Olivia’s POV
I grabbed the attention of everyone in the room and asked Sephora to pass me the documents that I had given her just before we walked in.
She pulled them out of the bag and placed them gingerly on the table in front of me.
I stood up and my eyes glanced around the room. The silence was so thick that I could hear a pin fall to the ground. All eyes were on me, and for the first time since I got there, I felt my stomach churn with anxiety.
“First of all, it has come to my notice that the female members of the pack are showing less dedication to their training in school. In general, there has been a 10% decline in the amount of female warriors that we have in the pack. I think we need to address that.”
There was a slight murmur in the room, but it quickly died down. One of the counsellors raised her hand to speak, and I allowed her to have the audience.
“We are very much aware of the decline, Luna. We think it is necessary as the men greatly outnumber the women in this pack, and it is more or less their job to do the protecting of the pack…”
“Also,” quipped another member of the council, promptly standing up to take up where her counterpart left off. “There have also been reported cases of the men molesting the girls that they train with. This has led many mothers to withdraw their daughters from their training sessions and keep them focused on other pack necessities like cooking, cleaning, and being peacemakers to disputes.”
The female counsellor who called me ‘impudent’ stood up and cast me a sceptical glare.
“We also received information that you got into a fight with one of the female students in your school. In fact, that fight should not have broken out if you focused more on teaching the women how to make peace and not how to fight and be violent, just like the men. I also believe that it is very immature for the future Luna of the pack to be fighting with her classmates. It shows a level of authoritarian leadership if you ask me.”
The murmuring and whispering became a little louder, and everyone looked at me sceptically and doubtfully. I was beginning to lose them. I had to find a way to reel them in.
I stood up proudly and my eyes washed over the room in one glance.
“I respect that you all simply want better situations for your female children. So is a mother’s instinct. As I will become a mother soon, I would want my child to be safe. But robbing your female children of programs that are meant to teach them how to protect themselves is instilling weakness into the pack and increases the likelihood for them to be molested in the future.”
I took a deep breath and made sure that everyone was following what I was saying. As soon as I got the confirmation, I continued.
“The issues that you have raised were addressed to me, and I have already commanded the construction of a self-defence centre that would be exclusively for female training. This eliminates the possibility of females being molested by their male counterparts. We must keep in mind that we are a pack of wolves and not a pack of wives. To function properly, we must be well grounded in all aspects, which includes defense for ourselves and the pack, should the need arise. I have already received applications for interested candidates to serve as trainers for our female wolves. Sephora over here”
I gestured to Sephora, who was standing behind me.
“Is a female trainer and warrior. She is still at her peak of beauty, and I do not think that her training has made her less womanly.”
There were nods of approval, but the rude female counsellor was not going to give me a chance.
“You have said something very beneficial, Luna. But you have yet to address us on why you resorted to violence against your fellow student. A Luna should be a bringer of peace and should not be the one to instigate wars and violence.”
Everyone whipped their heads around to look at me. I could see the muscles on the face tensing up, waiting for my reply.
I stood up and took a deep breath.
“You all are right. A Luna should usher in peace and dissolve conflict in the pack. But where the Luna’s authority is challenged and her mate is demeaned, she has every right to stand up for herself and her family and defend them. I could have gone about the entire situation peacefully, but the female student was the one to throw the first blow, and I retaliated as a form of self-defence.”
I stopped, reading their expressions and catching my breath before I continued.
“I am certain that all of you standing here today would have labelled me as ‘weak’ if I had allowed those students to beat me to a pulp. You all would call me an incapable Luna. But now that I stood up for myself, you all are indirectly labelling me as a ‘bully’.”
I could feel the change in the room, and one of the members stood up apologetically.
“No one is calling you a bully, Luna.”
I scoffed.
“I beg to differ. I believe the lady on your right”
I gestured to the rude lady that insulted me earlier and she flinched and tried to hide in fear.
“described my fighting with my fellow students as something akin to authoritarian leadership. If I am not wrong, an authoritarian is a tyrant, and a tyrant is a bully. Is it not?”
Everyone glared at the lady I had gestured at, and she moved uncomfortably in her seat. She was pegged, and she immediately fell silent.
“Dear Luna, please forgive Counselor Greta. She is just very zealous in the affairs that concern our pack. She was just trying to do her job.”
I grabbed my documents, arranged them, and sat down on my seat.
“Well, in doing her job, I suggest that she learn some respect on the side.”
I couldn’t resist taking a swipe at Greta. She had been a thorn in my side since the meeting began.
“Anyway, I think we should move to the aspect of housing in our pack, don’t you think? We can’t afford to delay because of one member’s impudence. Don’t you agree, Counselor Greta?”
She nodded fearfully.
There was another approval, and the meeting progressed while Counselor Greta sat on her chair dumbfounded and embarrassed.
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“… and if we do that, we will be able to increase housing availability for a rapidly increasing pack.”
There was applause throughout the room, and everyone looked at me quite impressed.
“Permission to speak, Luna.”
“You may.”
I sat down and gave the lady the floor to address the room.
“Your ideas are wonderful, marvellous if I must say. You might be very young, but I believe you have the capacity to lead the pack.”
Everyone murmured in agreement, and a smile tried to spread across my face. I fought back to keep my expression neutral.
“Thank you. I do very much believe that we have the capacity to make the pack better than what it is. All we need to do is show a little more respect”
I glanced at Counselor Greta, and she slinked into her chair.
“And keep in mind that whatever we do is to make the pack greater. We can do so much more as female werewolves.”
There was another applause, and I raised my hand to gesture for it to die down.
“Without anything further to discuss, I believe this meeting should be adjourned.”
Everyone stood up from their seats and gave me a bow before they left the hall.
I was finally alone, and I expelled nearly all the air from my lungs in relief. I didn’t fumble.
Sephora placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and gave me a nod of approval.
“You did well, Luna Olivia.”
My face beamed with a smile, and excitement bubbled inside of me.
“Thank you, Sephora.”