CHAPTER 85 - SWEARING-IN CEREMONY

-VANCE'S POV- The big day had arrived. The white clouds drifted lazily in the soft breeze at midday, dabbing the azure sky and blazing with the fire of the lucent sun to commemorate the day's auspiciousness. Today, one hundred and twenty-eight people will join our pack after multiple postponements. Everyone except Sianna was present for the ceremony, which was scheduled to begin in half an hour. At my side, standing to receive our newest members is where she should be, yet she was avoiding me still. Threatening to cut all ties with me. Living at the pack house was absurd and miserable. In my opinion, her attitude was overdramatized. Every day, my thoughts sank me into the quicksand of our rifted relationship. But today compelled me to focus on this momentous occasion. Cleopatra had sent messengers to the rest of the rogues in the Regant Mountains to come to the territory. They stood here before me in our temple. The Elders and I were dressed in our ceremonial robes at the Ritual