Chapter 47 *’No…they couldn’t possibly be…”*
Serenity’s eyes were wide with surprise as she gazed up at the large Dragon Master. Darien wrapped an arm around Serenity, drawing her closer to his side. This had the Dragon Master looking at the two with pleasant surprise.
“Newly fated?” Officer Terrawing asked.
Darien looked up at Officer Terrawing with wide eyes and nodded, while Serenity blushed and squeaked out a small “yes.” Alora and Ember both thought the squeak Serenity let out was too cute.
Officer Terrawing’s smile widened even more. “You are just an adorable little pup.” Then he gave the two a little bow. “Congratulations on your fated pairing, may the Gods and Goddesses see your centuries full of happiness and many offspring.”
Alora looked at the Dragon Master in silence, she had felt how genuine his words had been for Darien and Serenity. Andrew and Ember knew very well what those words meant to a Dragon Master and were touched. The Werewolf Council Member, still unable to get up and forced to watch this loving moment, was furious.
A lowly/Mountainmover mating into the Pack Alpha’s bloodline, no wonder the Council holds so much power over the Alpha of Alpha’s. He can’t even step in and prevent his own pup from mating some inferior mongrel.‘ The Werewolf Council member thought internally.
The Werewolf Council member was Rankin Northmountain, a Werewolf of low fighting rank, but of high status due to his position on the Werewolf’s Council. He could not understand why the Alpha had required his presence here. When Rankin’s gaze happened upon Alora, his mouth twisted with disgust.
Rankin knew of Alora, she is the dark stain on both Clans otherwise perfect bloodlines. The female was of special interest to the Frost and Northmountain Clan Alphas, because of the inheritance left to her by her grandfather. It was this line of thought that had a feeling of horrified realization run through Rankin.
‘No…they couldn’t possibly be trying to have him certify the transfer of the titles and position left to her in the Will! My Alpha will kill me! I have to think of a way to avoid this!‘ Rankin thought in a panic. The rest of the room, unaware of the panicked thoughts of Rankin, ignored him.
“Mr. Terrawing…” Serenity said hesitantly, gaining Brogden’s attention. “If you don’t mind me asking…, why did you call me an earthmover?”
Brogden Terrawing smiled at the shy question from the adorable little pup, who smelled of warm fertile earth and sunshine. Pointing to his snout he said, “Magic, especially natural born magic, has a distinct scent to it. It is easier for me to recognize another with the same type of magic as me than it is others. I can feel that you are quite powerful already for such a young pup, you will only become even stronger as you age.”
Serenity smiled brightly. “Can I smell you, see if I can tell too?”
Looking into the pure eyes of Serenity, Brogden was reminded of when his youngest daughter was just barely old enough to fly on her own. Always willing to accommodate the curiosity of the younglings, Brogden held out his wrist to Serenity so she could smell his scent.
Serenity sniffed the Dragon Master’s wrist and could smell rich wet earth and a spicy ozone scent she associated with lightning. She looked up at the Dragon in surprise. “I smelled wet earth and lightning!”
Brogden laughed. “Yes, one of my fathers is an earth Dragon Master, another from a Clan of water Dragon Masters and my mother is from a Clan of thunder and lightning Dragon Masters.”
“That must make you very powerful.” Serenity said in awe.
Delighted and amused, the Dragon Master laughed. “If these pups are your future Alpha Andrew, your future is bright indeed!”
Alpha Andrew and Luna Ember smiled at each other over Alora, who wore an entertained smile on her own lips. The Dragon Master focused his attention back on Alora, who looked a lot like the Werewolve’s first Alpha of Alphas, Luna Bloodmoon Heartsong. It made sense that this pup would look like that first Alpha of Alpha’s being she was of the same bloodline.
Brogden mentally tallied up all the paperwork he was handed on Alora again. The folder he was handed contained all her educational accomplishments, her fight class and rank, as well as a photo of her at birth with a birthmark on her left hip. There were also the newer photos of her, one of her in her wolf form, the other of her in a fighting pose. Both pictures showed the mark still on her left flank.
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Included in the file was the certificate of blood oath to the Pack Alpha and the change of her surname from Northmountain to Heartsong. Then there was the DNA test that confirmed Alora as being of the Heartsong Alpha family’s bloodline. The DNA test done to confirm her direct connection to the Heartsong Clan’s Alpha family, was compared with the DNA her grandfather had left with the Supernatural Council.
Brogden was glad he had read that DNA test first, as well as the one also confirming Bettina as Brodie Bloodmoon Heartsong’s daughter. Both of those reports together validated the test proving Alora was Bettina’s daughter. However, the report confirming Allister as Alora’s father had to be false. Brogden made the decision to talk to Alpha Andrew about having that test retaken, with fresh samples from both Alora and Allister.
“Now, Alpha Andrew, on to getting this Will finalized.” Brogden said, bringing everyone’s focus back to the reason he was here.
Rankin thought quickly about how to get out of this without it being obvious he was avoiding doing what he was being told to do. It suddenly occurred to him that he had a perfectly good excuse. Since he had already meant to make things difficult for the Alpha in a show of his power over him, he had deliberately not brought any of the paperwork he would need to comply with the Alpha’s wishes.
Thinking himself very clever for having such foresight, Rankin relaxed. “Apologies Alpha, I’m afraid I cannot certify a title and position transfer. I was told I was only to aid in the processing of a Will. Not knowing what was to be processed I did not know what paperwork to bring.”
Alora looked at the Werewolf Council member, listening to his voice brought back the memory of the day she wanted to tell the Alpha everything. That was when she realized this was the same Werewolf Council member that had been in Alpha Andrew’s office that day. Here he was again, this time trying to prevent her from gaining her inheritance.
Alpha Andrew pulled out the paperwork the Werewolf Council member would need, to file the official documents that certified the transfer of Brodie’s titles and position to Alora. Rankin, seeing the documents paled and tried to find another reason to avoid doing this.
Then he thought of another perfectly reasonable excuse. “How am I supposed to know if those are the official documents unless they were handed to you by a Council Member?”
Alora suppressed the grow! that wanted to rise, her hands clenched into fists under the table. Ember wrapped one arm around Alora’s waist and held her close. Reaching under the table, Ember placed a hand over one of Alora’s clenched fists.
Darien glared at Rankin with narrow eyes, angry at how much disrespect this Werewolf has shown to his Alpha since walking in through the dining room’s door. Serenity cuddled up into Darien’s side, a low growl sounded from her chest. Serenity really did not like Rankin, she wanted to pulverize his face with her fists.
Brogden’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the Werewolf Council member trying to get out of certifying the title and position transfer. He could see now why the young Alpha of Alphas had sought the Supernatural Council’s help with this. Something was seriously wrong when the Werewolf Council chose not to listen to its own Alpha of Alphas.
“Werewolf Council member Mikhail Windstorm is the one who gave me these documents, his seal is on the corner of every page.” Alpha Andrew said with a threatening looking smile.
Alora looked up at the Alpha and relaxed a little. To Alora, it looked like Alpha Andrew had a bone to pick with this Werewolf, just as she did. Darien saw his father’s smile, and knew his father had to have been planning this for some time. Darien felt his father had ordered this Werewolf Council member to aid in processing the Will for a reason.
Darien had seen Alora’s furious glare at the wolf just a moment ago. That glare had Darien determining that whatever his father’s issues with Rankin were, it had to do with Alora. Darien looked at his mother, who was comforting Alora and was startled. Ember’s expression was so cold, but her eyes were blazing.
