Chapter 14: Chapter 14
Zaira's POV
"The first thing you should know is that it is permissible to look higher-ranking wolves in the eye, including the alpha pair." I gasped with a hiss.
I'm sorry, what?! Does she want to kill me?!
I laughed a bitter laugh inside.
Yes, that's probably your goal.
"I know this may sound a bit crazy to you, but it's true. You are allowed to return the gaze to all packmates, no one will take it as a challenge and react aggressively to it. However, this only applies to the werewolves within the pack, other wolves would certainly attack you while doing so. But it is normal for werewolves of the same pack to look at each other without fear. We are a Zaira family, and that is why it is important that we deal with each other peacefully. We are all familiar with one another and give to one another family privileges."
Even though I'm reluctant to look other pack members in the eye, I don't interrupt and listen carefully to what she's saying. Tried to understand this pack.
"Now we come to the next point. The hierarchy. I don't know about your previous pack, but I will explain what the hierarchy of a healthy pack looks like." she pulled her hand from mine and put it on her still-steaming mug, but before that she squeezed my hand again. My heart warmed at the gesture and the icy grip around my heart opened just a tiny bit. "At the top rank is the Alpha and the Luna, they are responsible for the safety and well-being of the pack. The packmates obey the alpha pair's command, but a true alpha pair would never take advantage of this and invest that loyalty in Keep honor They want to protect their pack and keep everyone safe and happy.
Next come the betas. They sit just below the alpha pair and are their deputies, as well as the senior officers of a pack. Typically, a pack has three to six officers, depending on the size of the pack. We currently have four.
Next in line are the soldiers, known as the Gammas. Gammas also include dominant werewolves, who are not as dominant as officers but dominant enough to feel the need to defend the pack when attacked and to fight on the front lines. Here, in contrast to the officers, there is a certain hierarchy among the soldiers themselves, because there are those wolves who are almost as dominant as officers and feel the urge to defend more than other wolves, who almost tend towards subservience. The workload and the ranking of a soldier is therefore adjusted exactly to their needs, so that everyone feels comfortable and is satisfied.
And then there's the omegas.", that's when she started telling me how unimportant I was. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I held them back and gritted my teeth. I'm not going to seem any weaker than I already have been."Omegas are submissive wolves, but that in no way means they are weak or less important to the pack."I choked on my tea and stopped just in time to tell him about the spitting table. Excuse me?!
Luna Heariv looked at me with a mixture of sadness and understanding. She leaned forward and now spoke very carefully and slowly, as if she wanted me to memorize every single word. "Now listen carefully to me Zaira, I promise I'm telling you the truth, Omegas are not weak, they are not worthless and redundant. Omegas, you Zaira, you are enormously important for every pack. To make a pack work and harmonious can live together and not perish, it needs EVERYONE in the hierarchy! We need the Alphas to instill security in a pack, to lead them and keep the pack together. We need officers to train soldiers, divide them into groups and lead them. Gammas are also important, they defend our territory and keep us safe. However, who we also definitely need are omegas. You are responsible for the love, well-being and cohesion of the pack, which plays just as important a role as that of the alphas, officers and soldiers. And that's not just said! Dominant wolves often get lost in anger and aggression, and without the omegas, a pack would eventually fight and everyone would suffer. But you calm her down, be there for her surround them with your love and caring and give them a reason to fight, to protect and to live. Without you, we would all be lost."
I looked into her face, felt my heart race and hope surge. Your words were so beautiful, I wish so much they were true. When she grabbed my hand again, I didn't try to break her grip and let her do it, enjoying her slightly caring touch.
"Each and every one is equally important here in our pack. No one is outcast or considered inferior, you have my word on that." I looked into her eyes and couldn't see a dirty laugh or a sadistic flash, but a sincerity that shook my doubts and made me believe her a little bit. That didn't mean I trusted her or believed her completely, no, I wouldn't until I could convince myself of that, because I didn't believe in mere words.
"You don't quite believe me yet, but that's okay, I get it. Once you get to know the pack, you'll see it with your own eyes." as soon as she mentioned that I would meet the pack, my stomach turned. I knew that sooner or later I would meet the other packmates, but I had pushed that thought aside as best I could. Now he caught up with me and tried to crush me.
"During dinner tonight, we'll be having a celebration in your honor where we'll officially add you to the pack. This will give you a chance to meet everyone and see for yourself what the Silverstorm pack is like. However, if you're not mine If you want to belong to the pack, you don't have to come. We're not forcing you, Zaira, it's your own decision." my astonishment about this pack increased more and more, but the last sentence took away most of my tension. It was my choice, if I wanted to, I could say no and never have to set foot in that territory again. "I'll be waiting for you outside your cottage at six o'clock tonight. If you don't show up at five past I'll assume
I nodded my agreement and she rose from her chair. Before stepping out the door, she turned back and said, "I know how lost you feel, I was at this point once, but I'll offer you a friendly hand, just as it's been offered to me. Take it her to Zaira, I promise you won't regret it." With that she disappeared and the door closed with a soft click.
I sipped my tea, exhausted from this conversation, and ran the whole conversation over in my head.
How should I choose?