HUNTED

The loud atmosphere echoed through the hall again as conversations were once again picking up. Aila felt Damon's warm hand glide onto her thigh; she felt her back straighten up and looked at him, but he was talking to Beta Kane. His hand did not travel further, and she felt herself relax under his touch; it was comforting her under the gaze of the pack. 

Aila began to wonder why there were tables, but the multiple buffet tables on the side already told her that they would be eating after. Aila didn't know what to expect for a pack meeting, but it wasn't that. 

She presumed it would be them in the woods or something. It was a good thing she weren't wearing her top and leggings. As she sat there in front of everyone, she felt the weight of what her role truly meant, her heart spiked up, and her hands felt clammy as she clasped them together under the table. Damon reached his hand out and squeezed her own; she looked at him and instantly felt better.

"I swear the pack is bigger than this.." Malia trailed off as she assessed the numbers in the hall.

"Where is everyone?" Aila whispered; although she knew the others at her table could hear her, she couldn't help but whisper from her many years as a human, and no one typically could hear her. 

Damon removed himself from the conversation with Kane and leaned closer to her, placing his hand on the back of her chair.

"As the pack is too big, we had to establish a few rules. One person from each household should attend the meeting and can keep their family members in a mind-link so they too can hear what has been said," He explained.

"So, the mind-link is like a radio?" Aila mind-linked him. She didn't want the others to think of her as stupid or by still not knowing such basic things. In the past two weeks, her time mainly consisted of her training, getting to know the pack, understanding her powers, and the continuous arguments and punishments with the Alpha. But there was nothing in the books about this. So the pack was increasingly growing, and this was a new system.

"Exactly," Damon nodded his head before speaking aloud, "you look beautiful, by the way."

Aila blushed by his compliment and looked down. His fingers tilted her chin back up so he could look her straight in the eyes, "And you're mine."

"Yours," She responded instantly. Damon's lips pulled up into a broad grin before kissing her cheek and leaning back.

He stood up and clapped his hands once, gaining everyone's attention immediately. Aila looked up at him, admiring his stature and the power emitting off him. In an instant, everyone's eyes were on Alpha Damon, and the conversations stopped, leaving the hall to be silent for their Alpha. 

"I've called this meeting as by now, you must have seen the newcomers in the pack. Of course, this pack is big and continuously grows, but I wanted to make a formal announcement, to stop any rumours or guessing," His voice rumbled over the hall commanding the pack's attention. 

Damon extended his hand out for Aila, his eyes still on the crowd. Aila gulped and forced herself not to cringe under the eyes of everyone as she placed her hand in Damon's and stood up.

"This right here is Aila Cross." He continued, a few hushed whispers and murmurs sprung up from the announcement of her name. She didn't understand why; they already met her the night she shifted and from her greeting members daily. In all honesty, she was tired from speaking to so many people. 

"The White Wolf, my MATE, your Luna and future Queen," His eyes roamed the hall as his voice reverberated across it. Aila kept her eyes trained ahead under the scrutiny of the pack. Whether they looked at her in awe or hate, she didn't want to know right then. All that mattered was for herself to keep her cool. 

Damon gestured for her to sit down and done the same. Aila didn't know how it worked but waited as the silence in the hall ascended until an annoying voice spoke up from the side.

"Have you mated?" Darren asked.

Aila blinked in surprise at his audacity to ask such a question; she tensed and waited for Damon to knock him out.

"He's the Alpha. He can't just go around knocking everyone out," Malia tutted, but Aila could tell Malia wanted Damon to also. 

Damon looked at him and replied in a clear voice, "No."

"Have you marked her?" A shrill voice from the crowd asked, and Lydia walked forwards, so she stood in the hall's centre, across from the leader's table. She wore a tight-fitting gold mini-dress with a deep plunge neckline that caused many males to look in the direction she purposely wanted them to. 

Malia snarled, and Aila inhaled deeply to stop her claws from extending. Why were the questions so personal?

"No."

"Good, as part of the pack rules, it states the mate of the Alpha cannot be marked until they are challenged if they are challenged," Lydia continued, one side of her lips twitched up as her eyes landed on Aila.

Damon stood up, slamming his fist on the table, "I know what the rules state. Do you think me dim-witted?"

"No-"

"Do you think I am incapable of being in charge of the pack?"

"N-"

"Do I give off the impression that I do not know the rules of MY pack?"

"No."

His fury sent a shockwave of nerves across the pack. But Darren stood up and spoke calmly to the Alpha, "I think Lydia was just concerned as you two seem so enamoured with one another, and from what I have observed.. she has a partial mark already.. Does this mean she has been marked?" 

The pack started murmuring to one another again at this new information. Aila's eyes widened, both by how she didn't know a simple rule. Was this a new rule? And by how quickly things changed in the direction of Darren questioning the Alpha in front of the pack. How did he know she had a partial mark? She was wearing a halter neck top that covered the area.

"We have barely seen him over the course of the last two weeks," Malia muttered with a growl forming into her words.

"You think he was watching us?" Aila wondered.

"Possibly. The area around your collarbone is almost always covered, and you'd need to be close to see it properly," Malia murmured in thought. A shiver went down her spine at the idea of Darren spying on her.

Her heart also sank; she believed Damon was holding back from marking her for her. She was the one who didn't want to be marked, yet there was this rule in place. What a stupid rule.

"It's to give others a chance to challenge you," Malia explained.

"I know, but challenge me. Don't have a rule that stops mates from officially becoming one with each other," Aila replied sadly.

Damon stalked towards Darren, his strides long and slow, his presence demanding respect and submission. He was now a step away from Darren; as he looked down at him, Darren dropped his gaze but did not step back. A low growl left Damon's lips, "Aila is NOT marked."

"Why does it matter if I am marked or not?" Aila spoke up.

Lydia scoffed and stepped forwards, "Have you not been listening or are you dumb? I try to keep an open mind about blondes and their reputation for stupidity.. but this.. oh wait. I apologise; your hair is white.." 

Aila stood up slowly and locked her gaze with Lydia's, "You dare speak to me like that," Her voice was low and icy, making a few pack members shiver, "I AM your LUNA."

Aila kept her eyes on Lydia, but she could see many pack members baring their neck at her words. 

"You are not my Luna," Lydia spat.

Damon growled at her words, he took a step forwards, but Aila placed her hand on his bristling chest and walked around the table, so she stood a few meters away from Lydia. 

"Is that a challenge?"