"Thank you for welcoming my mate and son," Neil said looking back at his mate with a smile as people clapped "though I have so many things to say" Neil's voice was sardonic as his eyes scanned through his people. "I know you were all doing your jobs and I appreciate that but there are few things which angered me...." Neil looked at the elders with angry eyes but didn't say anything "this situation made me realize many things like how my people don't trust me as their alpha" people started talking among themselves whispering, others not knowing what he was talking about whereas others know.
"Quiet" Neil growled shutting them up "this is the behavior I'm talking about. You don't respect me as your alpha, I'm talking and you're talking" he scowled at them. They all bowed down saying sorry to their alpha. "When my father died, I stepped up and did what he did. My father taught me freedom. He always told me to give my people freedom and I did but in the past months proved to me that too much freedom is bad" Neil was now roaring angrily most of the weres baring their necks in submission at the way their alpha was growling at them. The hall was quiet seeing that their alpha was mad, they had never seen him raucous like he was today and this got them worried. They can see and feel how their alpha was so angry and it's directly to them.
Ryan was seated beside Neil's chair, the seat where viola used to sit in when she was the luna. Troy on the right said in his seat looking at how angry his father was at his people. They arrived two days ago and these people were good to Ryan which surprised him, he can't complain.
"We are all equal here, we give each other respect. I know you've waited so long to get an heir and it frustrated you when you saw no chance and truth be told it messed up with my head too. I always think of you my people and I was doing everything in my power to get you an heir. Your future alpha and I was so happy when I found Troy" Neil looked at his son with a smile. "I had my reasons why I didn't bring him to you earlier," Neil said lowly calming down.
"You see my mate" Neil pointed at Ryan with a smile "he is the kind-hearted man I have ever met in this life. He looks like his father but as Troy said before resemblance doesn't determine who we are. We all judged him because he resembled his father and I hate myself for it and I will never stop saying sorry or hate myself for what I did to him" Ryan smiled at Neil nodding at him looking away.
"You all disappointed me but since my mate gave me a second chance, I'm giving all of you a second chance except for two people and that's jade and Franklin" Neil looked at his two ex-best friends who were seated in their seats as bata and worrier. "Come you please come in front" Franklin and jade moved forth not knowing what Neil was up to.
"you all know how inseparable we are with these two. They are like my siblings and I loved them so much but betrayed me,they were the first people I told about Troy. I didn't know what betrayal felt like until these two decided to betray me" Neil breathed out "I thought a best friend is a person who sticks around with you no matter what. whatever decision you make whether bad or good your best friend has to be there" Neil looked at them with hurt-filled eyes sighing as he put his gaze on his people "The first thing they did was rat me out. They dared to say that my happiness doesn't matter at all yet they were my best friends, who says that to his or her best friend. I think I misinterpreted the meaning of best friends" Neil chuckled "truth be said, I don't trust them anymore. I can give anyone second chances but not them, they hurt me the most" jade and Franklin looked at Neil with horror in their eyes, they thought Neil had forgiven them. They had been talking for the past months like before but seeing the man, he is still so much angry.
"Neil let's talk about this in private!" Jade whispered scared.
"Jade is my bate but starting from today onwards she's not. She's just a normal wolf like all of you. Franklin is the head worrier and now he is not. I'm demoting them" Neil announced seriously making the weres gasp out shocked, Ryan was too surprised about this.
"I can't allow this alpha" Franklin argued shaking his head not accepting his fate.
"If you can't we all have freedom to become a rouge or join another pack, Franklin. I'm the alpha I decide what I want in this pack so it's up to you. I'm not tying you down on the beach or forcing you to stay. As I said, you all have the freedom to go as you please but once you leave never think of coming back because I won't allow it" Neil gave him a hard stare.
"But we're your best friends. I know we made mistakes but you can't do this to us" Franklin declared seriously.
"I will and I can Franklin" Neil turned back to his people. Franklin was about to say something "don't say anything else frank, I will cast you away from this pack and if you think it's impossible, try me and open your mouth" Neil growled at him his eyes changing to gold meaning his wolf wants to take over.
"Who is going to replace them alpha" one asked after raising his hand and being picked.
