Olivia’s POV
How do I look? I twirled in front of the mirror and Andre.
He gave me an approving smile and a kiss on my forehead.
“You look as beautiful as always,” he said with a husky voice.
He kissed my neck, and I giggled and pushed him away playfully. I could tell that he was trying to calm my nerves; today was my meeting with the women’s council, and my heart had been pounding in my chest for the last two days.
Surprisingly, these last two days, my trainer, Sephora, has been bombarding me with calls to make sure that I am prepared for the council.
I finally decided to ask her to accompany me, and she obliged.
We soon received a message from a maid who told us that she was waiting for me downstairs in the living room.
Andre pulled me into a kiss, and I groaned against his lips.
As he pulled away from me, He stroked me with suppressed desire, and I could tell he was craving my taste again.
“Are you sure that I shouldn’t accompany you instead of Sephora? Pierre doesn’t have to drive you, either. I can drive you there and wait in the car till you’re done.”
I kissed Andre on his nose. I couldn’t help but recognise how sweet he was. But I wanted to do this on my own, without Andre. I wanted to be able to prove that I could stand on my own without him.
“You don’t need to worry about me. Sephora and I will be fine. Just root for me while I’m there. Okay?”
He kissed my forehead lovingly, and I was finally able to disentangle from his embrace and head downstairs.
Sephora was waiting for me, and she gave me a deep bow as soon as I appeared. It was the first time that she had ever done something like this.
“You look wonderful, Olivia. Very foxy, I must say.”
I smirked and took a swipe at her.
“When are you going to start addressing me as ‘Luna’?”
“When you’ve proved to me that you deserving of that respect. We are running late; we should start going. The best way to win the respect of a group is to arrive at meetings on time.”
We went outside and headed to the car. Pierre was already at the wheel. He stepped out and opened the back door for the both of us and got inside. We zoomed off and the entire journey, my heart was beating at an alarming rate. I was almost terrified that Sephora could hear its thudding in my chest.
We soon reached the council hall, and I was stunned by how marvellous and grand it looked.
I adjusted my dress, straightened my back, and relaxed my shoulders. I was going to make an impression that they wouldn’t forget in a hurry.
I walked in proudly, and I realised that the women were already seated, waiting for me.
I scanned the table for my seat and I saw that my chair was empty and was at the head of the table.
I ignored it and glared at everyone in the room.
“Might I ask where my seat is?”
There was a murmur in the room, and everyone looked at me in shock, and I could tell that they were wondering if I was blind or something.
I walked over to the empty seat at the head of the table but refused to sit down. Glaring at the chair, I realised that it was the same height as all the others in the room.
I was appalled and pushed the chair aside. Looking around the room, I saw another seat that was higher and more intricately designed.
“Sephora, please fetch me that seat across the room.”
She didn’t hesitate and walked briskly to the seat that I gestured at. She brought it over and placed it at the head of the table and I assumed my position in the council.
All the women were glaring at me in shock, and some of them seemed appalled by my attitude, but I couldn’t care less.
“A pack’s success is mutually determined by the fact that everyone should know their place in the hierarchy. Since all of you are unaware of your place, I, your Luna, am very much aware of my position in the hierarchy, and I will not allow anyone to demean it.”
Another murmur rippled through the room. Some gave me approving nods and glances, while others had disapproving demeanour. I wasn’t rattled by anything and kept up my act.
I was going to fake this till I made it.
I used my auraAndre had been teaching me to express itand brought back decorum to the room.
“I also need to say that I am highly disappointed with the lack of respect amongst the women in the council. I walked in and no one stood up to greet me. I believe that, as Luna, I demand such respect.”
There was a loud shuffling of chairs, and the woman reluctantly stood up and gave me a shallow bow and slight murmuring as a greeting. I pushed it aside and saw that they attempted to sit.
“I believe that I should tell you when to sit after the greeting. You do not sit on your own accord.”
Finally, one of the women had her final straw of patience snapped.
“You insolent little girl! Do you really think that…”
I expanded my aura across the room, and everyone began to grunt and fall to their knees under the weight of it.
I looked around in disgust.
“The Goddess has bestowed me with this power, and I will not hesitate to use it if necessary. I believe the order she created must be respected.”
I finally let everyone go.
The lady cast me an accusing look and continued to talk back at me.
“Have you no respect, you impudent girl?!”
“And have ‘you’ no respect for my position in this pack?!” I snapped back angrily at her.
I stood up and glared around the room.
“I am with child. I carry the Alpha’s heir. I do not wish to engage in direct conflict, but anyone who dares to think they can take me on should, by all means, try their very best. I will oblige. If anything happens to me or the Alpha’s child, that person will be held liable and will face the consequences of her actions and feel the Alpha’s wrath. So I ask formally: Does anyone wish to brawl with me?”
There was silence throughout the room, and I gave a satisfied scoff.
“I thought as much. Well, in that case, I believe we can get down to business, and you all can listen to the plans that I have prepared for the pack…”