Chapter 84: Chapter 84

A successful leader is not one that never fails, but the one who never quits!

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Charlotte gulped as the hall started filling up with people. One after another, families after families entered the hall and within minutes the whole hall was packed with the werewolves of the Blue Orchid pack. She was sitting in the front row so that she could go up the stage when the time comes. To her right side sat Ayleen and Katya telling her that she looked beautiful and she’d be fine. To her left sat, Theo and Matt bickering amongst each other on something that she had no idea about. They started to bicker through mindlink when their Alpha silenced them with a glare.

The only people she had recognized from the rest of the crowd were Dr. Humphrey, a few nurses from the hospital, Remi and a few others from the farms and Robby from the bakery. Oh and Kira, the head warrior. Ayleen introduced them a few minutes ago and she was confused as to why she was meeting such an important person so late. Shouldn’t she have met her when she met Matt and Theo since she is actually in charge of the security of the pack and that was really the biggest concern of Azraiel for Charlotte.

As Azraiel walked up the stage and to the podium, the crowd silenced on its own, a hush falling over waiting for their Alpha to address them. She has to admit, her mate looked fucking hot and sexy up there in all his Alpha glory.

“Good Morning, everyone! As you all know that we are gathered here for the initiation ceremony of Charlotte in the Blue Orchid pack, before starting the ceremony I’d like to tell you about her so that you can make your decision accordingly.” Azraiel glanced over the crowd and found that they looked more nervous than scared.

Azraiel started telling his pack about Charlotte, “Charlotte was found unconscious near our pack borders last month. She was bitten by a werewolf and yet survived the bite. Our medical experts are of opinion that she’d complete the shift by this month’s full moon. Charlotte notices his gaze on Dr. Humphrey. “When she does that, she’ll not only become the only person in history to complete the shift but our pack will also become the only one to witness such an event. She has been residing in our pack since she has been found and training for her upcoming shift. She has also been working at the pack farms as her contribution towards the pack operations. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and hopes to contribute to the finance department of our pack.”

Azraiel pauses and gives a hard stare to everyone in the hall. “I propose that Charlotte joins the Blue Orchid pack as a member. Does anyone has an objection to the proposal?”

Charlotte waited with her breath stuck in her throat.

None!

No one spoke up for a few minutes and Charlotte released a breath. Ayleen squeezed her hand in assurance.

Azraiel was about to open his mouth when he spotted someone and paused. “Yes?” He motioned the person to speak.

Ah! I celebrated too soon..! Charlotte thought to herself.

“Why should we let a stranger become a part of our pack when we have no obligation to do so?” Charlotte turned her head towards the voice and saw an old lady standing to her right, a few rows behind her.

“The Blue Orchid pack has always been kind and compassionate towards those who need our help. Charlotte needs help! We all know that wolves can’t survive alone and it’ll be especially difficult for her if we leave her all alone to find a pack.” Azraiel spoke, his voice respectful but hard.

“But how do we know that she won’t pose a threat for our pack? What if she is just a tool for our enemies to gather information about our pack?” Charlotte felt her throat clog up at the question. Her question was valid as well as absurd. She had no idea that werewolves were real until she got bitten by one. How the fuck could she be their enemies’ tool? But, she’d be equally defensive about her home too if someone unknown were to stay there indefinitely.

“A thorough search and background check has been conducted on Charlotte and our investigating team has not found any link to our enemies. Anyone who wants to know her past can get a copy of the information found on her from the pack house by contacting Beta Matt.” Charlotte was aware of such documents and she felt relieved that the said document didn’t mention Sarah, or Richard. It was actually just her life summarized in the plainest form excluding the excruciating details of the H.O.P.E. Mission. It was actually the same story that she told Azraiel the first time he inquired about how she ended up here.

It looked like that old lady wanted to say something more but she shut up and sat down.

“Anyone else? Anymore questions?” He asked, swiping his gaze across the crowd.

No one answered this time.

“If anyone still has doubts about her joining the pack, then let me give you a very convincing reason.” Azraiel spoke up looking right at her.

Shit!

He said he would declare her as his mate and Luna after the initiation into the pack. Why the hell is he blurting it out now?

“Charlotte, please step on the stage.” He moved aside from the podium, waiting for her.

Charlotte had no other option but to go up. She carefully stood up and smoothed her dress and started walking. Azraiel met her on the stairs, offering his hand. She gratefully took his hand and he squeezed it, silently giving her strength. She has no idea why but the murmuring started. Was the sight of their Alpha holding the hand of a woman so strange for them? If yes, then she was fucking happy. But she had a feeling it had more to do with her hand.

“Charlotte is not only the woman who I want to join our pack..” he paused “ but also my mate and the Luna of the Blue orchid pack!” Azraiel’s voice boomed in hall even without the mic. It was silent for a few seconds and her heart dropped in her stomach, but then the cheering started. The crowd started clapping loudly, some murmuring amongst themselves and some shouting words of happiness across the hall.

“Congratulations Alpha!” “We found our Luna!” and so many more alike sentences reached her ears and she genuinely smiled for the first time since morning. Tears started to brim in her eyes as she looked at the crowd that was celebrating her, congratulating each other on finding her.

She glanced at Azraiel and found him looking right at her with tender eyes and a bright smile as if saying, “See..I told you they would be happy!”.

“Does anyone still has any concerns?” Azraiel’s asked again with a smile on his face.

