The room was still processing the information dump the cousins just gave them. Finlay stared down the floor with bulging shocked eyes. Emily kept opening and closing her mouth, trying to ask Ariane something yet didn't know where to begin. The first person who made a sound was Castor, and he asked, "But what about Stella? What did you actually do to her?"
Luka gulped. This was the question he was never ready to answer. At first, he just stated the summary of it, but after his friends urged him to tell them everything, he recalled the most horrible night of his life in great detail. His friends shivered, imagining how he could sleep at night knowing what he had done.
"The incident has been reported to the Parliament of Werebeasts," added Ariane. "His family has done all the necessary steps to take responsibility on that matter."
"Does Brayden know about it?" asked Castor. "Is it even okay for Luka to become the leader while having all of those track records?"
Ariane scoffed, "I think you're mistaking pack leadership with political leadership. It only takes the strongest werewolf to be the alpha and that's it. Brayden knows. He's concerned, of course, but there's no implication on having an alpha with such horrifying records. Besides, this whole training is only to get him out in the wild, so he doesn't do more damage and add more casualties."
“Don’t you think this is wrong?” asked Castor. “Giving this huge responsibility to the most dangerous werewolf in Erebus?”
“I guess we’ll see about that,” answered Ariane. “What’s done is done. Luka is the alpha and he has to take his responsibility.” She glared at her cousin, “No more fooling around.”
The party didn't go the way they had planned, but they were glad to know the truth behind everything. Matthew was especially relieved knowing there's not going to be a problem between Luka and Brayden. He just hoped Luka's past would not cause their hard work to go to waste. Luka might not be the best choice as the new alpha, but he's the one who needed it the most.
Still, Matthew kept close to him when they had to go to Delta Pi Kappa’s house. Some guys congratulated him for his new position, but some others must still be upset for his audacity. After a small talk with the rest, he visited Brayden in his room, making the entire house dreaded with anxiety. Matthew was the only one who knew that Brayden was waiting inside his room to give Luka a secret proud hug. The first and only hug Brayden had ever given to him.
“Aren’t you curious about what they’re talking about?” asked Gin to Matthew, signaling him to eavesdrop them again.
But then the door was opened. The boys held their breath. Brayden came out with a sulking face. Then he beamed, “Aren’t we gonna have a party?”
So Delta threw a party to celebrate Luka’s term as the new alpha. They had to emphasize the fact that the new alpha was one of their own again. Parker, Gumball and all the others who doubted Luka made amends with him and congratulated him for his win. Especially after Brayden’s moving speech before they let their guests in.
"Funnily enough, I think I knew it would turn out like this," he said during his speech. Matthew tried hard to subtly tell Luka that Brayden was being honest. "That's why I've been so irritated with you since the first time I saw you. Not only because you're a legacy of a great werewolf family, but also because I could sense that you're strong enough to beat me."
The boys marveled at the sudden confession. The senior werewolves nodded, indicating that they had also sensed something different from Luka when they'd first met him.
"I also wanna apologize that my uneasiness and denial made me treat you harshly and unfairly," continued Brayden. "There's not many people around me that can make me feel that insecure, so I still don't know how to deal with that."
His friends chuckled. Brayden raised his glass. "To the new alpha," he declared. "May he write a new history and lead us to harmony."
They clinked their glasses and drank their drinks. Matthew let Brayden know that he had learned about his involvement in this succession and promised to keep it a secret. Brayden just gave him a wink.
As discussed with Dean Karageorgis, the werewolf pack was scheduled to go on a pack training on the weekend. They hopped on the jeeps that would pass through the portal to a national park. The upperclassmen still managed the programs, while Luka was being prepared to introduce himself as the alpha.
Although it was Luka's first pack training, he wasn't as clueless as some expected him to be, for he had sought advice from his Delta brothers about how things were done. Brayden closely guided him on how to conduct things as the alpha. He assured him that his predecessor had also done the same to him. Under Ariane's strict supervision, Luka managed to learn quickly. However, the first-year students were still unable to complete a pack mission together, denoting that they still needed another pack training to be able to go out in the wild sometime soon.
