Cornelia and James joined their bloodied hands, pressing their wounds against each other and above the flames.
The blood dripped into the flames that danced on the altar. One drop, two, three… and then it happened… James and Cornelia sucked in sharp breaths as a wave of energy assaulted their bodies.
James felt the moment when the pack link got established, giving him the clarity of thousands of minds connected into one. He could feel the difference compared to the pack link of the Red Moon pack he had previously, and he knew that he had made the right choice of coming here. Damon was a good Alpha. His people followed him willingly; they admired him, and so did James.
Cornelia was a witch, so she didn't get the pack link, but she could feel the energies of the people gathered and many others who were not nearby.
"You are now bound to the Dark Howlers pack as its members, to live and prosper together and help each other in times of need," Gideon announced.
"Welcome to the Dark Howlers pack!" Damon exclaimed, and then he raised his head to the sky.
"AWOOO!"
Damon's howl shook the air, and everyone else joined him, "AWOOO!!!"
James was staring at Cornelia, and they had matching smiles on their faces, but this was not over.
"James of the Dark Howlers pack!" Damon called, "I'm offering you the position of my Gamma. This role comes with honor and responsibility, and it can't be broken as long as the pack exists. Do you accept to work with me for the benefit of the pack?"
"I do," James responded with confidence.
"Cornelia of the Dark Howlers pack," Talia called. "You are James' mate, a member of the Dark Howlers pack by blood, and I consider you my friend. I am offering you the position of my Gamma, to be my advisor and help me take care of the pack. Are you willing?"
"I am willing," Cornelia responded solemnly.
Gideon started chanting unintelligibly as he threw some aromatic herbs and powders into the flames, and Cornelia couldn't stop staring at James. She never saw him this happy, and she was happy as well.
James and Cornelia gasped when a gust of energy rushed into them, tightening and expanding their bond with the pack.
James could feel his muscles swelling with the boon of a Gamma. The ceremony tapped into the power of the pack, giving James a boost to protect and serve. The larger the pack, the stronger the effect was, and James' skin visibly stretched to accommodate his larger physique.
Cornelia would admire the transformation of her handsome mate, but she was in a daze of her own as her skin prickled with energies.
Cornelia was a priestess in the Silver Flame Coven, a high-ranking witch second only to Evanora, and this ceremony boosted her perception of nature to a new level. It was like, so far, she had the ability to climb a tree and use its branches, but now leaves were opening up to provide insight into secrets that were unreachable until now.
Talia and Liseli watched Cornelia carefully, making sure that this ceremony didn't jeopardize her baby.
'Cornelia might be stronger than the high priestess now,' Liseli said.
'You think she might be stronger than Evanora?'
Liseli confirmed. 'After mating with Axel, Yasmin became stronger than her mother.' And after Talia taught her to use energies as a Guardian, Yasmin grew further. 'I believe that Cornelia is now as strong as Yasmin.'
Talia liked this news. It was good for the pack, and for the Gamma pair also.
James was from the Red Moon pack, and many will question Damon's decision to make him a Gamma. It will take some time for people to forget about James' origins.
And then there was James' age which put him in the middle of his teens. People who didn't know of James' brilliance would think he was too young for the position. Talia didn't miss suspicious and disapproving looks from many Elders, but she knew that James would be able to deal with them.
Considering that people respected power, James and Cornelia getting stronger would help them establish themselves, and now they were not alone. Damon and Talia were ready to back them up, and there were also George and a few others, and that meant a lot.
James and Cornelia moved to the side to stand behind Damon and Talia, next to Maya and Caden.
They were both Gammas now, and their rightful place was with high-ranking members of the pack.
James took Cornelia's bloodied hand to examine, and he frowned at the cut that didn't show signs of healing. He remembered that Cornelia healed his cut in the Silver Flame Coven. Why didn't she heal herself now? Was it because of the pregnancy?
He leaned lower, and Cornelia thought he was about to kiss her. She gasped when she felt his tongue on her palm. The ceremony made her extra sensitive, and somehow… his action was sexy beyond belief.
James smirked when he picked up Cornelia's emotions, and he continued licking her wound diligently. His nostrils flared at the scent of Cornelia's arousal, and that only spurred him to lick her more. He really wanted to push her down, discard that flimsy ceremonial outfit that covered her private parts so that he could lick all the wild berry infused juices her sweet pussy produced. However, they were on the podium, and an important ceremony was going on. Licking Cornelia's body will need to wait a bit.
"Mindy of the Dark Howlers pack!" Talia called. "You don't shy from telling me how it is, even if it's unpleasant. Before you joined this pack as Shaman Gideon's mate, you were my friend. Shortly after we met, you asked me if I would be interested in working as your assistant." Talia smiled while remembering the scene at the town square during the Summer Solstice festival. "As you can see, I am a busy Luna, and I can't be your assistant. I want to use this opportunity to ask you in return, are you willing to be my Beta and help me lead this pack into a better future?"
Mindy bowed her head. "It will be my honor, Luna Talia."
Gideon smiled at his pumpkin-infused princess. Light from the flames danced on her perfect skin, and he wanted to kiss and caress her all over. Mindy was glowing from happiness, and there was his pup inside her belly also. Life didn't get better than this.
Gideon put extra effort into this part of the ceremony where Mindy got her official role. She was Beta of the Dark Howlers pack, equal in status to Maya and Caden, who were respected by everyone who ever heard of the Dark Howlers pack.
Damon held his chin high while pulling Talia closer to him. The Red Moon pack was gone, the Dark Howlers pack was growing in territory and members, their recent deals gave them extra resources, and they even grew in terms of the number of high-ranking members.
These were huge changes for the better, and Damon knew that none of these would happen if not for Talia. She was the catalyst to many events, and she gave him guidance and strength to do the right thing, even when she was unaware of the effect her existence had on him.
Talia looked up at Damon and smiled brightly, lighting up his world and silently telling him that things would be alright.