The crowd responded together in a loud voice, “NO!”. The hall vibrated at the noise and just like that the tense environment that made it hard for her to breathe turned into a joyous one, she glanced down to see Ayleen, Matt and Katya smiling at her while Theo mouthed congratulations to her. She mouthed back a quick “Thank you” with a huge smile and whispered a “Thank you so much” in general to the crowd, aware that they were paying attention to her and heard it.

“Let’s begin the ceremony now!” Azraiel stepped aside from the podium and walked to the center of the stage. On the small table behind her, there were four bowls of brass, one filled with water another filled with soil and rest of the two empty. Besides them was placed a small knife and a dark maroon handkerchief.

Azraiel picks up the bowl with water and closes his eyes. He chants something under his breath and the Charlotte watches fascinated as the water starts swirling in the bowl. The hall is silent, his soft chants the only sound that could be heard. She has no idea what he has saying since it is so damn low. The water swirls for a few seconds and then it starts decreasing from the bowl.

She looks up when she feels a droplet o her face. There is nothing above her but the droplets keep falling on her head and face and the water in the bowl vanishes.

“Repeat after me!” Azraiel says to her as he opens his eyes.

She nods.

“I thank you the water element, for cleaning any impurities and negativity that resided in me. I take this oath to always respect your natural flow and promise to incorporate your softness, strength, flexibility and selflessness in my character.”

Charlotte repeats after him and he offers her the bowl of water which now is full again.

“Drink.” Charlotte does as he says noticing that the water tastes sweet.

Azraiel puts down the bowl once she has drunk it all and picks up the bowl with soil.

He keeps the bowl in his hands for a while and chants something again like he did with the water. Once he is done he gives the bowl to her.

“Repeat after me.”

“I thank you dear Mother Earth for your support and strength. Thank you for keeping me grounded and caring for me like a mother. I take this oath to always cherish what comes from you and respect the holy soil beneath my feet.” As Charlotte repeats after him, she feels the bowl shake a bit in her hands and within seconds a small green life sprouts from the soil. Charlotte stares it in amazement and says a silent thank you to the earth again.

Azraiel picks up an empty bowl next, and chants gain. Within a minute, Charlotte feels the air blowing in her face, the source being the empty bowl in Azraiel’s hand. Well, not so empty after all.

“Here” he hands her the bowl and now it feels like she is standing in front of a small fan.

“I thank you air, for every one of my breath and the life that is possible because of you. I take this oath to always respect what I have and cherish the gift of life you have blessed me with.” She repeats after him and feels her whole body cool down as the cold air swirls around her from head to toe, making the dress flutter around her feet.

Azraiel picks up the fourth bowl and repeats his chanting process. As he chants, a small fire starts in the bowl, its yellow orange flames low. She is afraid that Azraiel will burn his hand but keeps her mouth shut.

As he hands her the bowl she is afraid to take it but takes it anyway. She is surprised as she doesn’t feel the heat of the flames.

“I thank you fire, for making this life easier and possible. I take this oath to always respect your power and strength and never disrespect your flames. I promise to follow your steps and become resilient and determined in my life.” As she finishes repeating the oath, the baby flame flares up and starts burning higher. She gasps and moves her head away from the bowl. As the flames burn, Charlotte sees something in them. A vision.

A black wolf staring at her with the flames in her eyes!

Gulping hard, she hands over the bowl to Azraiel and the flames disappear.

Azraiel notices the change in her demeanor but doesn’t say anything but she knows he will ask about this later.

He picks up the knife and asks her to move her left palm in front of her. She knows what’s coming. The Blood Oath.

He held her hand in his and turned the palm upside. “This’ll hurt a bit. He softly murmurs to her.

Charlotte winces as he first slashes her palm, the blood oozing out and dripping down. He makes a similar cut on his left palm and connects their hands. His grip on her palm is firm, keeping it in place so that she doesn’t move. He looks into her eyes and begins chanting something. She can feel his blood smearing on her palm, mixing with her blood.

She can’t look away from his eyes, the blue in them luring her in. It seems like the color of his eyes is changing from blue to black, but then it changes from black to golden.

She smiles at the golden color of his eyes. Charlotte asks her own wolf to come forward and meet her Alpha. She knows that her wolf has obliged when the gold in his eyes shines brighter.

“I, Azraiel Michaelson, the Alpha of the Blue Orchid Pack situated in the state of Rysterbia, by the authority vested in me by the Moon Goddess declare Charlotte as the member of the Blue Orchid Pack.”

“I, Charlotte pledge my loyalty to the Blue Orchid Pack and its members, in good and bad, in happiness and sorrow. I take this pack as my family and vow to protect, care and cherish them.”

As she finishes her words, Azraiel releases her hands and smiles.

The crowd starts clapping and cheering for her. She grins at them as they shout “Welcome, Luna!” but she sees none of them actually speaking.

“Welcome to the pack, Love.” She hears Azraiel’s voice but his lips didn’t move.

What’s happening…?

Why can I hear them when they are not actually speaking the words?

More words welcoming her ring in her ears and she clutches her head as the sound becomes too much. Azraiel watches her as her hands move to her head.

His mouth drops open and eyes get wide in surprise as he carefully takes a step towards her.

“Charlotte?” He did it again. He didn’t say anything but she heard his voice in her head.

“Can you hear me?” He says again, without opening his mouth.

“Yes!” She answers him.

She watches as he steps back and scoffs in disbelief.

“Azraiel, What’s happening? How can I hear everyone in my mind?”

Azraiel cautiously takes her hands away from her head and his face shows that he himself can’t believe this. “Your mindlink just became active, Love!”