Monachopsis
toward the ruckus of ceremony planning.My parents were sitting on the couch going through seating charts, while Ivy sat on the love seat with her nose buried in her phone, texting Nolan no doubt. A tinge of anger surfaced but I pushed it down inside of me. I hated that the sight of her made me so angry.
My parents' eyes lit up as we walked in and Ivy ignored me—one thing I was thankful for. Riley plopped down on a chair next to my parents.
"Are you ready to become Alpha?" Dad asked as I sat down next to Mom, placing my hands in the center of my lap.
"Absolutely," I said.
Becoming Alpha meant a lot to me. It was the one thing that had kept me going these past couple of years. I would be responsible for the Maxwell pack, and they would depend on me. I was more than prepared for that.
"Are you ready to plan the ceremony?" Mom smiled.
It was pack law that whenever a pack obtained a new Alpha, there must be a ceremony held that invited all Alphas around the globe to attend. There were only about forty packs known, but more remained unregistered. This Ceremony was something they had groomed me for since I was just a pup, so I knew exactly how I wanted it to go. The only part I hadn't planned on was taking over the pack without a mate.
"Let the planning commence," Riley said with a long sigh.
Two hours later, and we had planned the entire ceremony from beginning to end. I was satisfied with the schedule, but we still had some details to work out with my pack ranks.
"Let's start off with your two best pack warriors," Dad suggested.
"I want Jason and Holly. They've been trained for the positions since their fathers are your warriors." I wrote their names in the small black journal.
"Aren't you worried about them being mates?" Riley asked.
I shrugged. "They work best together."
"Who do you want to fall below Jason and Holly? You need about twenty wolves," Dad said.
I stifled a yawn. "I'll check with Jason and Holly since they'll be the ones training them. I'll get it settled by the time the ceremony comes."
"Good. What about your Gamma?"
"Xavier."
"Xavier? That man-whore?" Ivy snorted, not looking up from her phone screen.
My body stiffened. "He's loyal, he's determined, he's motivated, and he's dependable."
"You sure it's not 'cause you're fucking him?" Ivy asked.
"That's none of your business," I snapped. "Besides, you have no say in who my Gamma will be." I scribbled his name down.
Mom cleared her throat, squinting her eyes at Ivy. "Language. Your father and I don't need to know about your sister's love life."
"I wouldn't consider it a love life." She snickered in reply.
"Alright, who would you like to be your Beta?" Dad asked, his eyes unmoving from the journal.
I knew what Ivy said had struck a nerve with my parents. It's not that they didn't approve of Xavier. It's that Xavier, and I had no romantic feelings for each other. He was warming my bed, and I was doing the same for him. Once he found his mate, we would end, and I was fine with that. I expected it and so did he. Though, I knew our arrangement worried my parents.
I tapped my pen. "Riley will be my Beta." I jotted her name down.
Riley jumped up from her spot and wrapped her arms around me. "Are you serious?"
I leaned into her hug. "I couldn't have picked anyone better."
That was true. There was no one else I'd trust to run this pack by my side. Riley had proved her devotion to me not only as her sister, but as a wolf.
When I was rejected, she never left my side.
Her and Xavier were the only two who cared enough about me to stay. My other friends from the pack abandoned me once they caught word I was rejected for Ivy. The pack showed me respect as an Alpha's daughter, but as a she-wolf they looked down on me—I could sense it. If my soulmate didn't even want me, why would anyone else?
"You're kidding me!" Ivy bounced up off the loveseat, tossing her phone to the side.
Riley grunted before going back to her seat. "Here we go."
I stood up, crossing my arms as I waited for another one of her famous tantrums.
"This position should go to me or Nolan! Nolan is dad's Beta's son. I'm your sister and I'm married to the Beta's son. It should be one of us!" She stomped her foot on the wooden floor.
I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath. Don't kill her, I thought to myself. "Nolan's a piece of shit. Someone who could deny their mate, something considered sacred in the werewolf community, is not someone I want high in my pack ranks. As for you, you're irresponsible, immature, and you're impulsive. I'm honestly shocked you thought for a second I would have either of you running this pack by my side."
She huffed, turning away from my glare. "Mom! Dad!"
"This is your sister's decision," Mom said. Her eyes unwavered from Ivy.
"I don't care! She's wrong. I don't even know why we always have to come to this stupid little shack. Why can't you just come to the pack house?" She crossed her arms and stared me in the eyes.
A burst of anger rippled through my body and I clenched my jaw.
"Ivy! Really?" Riley shook her head at her.
Ivy rolled her eyes. "Nolan and I have been married for a year and a half. We are trying for a family."
"You've been trying for how long?" Riley snorted. "It's almost impossible to have a pup with someone who isn't your mate. It's not natural for our kind."
She growled. "Don't you think I know that?"
"Girls." Mom was always trying to keep the peace between the sisters. Problem was, we had no peace with Ivy around. She always found something to argue about. She thrived off negative attention.
"You're just going to get over