The pack training was only one of Luka's agenda that month, for he also had the inauguration event three days after. The pack was once again gathered to officiate Luka as the new alpha.
It was the night of the waning moon. The entire pack gathered at the outdoor amphitheater. Luka sat down in the middle of the stage, wearing nothing but a piece of white cloth tied around his waist. Then he was instructed to drink a bowl of pure rainwater to purify his mind, body and soul. After that, Dean Karageorgis anointed him by dousing him with wolfsbane oil as a symbol of blessing. In the end, Brayden came with a wolfskin cloak. He took it off of him and put it on Luka, signifying his responsibility. As Luka stood up, he transformed into his werewolf form and howled as loud as he could. The pack howled back to accept him as their leader.
Brayden's leisurely behavior shrouded the amount of work there was to be done as the alpha. Soon, Luka was buried in his titular work, academic work as well as fraternity work. And when the next full moon came, it’s time to test their theory and put his hard work to use.
It was Luka's first time to lead the pack in Full Moon Forest. He was surprised to know how far they must go to keep themselves away from the Erebus main site. There was no laser bars, no magic shield, nothing. They were completely free in the wild.
Because Luka was a blood relative of Ariane, she was allowed to join the pack in the wild. The cousins became the only first-year students to join the pack this month. If they accomplished their mission as a pack on the next pack training, the other first-year students would be allowed to join them after.
As they're taking their clothes off, Delta boys laughed at Luka's boxers. It's ironic how the alpha was the only one in the pack who did not have a shifting suit. Despite his newfound ability to transform at will and his leadership position, Luka still didn't get the permission to buy his own shifting suit unless he passed Niels' class.
He transformed into a werewolf and waited for his alter ego to take over. As soon as the moon appeared on the dark sky, he closed his eyes. When they opened back up, the wolf was awakened.
The wide open space of the untouched part of North Dakota freed the werewolves to do what they wished. They could run, hunt, get in a play fight or even just howl throughout the night. The security team that guarded the border between the Full Moon Forest and Aether Woods could hear their voices being carried away by the February wind.
As soon as the sun rose, a drone carrying a bundle of clothes was sent by the security team. Half a mile into the forest, the monitor captured the change of color on the snowed land. It was now stained with blood. Bones scattered all over the spot. A pair of elk antlers were left with a piece of ear still attached. This must be their feasting place.
Behind the dark and dead trees, students were lying around on the ground. Some of them were awake and quickly transformed back into werewolves. They roared at the drone, while some others shouted, "What the hell?!"
All of a sudden, the drone was snatched and taken up face to face with Luka's blue eyes. His face was still smeared with elk blood. He grinned, "Let me take that."
He took the bundle containing his clothes. “Thank you,” he said. The security team was kind enough to send him those so he can wear something to find the clothes he hid before the full moon came. “You can go back now.”
"Is everyone okay?" a voice boomed out of the drone.
"Umm..." Luka took a look at the people behind him. Some girls were giggling at his naked butt. "Yeah? Yes. Everyone's okay."
Sounds of relief came from the drone. "Roger that," the security guy said. "Well done. You may return to the main site now."
The pack successfully passed Luka's first full moon as the alpha. Senior Delta werewolves began to catch up the real meaning behind Luka and Brayden's duel. They could only discuss it between each other and secretly applaud Luka's hardwork and Brayden's generosity.
The sun shone brighter as March came approaching. Snow had melted, making way for greens, reds, yellows and blues to show. The smell of foliage began to hover in the air. Just when the freshmen were waiting for the Erebus scenery in spring, the university shut down all the classes and shoved them out for spring break.
Delta Pi Kappa ventured out on a spring break together. Passing the portal to South Padre Island, they spent the week indulging in excess, promiscuity and debauchery, finding their own way to relax, refresh and recuperate.
