Chapter 2: Chapter 2

The ceremony for Nicodemus and I to receive our new titles was at eleven o’clock the next morning. I paraded down the hall to the throne room in my military dress uniform, a black suit with red and gold buttons and my medals on the left side. My heart was palpitating with nerves. Next to me stood Nicodemus in light green and blue robes, the House colours of Richmond. 

“Meriam Finley born of Edenshire, Lieutenant General of the Belmont Pack Army. Sir Nicodemus of House Richmond, Honourable Knight of Chesterfield,” one of the Alpha’s servants hailed our coming. 

The doors swept open, revealing a vast and grand throne room. The high ceiling arched up to a point at the top, where a huge sparkling chandelier hung. The edges of the ceiling, walls, windows and paintings were rimmed with gold. The floor was made of white marble swirling with various shades of grey. A red carpet rimmed with golden thread spread from the entrance to the throne, and the nobility from every House stood on either side. Alpha Ronald and Luna Penelope sat on adjoining thrones on the podium, and the princes and princesses, as well as their guards, stood on either side.

 

My eyes landed on Edwin the II, the Crown Prince, and suddenly the world around me seemed to stop. His pleasant scent reached my nostrils and I unconsciously took a big sniff.

Mate, my wolf yapped in my head.

My mouth hung open. I couldn’t believe it. It was quite rare to find your true mate, especially if you don’t travel a lot. It could be anyone in your pack, your continent or even the Earth.

Everyone’s looking at you. Come forward now, Edwin’s voice instructed via the mind link in my head.

I shook myself free of my trance and glanced around me. He was right. Dozens of pairs of eyes were on me, wondering why I had paused. I looked back at them, smiling politely, and began to march along the carpet.

Thanks, I said to Edwin.

He didn’t reply. When I arrived at the foot of the podium, I kneeled on one knee and offered up my sword. The Alpha and Luna stood up and walked to the edge of the podium.

“Stand,” the Alpha commanded.

 

I stood up and tucked my sword back in my belt.

“We were very sad to hear of General Cornelius Richmond’s death. He was a courageous and honourable man who would sacrifice anything for his pack. Unfortunately, his greatest sacrifice ended up being his life. He was a dear friend and valued adviser of mine. He will be missed,” the Alpha began.

If you really cared about him and valued him that much, you wouldn’t have constantly sent him away to remote places and he wouldn’t have died, I thought bitterly.

“The soldiers at the Gilford Army Base reported that General Richmond’s death was most likely caused by Lockwood troublemakers. In two weeks’ time I will visit Lockwood and have a diplomatic discussion with Alpha Antoine about the troublemakers. They must be dealt with and dealt with harshly,” he continued.

 

“Meanwhile, we need a new General to keep our pack safe. Fortunately, before his death, the General had taken an apprentice under his belt, Meriam Finley. In General Richmond’s will, he has passed down his title to her. Fourteen years ago, General Richmond and I devised the Elite Warrior Training Program. The aim of the program was to find a pup in a disadvantaged family in a poor area with extraordinary abilities. They would be rigorously trained for ten years and then sent on small, one-werewolf missions to other packs. They would be, as the name suggested, an elite warrior. Cornelius found young Meriam at the age of five in a village in Edenshire. He reported that she was faster than anyone he had ever seen and more intelligent than any pup her age. She passed the program entry tests with flying colours, and she was selected. She trained hard for the next nine years and went on her first mission at fourteen,”

 

He listed the many spying and intel stealing missions I went on in service of the pack. My mind wandered, and I began observing the werewolves in front of me, refusing to look at Edwin in case I froze again. I had learnt all about them from the governess that the General had hired for me. Hayden Belmont, Edwin’s 18-year-old brother, stood next to Edwin on the left side of the podium. He was shorter than his brother, and he had dark brown hair, pale skin, hazel-brown eyes, a long, sharp nose, a sharp face and a small mouth. Annabelle Alden Belmont, his wife, stood next to him. She was of average height with long, braided blonde hair, ice-blue eyes and a thin face. Isabella Belmont, Edwin’s sister, stood on the right side of the podium. She was a 13-year-old girl with straight light brown hair that reached her chest, the same hazel brown eyes as her brother, a small, sharp nose and plump cheeks. Lord Franklin Alden, the Captain of the Alpha’s Guard, stood behind the joint throne in his red and orange armour. I remembered the General’s unconcealed hate whenever he spoke of that man. Both of the families were in charge of different factions of the pack’s defence force, so they often had disputes over jurisdiction and control. The General often said Franklin was unreasonable, selfish and sucked up to the Alpha like a pet dog. I wondered what Franklin had to say about the General.

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“Meriam Brent Finley, do you accept the title of General and all the responsibilities attached to it?” the Alpha asked.

I was jolted back to attention.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied solemnly.

“Then I hereby bestow upon you the title of General,” the Alpha said.

I bowed my head and he touched the flat of his sword on my shoulder.

“I also gift to House Finley-”

I knew this moment was coming, as the Alpha had promised he would ascend my family to nobility after I became General, but my heart still gave a proud and joyful flutter when I heard ‘House Finley’. Finally, I had a proper House to call my own, even if it was one of the smallest ones.

“-Brentwood Manor on Burton Hills as your residence in the capital and the suburb your family is currently living in, Garrington, as your seat,” the Alpha added.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I responded, bowing low.

When I was sure that he had nothing else to talk to me about, I stood to the left side of the podium, where the Lieutenant Generals without family here were waiting. They smiled at me and a few mouthed “congratulations”, but I could tell that a few of them were unhappy with me being appointed General. I will have to win them over if I wanted to keep the army together and prevent a civil war.

 

As the Alpha bestowed Nicodemus with the title of Lord of Chesterfield, I scanned the row of nobles standing opposite me. My mentor had always told me to observe my enemies, and some of these nobles may one day become my enemy. The head of House Landon, the current Luna’s House, Lord Marcus of Daekrahm, was dressed in light green and scarlet robes, the colours of his House. He was of average height, looked strong for his age and had pale skin, silver hair from old age and hazel-brown eyes. General Richmond said he was a cunning and manipulative man who only cared about himself and his House. The Head of House Charmant, Lord Nathaniel of Stenving, was dressed in orange and purple robes. He was bald, and he had dark brown skin, dark brown eyes, a tall height and a large frame. His House was among the more honourable ones and they generally didn’t try to take power. 

 

The Head of House Lawson, Lord Gideon of Seaton, was dressed in light blue and navy robes. He was stout and round, and he had greying black hair, ivory skin and dark brown eyes. They were interested in trading and interacting with other packs as they shared a large border with the Southern Seas, and they were not as interested in pack politics as the other Houses. They will not harm anyone unless they provoke them.

 

The room erupted into applause again, and I quickly joined in. Nicodemus must’ve already been bestowed his new title. However, he didn’t have a smile on his face. He looked like he would rather not have his title and instead have his brother back. I understood how he felt. He strode towards us and stood beside Richard, his face sombre. Everyone knew better than to try to talk to him.

“The Omegas have thrown together a huge luncheon to celebrate today’s ceremonies. It will start immediately after you have all been dismissed. Everyone from your Houses are invited to attend. You are dismissed,” the Alpha announced loudly and cheerfully.

Nicodemus’ face was a thunderstorm. The luncheon was the last place he wanted to be after the ceremony, but it looked like he had no choice but to attend.

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