. You mumble about being weak Alphas, and you are correct. We are weak Alpha’s but that is not Gavin’s fault.”
I stepped over to Toya’s father. “Not weak.” He turned to me with soft eyes. I shook my head. “Never weak Alphas. You are just new. Your packs are small, but we will help you become stronger.”
Someone scoffed. Then Chris crossed his arms. “Why would you help us become stronger? You are just making us a bigger threat to you.”
I smiled. “Are there still big pack wars I haven’t heard about lately?”
The question confused the men. “What?”
“Are there big land disputes that you will kill for?” I tossed another question.
“Of course not.”
“Has the king stopped mediating any disputes between clans?” My words sounded confused.
“You know he will still intervene.” He sounded exasperated.
“Then why would your growth scare us? Any dispute we might have will be mediated. Land will be assigned by the King. But if we are being really honest here, Chris and I try my best to be honest. Then I will say this. I am descended from the Goddess. I have magic, a wolf and a Lycan. No one in your pack has a chance of standing up to me one on one. Pack against pack, our pack is bigger and better trained.”
His jaw clenched. “See this is what I was saying.” Chris pointed at me. “She thinks she is better than us.”