The PA just announced the full moon for the month. The security team was a bit more relaxed now that Luka proved to be less dangerous out in the wild with his pack. And just like that, another full moon was safely passed.
Four days after full moon, the Greek Week Executive Board held the Greek Week team draw. Only the chapter's executive board members could attend the ceremony in the Amphitheater, while the rest might watch it via live stream. Delta Pi Kappa set up their screening room so they could watch it on a big screen together.
"Silence, silence!" Mad Dog, the former pledge educator, shouted when the host appeared on the stage. Stickman went to Amphitheater, so he took over his old position on his behalf. The noises went down as they focused on the screen.
The host opened the ceremony, welcoming them to a new era of Greek Week. They groaned when she presented all those Greek houses' past achievements. It might be boring for the older actives, but it sure impressed the new members. After that, the host explained about the new Greek Week system and so on and so on.
Finally, she called Sean Makakote to the
stage. A muscular, tattooed man in dapper white shirt and gray pants came up on stage. The first year students were surprised to know that the man she called was in fact Shark Bite Sean.
Every time they needed a fair draw, they would ask Shark Bite Sean to do it. There's no way he could cheat since he's just a mere mortal. But he also had consumed fairness potion made by Miss Zhou which caused his inability to cheat.
Shark Bite Sean was followed by two other staffs who were carrying two silver pots. The other staffs put the pots on the table in front of him. Then they all stepped back and let Shark Bite Sean stood alone on the stage with the pots. Suddenly, a yellow light shot out from the stage and shielded Shark Bite Sean inside like a dome.
"Whoa, cheat proof stage," Arlax said. "Me likey."
Shark Bite Sean showed that the pot on his right contained the names of the fraternities while the names of the sororities were in the pot on his left. He would take two names from the right pot and one name from the left pot to create one group. After explaining that, he started scrambling on the right pot.
The first badge came out. It's Theta Epsilon. Delta boys booed them. Gumball prayed that they didn't get to be paired with them. Then Shark Bite Sean took the sorority badge and revealed the badge of Pi Tau. The next fraternity badge that came up was Zeta Gamma Psi. Their team name would be Athenians. They boys could breathe easily.
For team number two which would be called Thebans, Shark Bite Sean took out the badge of Tau Nu Omega. The seniors nodded in approval, thinking that they'd get along with them. After Shark Bite Sean showed the sorority that would join them, he took the second fraternity's badge and it was... Rho Lambda Iota.
The boys shouted 'yes' and 'please' when Shark Bite Sean took Mu Pi Upsilon for team number three. They got up and gave applause when the sorority pairing was Sigma Alpha. They chanted 'dream team' as Shark Bite Sean slowly reached for the second fraternity badge, then fell back to their seat when he revealed Eta Beta Chi. They groaned louder when their team name would be Trojans.
Sir George screamed 'no' when the next badge that came up was Iota Alpha, but his brothers told him 'yes'. Though they're full of warlock pricks, they could be useful to help them finally win Agma. The sorority that got paired with them was Kappa Alpha. They got excited and chanted 'dream team' just to be disappointed once again.
Some of the boys left the screening room when their fraternity name still didn't get mentioned, even for the sixth team. Sixth team? Luka grabbed Brayden's arm and crowed, "What are the four fraternities left?"
"Us, Beta, Gamma and Phi," answered Ohini who sat frozen on his chair.
"It's either we get Phi or we're screwed," said Luka.
Shark Bite Sean continued his duty on the stage. For the seventh team which would be called Spartans, he picked the first badge that touched his hand. He pulled it out and showed 'Phi Delta'. Sir George covered his ears and curled on his chair. Ohini kneeled on the floor and raised his hands toward his face. After revealing the sorority to be Xi Mu Psi, he reached back into the left pot. Cold sweat dropped down from Luka's temple. Matthew's breath was racing. Shark Bite Sean produced the second badge.
Gamma Theta Pi.
Brayden sat straight. Delta Pi Kappa was left with Beta Alpha. Once again, he couldn't beat Mohan. He's going to work with him instead.
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