Chapter 14

**Kataleya’s POV**

I finally made it home when my father called Michael and I went into his office. I wondered what he wanted. Far as I knew, everything was going fine. We walked into the house and took our usual seats.

“Kat. Michael. Thank you for coming to see me. I just wanted to let you know the status of telling the pack about the change in our hierarchy. I plan to hold a pack-wide “meeting” tomorrow.” My father says to us.

“What about the Elders? Are you telling them beforehand or are we just going to blindside them?” Michael inquired.

“Well, I have decided that we are going to tell everyone at the same time. The elders cannot technically say anything about it. Who do I make as my successor does not concern them? Their role is to help guide the Alpha and the future Alpha. It does not necessarily mean that I have to obey everything that they ask of me, which I do not do.”

My father had a point. They are only there to guide the Alpha. They do not have the right to actually demand that the Alpha follow all their commands and whims.

What if they decide that I am not fit for the role of Alpha?

Everyone had become acclimated to the fact that Michael would be the next Alpha. Elijah and I have never been considered for it. Why would we be? Michael was, after all, the first born, even if Michael and my skill levels are matched.

“So, it is set. I expect both of you and Elijah to be there. Although I do not think it will be an issue, I expect you to support your sister. You and I both know that there will be some that fight back against the decision. Many of them will detest a female Alpha, especially the older generation.” My father states before he dismisses us.

“Yes, Alpha.” We responded as we walked out of his room.

“Are you nervous?” Michael turned to ask me. I give him a small nod and he grabs my shoulder and gives me a small, reassuring squeeze. “I promise it will all be okay. Dad and I will make sure of it. I mean you could always kick their ass too, but that may not be the most diplomatic way to solve things.” I laughed at Michael. He always has a way of making me smile, of making me feel better when I am scared.

It is the next day and I had started to get ready for my father’s announcement. Michael suggested that I wear something more on the formal side, so that the pack can see that I am serious about this. I personally think he wants me to dress up because dad told him that he needed to wear something decent and not the usual tee shirts that he likes.

Since he asked me to wear something formal, I decided that this called for a shopping trip. I finally arrived home and it was time for me to get dressed. I decided on a long, flowing turquoise, light blue flowing belted wrap dress. The back of the dress was longer than it was in the front. The dress is covered in nice, flowing flowers. It is low-cut enough to not be considered indecent, but enough to be considered elegant. I decided to wear the necklace that my parents gifted me on my 16th birthday. It had a nice, long chain and at the end of it was a wolf with dazzling blue eyes. My mother told me it reminded her of Skye. I wore silvery white heels that had glitter on the top. I kept my makeup nice and simple, and I curled my hair and let it flow down my back.

I looked into my floor-length mirror. ‘We look gorgeous’, Skye said as we looked into the mirror. Yes, we do. We looked phenomenal.

I made my way downstairs and I saw my brother. I guess this was the closest to “formal” that he was going to get. Michael was wearing a black, short sleeve button-up shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans with a pair of nice black shoes. While Elijah, on the other hand, is wearing something similar to a full suit. He is wearing a gray dress shirt, black dress pants, and black dress shoes. Elijah was always the better dressed of my two brothers. Elijah enjoyed wearing suits and formal attire, whereas Michael could care less. If you asked him, he would tell you that he would prefer something that is less formal and more dressed down. Michael used to make jokes that when he became Alpha, he would abolish formal attire from all events, unless you wanted to wear it, but nothing would be forced on pack members. Every time he brings it up, I just laugh at his silliness and tell him that he is being ridiculous.

As I made it the rest of the way down the stairs, my father and mother turned to me. My mom walked to me and gave me a hug. “You looked beautiful daughter,” my mother whispered into my ear.

My father looks at me, “Are you ready, Kat?”

I silently nodded to my father as we made our way to the packhouse. Usually, pack meetings take place in the back of the packhouse. Those making any types of announcements, usually the Alpha, would be on the balcony, where the entrance is outside the Alpha’s office in the packhouse. I do not think that I have ever been with the regular pack members for announcements that my father made. Usually, we would wait on the balcony with him. Today, though, only my father and brother will be on the balcony with me. My mother and sister will be waiting at the door of the balcony. My father is worried, even if he will not admit it, about how the pack is going to take the change in leadership.

As we stepped out onto the balcony, my eyes locked onto the front row. Justin and Oliver were in the front row. Oliver told me, ‘Keep your eyes on us. Let us be your safe space. You can do this, Kat. I believe in you.’ I locked eyes with Justin and he gave me a gentle smile and I nodded my head at him.

After a few seconds, my father’s voice boomed, effectively gathering the attention of every pack member, young and old. “We have a very important reason for meeting here today. My son, Michael, has decided that he no longer wants to step up as the future Alpha of the Whitefang pack. Instead, he chose his younger sister, Kataleya, to take his place as your next Alpha.” Before my father could continue, the crowd had a mixed reaction. Some of the members, particularly the younger generation, began to cheer and were showing their excitement over me being their next Alpha. While some of the members, mostly the Elders and some older pack members, began to yell and shout their anger and disappointment over having a female Alpha.

“A woman cannot be Alpha!”

“She is not capable of running a pack!”

“She is weak!”

“You mean a Luna, right? Her mate will be Alpha?”

“Why her over Elijah?”

“How can someone that is broken be Alpha?”

I gasped, shocked that someone had said I was broke. I didn’t know that other pack members knew about what happened to me many years ago. The pain and trauma that I went through. I thought I hid it well, but I guess there were still many that saw my internal struggles. I continued to lock eyes with Oliver with my eyes glistening with tears. I willed myself not to let the tears fall. I am not weak. I am strong. I can do this. I can cry later when I am not in front of them.

Someone in the crowd growled and I looked to see who did it. It was Justin. Justin looked murderous. Before Justin could say anything, Oliver whispered something into his ear.

My father’s voice boomed, “That is enough! My daughter is not broken or weak! She has worked hard for this title. Kataleya, Michael, and Elijah were all trained equally. Michael and Kataleya’s skill levels match perfectly and, often times, fights between the two end in draws. I will not stand her and listen to you belittle my daughter just because she was not born as a MALE. Being a male or female should not and will not make a difference to who takes over as the next ALPHA of MY pack. If you have a problem with it, you are more than welcome to come visit me tomorrow! Or you can leave. My decision is final and I will not change it based on the whims of pack members who do not understand the inner workings of the rank families.”