The coronation of a new Alpha

~ANASTASIOS' POV~

         It was my wife's light tap that woke me up.  I went to sleep because I didn't want to think about what lays ahead of me.

My eyes fluttered open and I saw her sitting beside me, with swollen eyes. She must have cried a lot.

“What happened?? Why did you wake me up??” I asked.

“How could you be sleeping? Your father just died" she replied.

I sat up on the bed. 

“Where's my daughter?” I asked, ignoring her question. I was searching round the room with my eyes till they finally rested on the baby's cot.

“She's asleep in there” she replied and pointed her fingers to the baby's cot.

I stood up from the bed and walked to my baby's cot. I was hurting but I wouldn't show it again. Alphas are always meant to be strong. I got there and looked inside the cot.

My beautiful and gorgeous one year old princess was sleeping peacefully and beautifully on her bed, oblivious of what was happening around her. She's oblivious of the fact that she just lost her grandfather.

The sight of her beautiful and sleeping face seemed to comfort me. I smiled sadly then bent to give her a kiss on her forehead. I was so gentle and soft with it, so I won't wake her up.

She kept on sleeping and I turned and walked back to my wife.

“How's mom doing?” I asked.

“Still crying. But right now, she's with the Beta. They're discussing burial plans for your father and your coronation of being the next alpha” she replied to me.

My heartbeat skipped a million times!!!

I wasn't ready to be the alpha yet.

I have always been so scared of being the next alpha. I have been scared of not knowing what to do, handling difficult situations and controlling the people with respect. 

What if I become a failure at leadership?

Would I be able to defend my pack against the attack of our enemies just like my father did??

What if I become the worst Alpha to ever rule?

That can't be possible. I'll be the greatest alpha ever.

"Okay" I said briefly to her.

“You'll make a great and powerful alpha, Anastasios” my wolf, Aether mind- linked me.

“I know, Aether"

“I know you're still very young and not ready to be the next Alpha, but you have no choice now” Aphrodite said with a sad expression on her face.

"No, I'm not young. I wasn't just ready but now I think I'm ready. My father became the Alpha at the age of eighteen. I'm no young at all" I replied.

"Are you sure?? You could ask the Beta to rule for a while till you're ready" she said.

"No" I blurted out. "What happened to the strong and courageous wife of mine that's always ready to support me and encourage me to do more great things? Why are you trying to make me weak?"

She sighed deeply. "I haven't changed. I'm still the strong and courageous woman you fell in love with. I just care about your well-being"

"I'm fine"

"Okay. I'm with you on this"she said.

I gave her an appreciative look and sighed deeply. I held my forehead in my palms.

“I need you now more than ever, Aether” I mind- linked my wolf.

“Sure, Anastasios. I'm always here for you” he replied.

“Thank you,” I muttered.

My wolf didn't reply after that.

“Let's go and see mom” I said to Aphrodite and she nodded.

We walked to my mom's room, knocked on the door, opened it and went in.

The Beta was still with her. She's no longer crying now but paying rapt attention to whatever the Beta was telling her.

They both looked up at us when we walked in.

“Oh, you're here. How are you??” my mom asked.

“I'm fine, mom. How are you?” I asked.

“Fine” came her brief reply.

My mother has always been like that. She's a strong woman, always acting strong and fine even when she wasn't. The way she bounces back stronger from difficult situations surprises me a lot.

My parents were strong people, my brother too, and they're violent in critical situations. I was the only calm one in the family. I was strong, very strong but calm and it made people think I was weak.

Now, I'm done being calm! I'll become the Powerful, strongest and most feared alpha.

“We're talking about your father's burial and your coronation as the next Alpha” Beta Achilleus informed me and I nodded my head.

I sat down beside them on the bed after giving my mom a short, very deep hug.

A hug that said so many things at once. A hug with so many emotions.

“We need to officially announce to the pack about the late Alpha's death and summon for all the pack to be present at the palace for his burial and the coronation” Beta Achilleus explained to me.

“You're aware of the tradition of the pack that your father must be buried the next day after he dies and a new alpha must be crowned immediately. So we shouldn't waste any more time. The burial and coronation celebration will be tomorrow” he said.

“This tradition is cruel. We don't even have enough time to mourn the dead before we bury him and crown a new alpha” I said.

“That has always been the tradition” my mother replied and I sighed deeply.

The burial arrangements and the coronation plans were finally made and an official announcement on my father's death was made.

The whole pack kept a sorrowful mood as they kept wailing and crying loudly when they heard the news of my father's death. Almost everyone was in tears as my father was really loved by all because of his free, cheerful and Jovial spirit.

He wasn't wicked and ruthless like other Alphas but still he got respect from the pack and was only violent when the need arises.

The next day, the pack were asked to come to the palace for burial and coronation. Within an hour, the palace was filled with people from both far and near. The news traveled round far beyond our pack.

Some Alphas my father related well with while he's still alive were present too with some of their pack members. The news about my father's death must have spread wide.

Soon, it was time for my father's burial and his body was brought out. The burial rites were performed by the Beta, elders of the pack and my mother.

After the burial rites were performed, he was laid into the already dug ground and this action erupted with loud wails and cries from the people present.

He's covered with sand till we could no longer see his body. A ritual was made to honour his status and leadership.

“Now, it's time to crown a new Alpha” Beta Achilleus announced when we're done with everything concerning the burial.

Everyone was quiet, the air was suspense filled as everyone wanted to know who the next Alpha would be, both the pack and outsiders. Everyone wanted to know the next person to fill that great position of being the Alpha of the Moon Shine Pack, one of the most popular and powerful packs to ever exist.

I adjusted nervously in my seat and my legs started to shake. My wife noticed it and placed her fingers into mine.

“You'll be fine. You're a strong person, so act like one. I know you're just anxious and nervous, just be calm” she whispered into my ears and it seemed to calm me down.

“And I present to you, Anastasios Adonis, the first son of the late Alpha Atticus Adonis, as the new Alpha of the Moon Shine Pack”

The whole pack was quiet at first then they made a loud noise with the drummers hitting the drums hard.

Beta Achilleus gave me signs to stand up and I stood up and waved at the crowd and did a slight bow.

The crowd bowed back and they all chorused “Alpha Anastasios Adonis. We welcome you as our new alpha”

I smiled brightly at them. I am now the alpha of the Moon Shine pack, but little did I know, a dark shadow loomed on the horizon. As I looked out at my pack, I sensed unrest stirring among them. The real test of my leadership was about to begin.