Page 168 of His Fated Luna

Dylan looked down, his own pocket knife grazing over the palm of his hand. Then he held out his bleeding hand, closing it into a fist so that he bled over the land.

I closed my eyes and began to chant the incantation required of me.

"Who is willing to share his land and sovereignty over his people with this new alpha?"

"I, Aiden Sinclair, Alpha of the Bloodfire Phoenix Pack, am willing," Aiden joined in, speaking his part in an ancient language no one could understand, no one but us.

"We accept Dylan Sinclair, second Alpha of the Bloodfire Phoenix Pack and his luna as co-rulers of our land." Aiden and I spoke together now. "You are duty-bound, Dylan Sinclair, to protect this land and this pack with your life, should it ever come to that. You will be humble, compassionate, and just in your dealings from this day forth. Do you vow never to betray your pack, who have placed themselves under your care?"

Our duet and the rhythm of the incantations seemed to enrapture the gathering as everyone was seeming to be lulled into a blanket of security. It was almost like a song, a song to assure everyone their leaders would care for them and protect them.

Dylan's voice rang out in the same foreign language within the silent clearing as he knelt on his knees before Aiden and me. "I pledge myself, from now and forever, duty bound to protect the Bloodfire Phoenix Pack as second Alpha. I declare to take freely and solemnly this oath to lead, to fight, and to be just when it comes to the interests of my pack. As the pack is my witness, I confirm it by my blood."

"Stand Dylan, Alpha of the Bloodfire Phoenix Pack,” Aiden intoned.

"You are now bound to the land, as will be your future luna," I ended.

The song of an alpha accepting another alpha ceased. And then a melody of pops and cracks ensued as the entire pack shifted. My dress fell away easily around me as I changed and mypaws flexed, palming the dirt under me. I turned to look at my mate; his beautiful silvery gray fur practically shone like a star under the moonlight. Then I looked at Dylan who was almost as big as Aiden. His wolf was quite similar, but his wolf was more dark gray than silver. The pack members around them were baring their neck in submission to Dylan who skittered a little nervously.

Dylan looked around at the wolves submitting to him, and I could see he was completely unsure if he was worthy of this new responsibility thrown onto his shoulders. But then he raised his head and howled up at the sky, the pack followed suit.

Aiden's wolf turned to nuzzle my neck.

“Thank you, Rose. Thank you for keeping me sane through all this,”Aiden's loving voice filled my head.

“Thank you for being my alpha,”I responded, nipping his ear playfully.

By now our entire pack had run into the woods, following Dylan on a hunt. But I was content to just stay where I was and play with Aiden. It was as we mates circled each other playfully, nipping each other and taking turns trying to pounce, that we received an alarming mind-link from Josie.

“There's something wrong! He just collapsed while running.”

Half an hour later, we all sat in Dr. Danvers’ office.

"The ceremony sped up the magical process of whatever magical herb was mixed into the poison,” Dr. Danvers explained somberly, looking at Aiden. "I already told you and Josie it was a fifty/fifty chance. Him becoming an alpha of a pack could either heal him completely, or make the poison finally start doing what it was meant to do from the beginning." Dr. Danvers looked at me now, hoping we both understood what he meant. "It has started to kill him slowly."

I clapped a hand over my mouth. Aiden slumped in his chair, looking utterly defeated.

"Isn't that why we have the antidotes Mom brought? To stall the poison?" His voice was shaky, as if he couldn't quite believe what was going on.

"That's what they are doing. They are stalling the poison." Dr. Danvers nodded his assent. "But the potions are not stopping it. We have about a month and some odd weeks before the antidotes stop working."

Dr. Danvers leveled his gaze on me and Aiden. "We need to find out who did this. There are an infinite number of combinations that could have been used in that poison. Until we know the exact mix of ingredients, I can't do anything."

"Josie's put in a request for the magical healer to come see Dylan. Maybe she'd be able to do something?" I supplied.

Dr. Danvers sighed. "Well, let's hope so. But her hands are tied as well unless she can discover the exact ingredients.”

Aiden put his head in his hands. He looked utterly defeated and I placed a hand over his shoulder. We'd been so hopeful that this would work. And it hadn't. After meeting with Dylan in his hospital room, we trudged back to our home. Sleep evaded both of us, but I kept a firm grip on Aiden the entire night, promising him fiercely that we'd figure a way out of this. We always did, didn't we?

Aiden tried to pass a smile to me, but it was so lifeless and then he gave up the struggle to smile and said,

“I always thank the moon goddess for giving me you. Because I don’t know what I'd do if you hadn't been in my life.” I absorbed his words deep inside my heart and hugged him tightly.

He was on the verge of falling apart and here I was, holding him together by sheer force.

"We'll work on this problem together," I promised.

"Just never leave me, Rose." Aiden said, vulnerable and on the brink of a breakdown. "I don't think I could live in a world where you weren't with me."