Chapter 62
DAKOTA’S POV
I looked down at Odin, everything in me begging me to just end it. But a few other factors were stopping me. Like Koda, for instance. And then there was Angela. I knew that she wanted to be free from him, but did she want him dead? I felt like I owed it to her to let him live, considering that if not for her, I wouldn’t even be in a position to kill Odin.
I sighed again. I had done that a little too much in the space of the last few minutes.
“Fine. Submit!” Without hesitation, Odin bared his neck in submission. I grumbled under my breath. Why did he have to make it easy?
Beta Markus took a knee and howled at the sky, announcing that the pack now had a new Alpha. I felt my chest huff with pride. I did it. I finally did it. Somewhere, a part of me wondered if my father was proud of me. Even though over the last few months, history had proven that he wasn’t the man I thought he was.
I took a deep breath and removed my hand from his throat. He tried to stand up, but he instead fell flat at my feet.
Beta Markus walked up to me and did a slight bow.
“What would you like to do to him right now?”
I smiled.
“Odin. From now henceforth, you and your family cease to be members of the Silvermoon Pack.”
“No!” I looked and saw Luna’s face red with anger, veins popping out on the sides of her neck.
“No?” I said, placing a hand on my hip, giving her a mocking stare.
“You little bitch! You think that you’re now a big shot huh?”
“I mean…”
“Odin should have killed you and your miserable mother when he killed your father!”
“Really? So, I’m guessing that you’re not too happy with the result of today’s challenge?”
She huffed and nodded, folding her hands across her chest.
“Okay. As a fair Alpha, I want everyone to leave here satisfied. So, challenge me.”
Her face paled.
“What?”
“Challenge me. You don’t think I should be Alpha, you think your miserable wimp of a mate here…” I kicked Odin lightly, “…should have killed my mother and me. You can change all that if you challenge me.”
“But…”
“But of course, you’d have to win,” I smirked at her. I have never felt the power I felt now. I could feel a fresh type of power flowing in my veins. It made me feel like I had power over everyone in the pack. Which I did.
I knew I was going to love being an Alpha.
“I’m waiting…”
She bowed her head and moved back.
“I’m sorry…”
“You’re sorry…what?”
“I’m sorry, Alpha.”
“Good girl.” I looked at Koda “This is the best I can do for you. Take your family and leave.”
Koda nodded and bowed his head respectfully at me.
“Thank you.”
“You and your family have exactly an hour and a half to exit pack lands. You stay any longer, I assume that you no longer value your life.” Koda gave one last bow and stood up, herding his mother and father back in the direction of the house.
He stopped halfway and dropped his father on the ground, coming back towards me.
“If we never see each other again, it is very important that I say this.” I cocked my head to the side, and I took a deep breath.
“I love you.” I heard a growl in the background. I didn’t need to look to know who it was.
“I love you very much. And above everything, I wish that we had worked out.”
I burst out laughing. I couldn’t help it.
“Wow. That was quite the confession. You love me?”
“Yes.”
“And have always loved me?”
“Yes.”
“And you made my life hell after my father died? After your father cheated and killed my father in a challenge?” He lowered his head.
“You humiliated me, Koda.”
He muttered something under his breath.
“What was that?”
“My father made me do it. After the challenge, he insisted I cut ties with you and keep you far away. That was the reason for…” He trailed off.
“Well, I’m happy you did what you did. Because if you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met Akela.” I smiled in his direction “And I wouldn’t have been through the storm. I needed to do that.”
“But…”
“Thank you, Koda. You and your father. You both thought you were breaking me down, but the whole time, you both were gathering the wood that would be used to burn you.”
“Dakota…”
“Get out of my sight,” I said with a note of finality in my voice. He nodded and returned to his family. I watched as they went away, and I took a deep breath. I walked to Akela and Alan with all smiles on my face.
“We did it!” I said. Alan grabbed me by the waist and hefted me from the ground, doing a 360-degree spin before dropping me.
“I’m so proud of you, Dakota. You did well. You did very well.”
“Thank you very much, Alan. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“Ah, stop.” I thought I saw his cheeks tint red. “I’m going to rush home now and tell Anna the great news.” I nodded, and he ran back to the house
“Alpha. I will go ahead now and make sure that Odin had handed down all the necessary documents and is on the way out of this pack.” I nodded, and he too found his way off of the grounds.
I randomly remembered Angela and looked towards the trees. She wasn’t there. I smiled. I hoped that she found happiness.
Now, the only ones left were Akela and me. And for some reason, he wouldn’t look at me.
“Akela.”
Silence.
“What’s wrong?” He laughed.
“What’s funny?” I asked, folding my hands across my chest. “I don’t understand this attitude.”
“I’m giving you attitude?”
“Yes, you are.”
“You said you were going for a walk…” So, that was it. “…I wake up to your howl, get a notice from my dad that you have officially challenged Odin for the position of Alpha, and I am the one overreacting?”
“I’m…I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry. That’s all you have to say?”
“No. I wanted to say thank you as well. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you by my side.” I could see and feel his anger begin to melt away.
“Dakota…”
“I love you, Akela.” He sighed and pulled me into his arms for a hug. I wrapped my hands around myself and breathed him in.
“I love you too. I love you so much. More than you know. And that is why you are never allowed to pull such a stunt on me without me right there with you. Okay?”
I nodded. I kissed his cheeks, his eyes, his forehead, and lastly, his lips.
“So, what now?”
“Let’s go home. We’ll think about it when we get home.”
Akela grabbed my hand, and we began the trek back home with relief on our minds.