"Good question Edward" Neil gave him a smile "Ashton Good come forward" the said man stood up quickly strutting in front of the stage bowing in respect to his alpha and luna. "He is our new head of worrier. He is good and I know he will do the job so very well. After here pack your things and move to the worrier's cottages with your mate, Franklin will move out" the man beamed in happiness, not believing what was happening, he was going to be one of the highest-ranked wolves. He thanked the alpha as people clapped for him liking the replacement.
"Chet sol come in front" the man rushed in front with a beaming smile bowing to the alpha, luna and the future alpha "He is our new beta, if you have seen him this last month he had been helping me a lot. He knows how to talk to people and although he doesn't have beta blood, he will do a great job. I have talked to the elders we are going to make a ritual that accepts him to be a strong beta so from that day he will be beta and all his children will have bate blood, I choose him" the people appulse liking their bates replacement. Although Franklin and Jade had been doing a great job, but even the replacement will do.
"Now that is done" jade and Franklin looked at Neil and they can't believe the man had replaced them easily. Without even telling them, was he really done with them? Were they now ex-best friends like he had been saying all these months.
They thought the man was lying,kidding but seeing how he replaced them without a second thought hurt them and now they know how they hurt their best friend. Jade's eyes wailed as she ran away from the stage with tears streaming down her face as Franklin followed behind also wanting to tear up. He really loved his post and power but now he was no more.
The three of them had been besties since they even knew how to count. They can't imagine that they have ruined their friendship because they couldn't keep their mouths shut. They should had-trusted Neil when he told them to, but they pushed and pushed. Neil wasn't a person who gets angry easily but if he demoted them like this, that means one thing, they hurt him extraordinarily.
He even suggested for them to become rogues, which was unheard of, Neil had threatened to cast them out, that wasn't their best friend they knew,... "Jade it's ok he will come around" Franklin whispered to his crying sister.
"All this is your fault frank, the minute I told you about Troy you suggested that crazy inkling of yours. Now look I'm a nobody and what hurts the most is that I lost a friend in the process" jade sobbed harder.
"I didn't force you to do anything Jade, if I knew it will hurt him like this I wouldn't have done it. I thought he didn't love him" Franklin explained.
"I will lose my post as a beta but I'm not losing my friendship with him. I will fight to be his friend again no matter the consequences" jade vowed her eyes full of determination. Franklin looked at his sister for a moment trying to think for once and the moment he opened his mouth, he understood what he had done.
"Me too,Neil has been our friend for decades and he had never looked at me like that. The hurt in his eyes when he looked at me as much. He was always there for us when we needed him and now I know how we have hurt him. The light wasn't there in his eyes this past month, but we skipped it. When he needed us the most we never cared, we pressured him more, we stressed him. Yet all we had to do was support him as his family his best friend yet we knew what he did to his mate, all we had to do was to trust him"
"We're the only ones who know the truth but we betrayed him and now I see how wrong we were. We need to apologize Jade let's bring back our friend" Franklin rumbled on seeing all the mistakes they had done. With the look of determination they nodded at each other.
"We will bring him to forgive us"
Meanwhile, the meeting was still going on Neil listed down some changes and so much more "ok guys I think my mate has something to say to you" Neil said giving his mate a hand to help him stand up since his leg still hurts who caught it standing next to him. Neil kissed his forehead affectionately. The people stood up appulse happily chanting luna. Ryan's heart was beating so fast, this was too much.
"Um hi I'm Ryan Cruz, and um" he stuttered not knowing what to say. "Thank you for being nice to me since I arrived here despite looking like this" he pointed at himself which earned him a kiss on his temple "and um for taking care of us"Ryan swallowed looking around the hall as he pushed himself from Neils hold walking in the front sitting on the floor. People gasped but didn't say anything they waited to see what he was doing as he crisscrossed his legs looking at the people. Even Neil didn't say a thing he just stood there looking at him.
