beyoncé, bow down.

I stepped past the double doors of the current makeshift conference room and I couldn't help but freeze for a moment as all eyes turned to watch me.

I looked to the other side and found both Raheem and Motheo stood there, both looked equally pissed off although Motheo had another emotion swimming in those eyes. I couldn't pick it apart but I knew somewhere it was a tinge of fear.

Kenneth spoke, finally letting me do something besides stand there awkwardly. I stood tall and tried to brush off all my inner feelings, so I knew I looked confident but man, I just wished everyone would remove their eyes from me.

"Lerato, thank you for joining us." I had given my box of pastries to Amanda and as I stood here the only thing I could think is that she's probably gobbling the entire thing. Dammit.

"Please, step up." He finished and I did my best Savage x Fenty strut to the front. My head as high as possible and my eyes trained on the two men standing there.

Did they want me to choose right here? Right now? Why were they standing there.

I stood a little away from them as my eyes zeroed in on Kenneth, he cleared his throat and finally said something I wanted to hear, "The Council has decided..." he let out the slightest sigh, "The Council has decided to denounce the Mbatha's."

I couldn't keep my surprise in, my hand flew to my mouth as my eyes widen. They listened? Oh my goddess, I thought they'd completely ignore everything I had said. All these Alpha's knew the Mbatha's for years I would've never thought they'd decide this.

No wonder Motheo looked so... pained. I had ripped everything from him all in one foul sweep. My head turned to look at him but his eyes were trained to the ground, was this still what I wanted? The pain on his face, the pain thrumming through the bond was enough to want me to take it back.

Why am I still feeling his pain? What sick joke is this, is the Moon punishing me? I faced Kenneth once again but I bet my resolve had slightly weakened.

"And?" I pushed on, there had to be more.

"They want you as Queen." My eyes looked beyond Kenneth to the other Alpha's.

"Me?"

An older looking Alpha stood as he nodded, "Yes, you Lerato, you said so yourself the Royals have a lot of skeletons and they've been on the throne for many years. Royals aren't born, Lerato, they're chosen.

"Many Alpha's here could be said to have Royal blood in them. It doesn't exist, the Council chooses the Royal and we are choosing you, you are an Alpha therefore that makes you eligible now we've chosen you."

I didn't know what to say, I must have looked like I lost my mind because I felt like I had. The Council chooses the Royals? Motheo had said they were born! He — surprise — lied.

"I —" I looked to my side at the two Alpha's beside me, "Why are they standing here? Am I to choose who I want to rule beside me?"

The same Alpha nodded again, "Yes you are. I know it isn't ideal but as Motheo needed his Queen, you'll need your King. Alpha Exodus is here, if you don't want either of them he could train you to ignore the bonds."

Alpha Exodus was the Alpha of the Arctic Pack who too had rejected his mate, so his Luna was someone he chose. He would obviously know all there is about training to ignore the bond.

"What about their bonds'?" I ask, "I'm sorry, Alpha, I don't know your name."

He smiled, "Alpha Kage," he does a slight curtsey, "I'm sure Alpha Exodus would be willing to train them too — am I mistaken?" He looks over at Alpha Exodus and he shakes his head.

"I would train them too."

I nod my head silently before rubbing my hands on my thighs, "May I request a day? The entirety of tomorrow, please, I know it's a heavy ask to be away from your packs for an extra two days but please. I think everyone needs to rest for the remainder of today. Quite a lot has transpired and I feel regrouping in a day would ease a lot."

Alpha Kage nods his head as several other Alpha's nod too, Lulama wears a smile on her face. Her, I know. She's the Alpha of a pack in Limpopo, she has no mate yet she took over after her father. Her father and older brother were killed during a civil war. She had to step up and she's done quite the job.

Not many would say they don't know Alpha Lulama. She despised being called Luna.

"I guess that's a unanimous vote then, we'll come back on Sunday. Thank you all."

Everyone stayed seated and I almost asked what else needed to be said until I realised they were waiting for me to leave first. As I strode across the room and towards the double doors I had to suppress a laugh, all of this was quite insane.

I exited the room and automatically could hear the chairs begin to roll back and footsteps making their way behind me. Amanda sat near the door on a bench with my box beside her.

"I didn't finish them." She says as soon as I reach her and it's enough to kick out the laugh I had suppressed and a whole new round of laughter.

I open the box and find two tarts left, the she-wolf had eaten three! I ate them before discarding the box in the bin.

I then open the front door before she stops me, "Where are you going? What happened?"

"I'm going home." I pulled out my phone and sent out a message to the family group chat, asking them to all gather at my home.

I know they definitely were listening to the address so I know they would want to be there for me anyway. I knew that they would want to be with me as I tried to wrap my mind around every and I definitely knew they would want to know all that had happened in that conference room.

I would need them for tonight, tomorrow would be a day filled with way too much decision making. I needed a break, Anathi better bring my precious Zeno or we'd definitely have to square up.

My family is definitely my coping mechanism, whenever anything gets too heavy or just too much for me, being around them would instantly make me better. Although, I knew it was always a temporary feeling because once I left everything I was running from would come crashing down.

It still felt so good in the moment and most of the time the weight of my issues never feels as heavy as it did before I spent that time with them. So as Amanda and I climbed into the back of one of the many Royal vehicles I felt content already.

I lay my head on her shoulder and shut my eyes even though I knew it would be quite a short journey back home.

—

sheesh, I had almost forgotten what an ending without a cliffhanger looked like. 😂

OKAY. Give me your thoughts on everrrryyyything! 😁 👂🏽