D-Day

“Why do you want to disrupt the natural order of things? Packs have thrived for hundreds of years because of the structure we’ve maintained. If you make everyone think they are equal, would anyone obey laws anymore?” Eleanor pressed her fingertips to her temple as she listened to the Alpha on the other side of the phone. She had known this one would be hard to convince–he was proving to be outright impossible. “Omegas are part of the community too,” she told him, “so they also deserve the same rights as everyone else, don’t you think?” “Can they protect the pack like the rest of us can? No. So the least they can do is provide labour when needed. If the law is changed, they’ll start thinking they can lead packs or something. Why waste pack money educating them when they are just a liability? Do they need education to do the things they do now? And, why would we use money to provide medical support for members who cannot even protect the pack in case of an attack? Shouldn’t we focus on our warriors?” “Don’t you think the only reason they have so little to offer is because they’ve been denied the resources that would enable them to be more useful to the pack?” Eleanor asked. “Other werewolves get proper education and training, which enables them to take up different positions in the pack. If Omegas got the same, wouldn’t they be able to take the same positions too?” “We don’t need them to take up any positions,” he said indignantly. “There are more than enough highly ranked werewolves for that. Let them continue as they have been, and everybody will be happy. Personally, I think you are wasting your time with this new law. Nobody will agree to such a ridiculous legislation.” Eleanor bit her lip. There was no saving this one, he would never support the new law. It was already the day before the Alpha Summit. It was better to spend her time convincing Alphas who had the possibility of being swayed. “Alright, thank you for your time, Alpha Elroy.” “If someone does not like the pack laws,” he said, “they can move away and become a rogue. There’s no need to disrupt everything just because a few people disagree.” “Alright, I’ll see you at the summit, Alpha Elroy. Have a nice day.” She hung up and took a deep breath. While talking to Elroy was not a pleasant experience, it was necessary. You cannot fight something you don’t know, and Alpha Elroy had just made it clear why she needed as much support as possible. As long as Alphas with his kind of thinking were in the majority, she-wolves and Omegas would never get the rights they deserved. She wanted to change that kind of thinking, to encourage even the doubtful to give everyone equal opportunities. Fortunately, most Alphas seemed open to the idea of changing the long lasting traditions. Right after ending the call with Elroy, her phone started ringing with a new call. It was an unfamiliar number. “Hello?” she greeted after receiving the call. “Hello, am I speaking to Luna Eleanor?” a masculine voice asked from the other side. “Yes,” she replied. “This is Alpha Cedric.” Alpha Cedric? The famous Alpha from the Eastern Valley? How had he gotten her contact? She hadn’t yet gotten to speaking to him about the new legislation. “Hello, Alpha Cedric. What a surprise.” “Henry has told me everything about your new legislation, and I thought I should call to express my support,” he told her. “I’ve long been an admirer of your work, you are such a phenomenal warrior and Luna.” “That’s very nice of you to say. Thank you very much. Your support means a lot.” After the unsatisfying conversation with Elroy, this was like a miracle. She had to thank Henry for this! “Of course, that means you’ll get the support of all four packs under my command,” Cedric added. “I think your proposals for the new law are very good and will impact many packs positively. We should have moved on from certain laws a long time ago, and I’m happy you are spearheading this.” “Thank you for your kind words, Alpha Cedric. I’ll do my best to see to it that we get the approval at this summit. She-wolves and Omegas have been suffering for long enough.” “Alright, I’ll be looking forward to seeing you at the summit. Let’s have a drink then and chat some more,” he suggested. “Of course. I’ll be looking forward to that. Thank you so much.” After Alpha Cedric hung up, Eleanor could barely stop smiling. Now, things were really looking good! Like he had mentioned, he was in charge of the four packs of the Eastern Valley, which meant those were four votes in favour of the new legislation. But the number of votes was not even the biggest plus. Alpha Cedric was highly influential and a major force in the werewolf community. He was capable of swaying unsure Alphas to their side just by expressing his support for the legislation. She went ahead to make the last few calls to some Alphas she felt needed a little more coaxing. After she was done, she sat back and prayed to the Goddess that everything would work out. The next morning, Eleanor dressed in a floor-length silver gown that flattered her body from top to bottom. She wore her red hair long, spilling over her shoulders and onto her back. On her ears, she wore turquoise dangle earrings. She wore strappy white heels on her feet and grabbed a blue clutch bag. When she went downstairs, Thomas was waiting. He was wearing a black tux, his black hair styled away from his face. There was a time when seeing him looking so handsome would have sent her heart soaring to the sky and her gut flooding with butterflies. Now, she took a deep breath and plastered a fake smile on her face. Only a few hours more, and this nightmare would be over. His eyes roved over her body, taking her in from head to toe. When he met her gaze, his eyes were full of desire and admiration. “You look resplendent, Eleanor.” “Thank you,” she said as she walked up to him. “You are looking quite splendid yourself.” He reached up to kiss her cheeks, and she let him. When he offered his arm, she hooked hers around it with a smile. Just a few more hours. “I’m very lucky to have you on my arm,” he said as they walked outside to the car. “I don’t think I’ll be able to take my eyes off you.” They left the house and headed for the hotel where the summit was taking place. Many Alphas and Lunas had already arrived, and the atmosphere was grand and lively. The summit had not officially begun and they started making rounds, greeting some of the other attendants. A few minutes after they arrived at the hotel, Eleanor sensed Henry’s presence.