"I know this is difficult for all of us" he started saying looking around the hall "my family hurt you so much and I'm sorry about them. I know you're just accepting this.....me....because of what I did for your alpha" Ryan said lowly "i didn't do that because I needed your authorization, or to see me as your hero. No! I did that because I love him so much, I did that because since the day I found out about my fathers deeds I couldn't sleep. it hurt me to know that my own father killed my mates family and he was going to kill my love too" he sighed
"You don't like me I know and I don't blame you for that. You have a right to hate me, to curse at me like your alpha had said you have freedom but is it worthy. Think about it, is it worth living our lives with hate" Ryan looked around the hall "all I'm saying here is that, let's give ourselves a chance, to live happily, for our children to live a happy life. Give me a chance and I give you a chance. Get to know me as me not me as the son of that man. I'm not going to force you to love me, but I will prove to you each and everyday that I'm not my heartless father but.....i will do that if you also prove to me that your worthy my time. I'm your Alpha's mate and I'm willing to stay if you meet me halfway but if not I will get your future alpha and leave and it will be up to your alpha to choose and we all know who he will choose. A mate bond is stronger than anything. So respect is a guarantee here" people gasped as Ryan stood up limping a little
"My door is open to anyone, children, women, and men. let's make this pack a better one, let's teach our children to love and how to forgive. Let's do this for our future generation" with that Ryan turned around moving back to where Neil was standing who gave him a proud look. He leaned in slowly pecking his lips softly pulling him into a tight hug.
Neil had never been this proud as he was now. Those were wise words. People were quite all amazed by what Ryan had said, sinking in their minds.
"I think that's all, go back to what you were doing" Neil said seeing how tired his mate was.
"We accept Ryan Cruz as our luna"
One of the were said making the hall to bowed down in respect as Ryan's his eyes widening in shock when he saw each one of the pack members on their knees Bowing down at him. Neil smiled at this, Ryan also bowed down at them accepting them fully.
"we're expecting a baby" Neil blurted out making the weres roar in happiness standing up as they started clapping happily. "Yes, elder Kent" Neil pointed at him when he raised his hand.
"Does our future alpha accept us too" all the people quieted down looking at Troy?
"As long as my mother is here, I'm in, I'm where were he is" they applause again, the pack had never been happy like this and this puts a smile on Neils's lips.
"Thank you luna, thank you future alpha, thank you alpha Neil for the second chance" they all bowed down in respect at them,wasn't it too much. He asked himself.
"Ok my people, prepare for the ritual tonight and the party. Let's celebrate my people and let's spread love. Meeting adjourned, my beautiful mate is tired because of this little one in his stomach" all the people awws, at how cute the couple looked. Neil held Ryan's hand protectively getting out with Troy behind them.
"Mum, dad, i want to stay here with my friends," Troy said who was following them.
"Troy go anywhere you want as long as you don't leave the packed ground without telling me" the boy nodded running to the group of boys who were waiting for him. He Had made some friends when he came here last time. "He will be fine" Neil squeezed Ryan's hand tightly as they walked back to their mansion.
"I know" he whispered.
"You're tense what's the matter," Neil asked worriedly.
"I'm fine it's just....." before Ryan could finish his statement a woman bowed at them in respect who was passing by them. They walked towards their house in silence until they reached their bedroom. Ryan realized a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Talk to me love"
"I'm just scared, I'm not used to this. All the bowing and the cheering hell I accepted to be their luna but I even don't know what I should do or shouldn't, I feel like it's too much pressure" he muttered softly.
"That speech was from a skilled luna Ryan and I know you will be the greatest luna of all times. If it's too much tell me instantly ok and If you don't want to bow and cheer I can tell them to stop doing it. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable" Neil whispered kissing his forehead.
"Ok, I will tell you when it's too much" Neil nodded
"So a relaxing shower, I have to step out for two hours, I have some reports I need to review. I will be back before dinner or the party" Neil whispers.
"I will shower later, let me first rest I'm so damn tired"
"Ok, love you and if you need anything ask elder Sandra or other maids. They will attend to you or call me immediately" Ryan nodded kissing Neil softly as he pulled off his clothes getting into bed.
"Neil..." Ryan called before the alpha could get out. Neil turned around looking at him with soft eyes. Ryan sat up in bed biting his lips "I love you....so much" Ryan whispered. Neil smiled walking back at his mate pressing his lips to his kissing him passionately muttering how much he loves him too.
Everything was falling in place and they only wish to be like this forever.
*******
What do you think?
About Ryan's speech
It's coming to an end.
Two chapters, yes, it's because tomorrow I will be so busy to update so hope you enjoyed the updates.
Till next time pals
Nice lunch and day.