Chapter 85: Power

REIGN

^~She never cared for the crown. She preferred a sword…~^

We stood in Grams’s room while she checked Diego over. Storm was in the corner flicking through a book, trying to find something on possessions.

Milly and I stood to the side, arms crossed, just watching. The others stayed in the dining room. ~Thankfully~. This entire night had done nothing but give me a headache.

Maddox was supposed to just meet my family and everyone would get along, but no, nothing in this family could happen without it turning into a fight of some sort.

~Shit's exhausting!~

“You’re going soft,” Milly muttered.

I turned to face her slowly. “Excuse me?” My head was throbbing. The last thing I needed was to end up in a showdown with her.

“I said you’re going soft. Blushing and shit. This mating is making you”—she sniffed, looking me up and down before turning back to her father and continuing—“weak.”

My heart was pounding. You could hear a pin drop in the room.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize me finding my mate would be such an issue to you,” I snapped at her.

She finally took her attention off what Grams was doing with Uncle Diego and turned to face me properly.

“You took the alpha position. No, you ~demanded~ the position, because ~you~ wanted to make history, because ~you~ wanted to make a change.

“You finding your mate is not an issue. You allowing it to change your ~focus~ is.“

I stared at her, speechless. I hadn’t allowed it to change my focus. I was as focused as ever.

Milly rolled her eyes and continued, “You’re already slipping into old societal norms. Allowing him to pull a chair out for you, being all giddy…~blushing~.” She looked like she was about to throw up.

“Where’s the badass Reign that would come with me on missions? Hmm? Where’s the Reign who pushed her own brother out of the way and faced death to become the alpha?”

Milly crossed her arms and stared at me.

She was right. I had become weak. I had allowed being mated to come to the forefront. Was I happy that I was mated? Sure! Was I going to allow it to define me as a person? As a wolf? Hell no!

“Maddox doesn’t want to be alpha,” I stuttered. There was a collective scoff throughout the room.

“Do you really think that will stop the council?” Diego muttered. “Hell, they’ll have a field day once they find out you have mated. They’ll crown him alpha themselves and stop listening to you.”

He stood up, swatting his mother’s hands away. She threw her arms up in annoyance and wandered over to where Storm was reading.

“There is no other royal family like us, Reign, which means there is no other alpha like you. I mean apart from you being female. There has never been a witch/werewolf combo in charge.”

I nibbled on my lip, lost in thought. Deigo was right. Dad was a full wolf. I was only a half wolf.

My family’s power has always been a concern to the council. That’s why they made my grandparents bind Mom’s powers when she was so little, and now I’ve inherited those powers.

Hell, Axel’s mate is so powerful she took on a crazed warlock alone and is still standing.

“Got it!” Storm yelled out, catching our attention. “Possession. The state of having, owning or controlling something—”

Milly pinched her nose. “Yes, that’s all well and good, Storm. Thank you. But you realize we could have just googled the meaning of possession instead of looking for a dusty old book.”

Storm shot her a stern look. “Give me a second, will you?” she snapped.

I was starting to think my family was a little too hotheaded sometimes.

I left them to it and wandered out of the sanctuary. I spotted Axel sitting down the hall and made my way over.

“Diego all right?” He looked up from his book as I plopped down next to him.

“Yeah, you know him. Never lets anyone fuss. Thinks he’s invincible,” I muttered, picking at the hem of my shirt. Axel let out a heavy sigh and shut his book with a snap. “What’s on your mind, Reign?“

I picked at my shirt, staring down at my shoes. “Diego thinks the council will anoint Maddox alpha themselves once they’ve found out about the mating.”

“Honestly, he is probably right. They will try, but—“

I scoffed and crossed my arms in annoyance.

“Buuut—,” Axel continued on, “just because they want to, that doesn’t mean they get to.

“You won fair and square, Reign. They just have to accept that, and they will once they realize they have no other option but to.” He resumed his reading.

“I’m scared about being mated. What if I lose myself? Milly says I’ve already started succumbing to societal norms.”

“Oh, and Milly would be the leading expert in that, would she? Milly despises any form of romance or connection outside of family.

“What would she know of a mating bond and ~societal norms~,” Axel scoffed, still reading.

“Axel, I’m serious. I never cared for this before. I knew what I wanted, and I took it. Why does being mated suddenly have me so…~giddy~?”

My heart was racing a mile a minute, an anxious knot forming in the pit of my stomach.

“I’ve already made so many mistakes. I’ve already brought so much shame to the family, and Dad has only been gone a couple of months. He would be so disappointed in me.”

I blinked the tears forming in my eyes away, but I couldn’t stop the catch in my throat.

Axel shut his book again, setting it aside. “First off, that is complete bullshit. Dad would never be disappointed in you, and you know that.

“Secondly, look around you. Not one person in this family can say they’ve never made a mistake.

“Thirdly, and most importantly, you have done what no one else expected possible, and you are a walking inspiration to other female wolves that they too can achieve anything they set their minds to.

“Don’t ever doubt the calling over your life, Reign, or the power you hold.”

I looked up to meet his gaze.

“You are our alpha, and you are destined to be a great one. Don’t ever doubt that.”

I nodded, smiling slightly. “Thanks, Axel. I really appreciate it.”

He shrugged. “Hey, what are big brothers for? But I do suggest you start training again. Can’t protect the pack if you’re leading from the back.”

I punched him in the arm as hard as I could, and he winced slightly before going back to his book.

Axel was right. I chose this. I wanted it. I fought for it, and I got it. I’ll be damned if I let some council of elders take that away from me.

They’d have to kill me first.