"So all I have to do..." Kaiden trailed off looking at Richard where he still stood rigidly next to Aislinn a faint trace of amusement and joy clear on his face.

"You simply need to go to one knee before her..."

The snap of a cool voice cut him off "Richard."

"What? Do you want to do this the right way or not?" He asked innocently turning to look down at her.

"I don't want to do this at all." She replied flatly.

"It was your idea." He said smugly.

"Don't remind me. Fine. Let's just get this over with Custos. And don't think I don't see your part in this, you manipulative old coot!" She finished with a humph. Kaiden was stunned when she actually rolled her eyes at the completely fake and innocent hurt look Richard sent her way.

Ignoring her words and irritation, Richard turned his head to look back at him and Kaiden nearly laughed at the wink the Guardian threw his way. As if sensing it Aislinn let out another exaggerated sigh causing both men to break out into grins.

"Okay so where were we before I was so rudely interrupted? ... Oh yes! So you go down to one knee, your right hand fisted over your heart your neck bowed and exposed and then you pledge your featly and loyalty. There are no words you must specifically say. The pledge taken by the original alphas was lost to time but it was always said they each said their own anyway. The pledges were as unique and different as the packs themselves. It was said that after each pledge is when they were charged with the mantels by the King. Each oath tied them in a specific way to the crown."

Kaiden looked skeptically at the man. Was he serious? He was supposed to just make up some pledge of fealty on the spot? He felt his irritation spike when all he got in return was a shrug and another wink. Shifting his gaze off the man he met the cool grey eyes of his mate.

No, right now she was not his mate, she was his Queen. He took a deep breath letting the calming presence of her scent fill him. Rain and lavender, sweet and light and all her. He felt himself relaxing as he continued to breathe her in.

Without conscious thought he moved forward, gracefully lowering onto one knee. His fist coming to land over his heart as his head bent. Suddenly he felt the room change. He wanted to look up but his wolf would not allow it, he demanded that Kaiden remain utterly submissive as he felt power erupt around them. Somewhere he realized that he was feeling his mate's power surface again. The waves of dominance crashing over him. This time though there was nothing uncomfortable or confusing about it. His wolf was in absolute ecstasy at finally submitting to the source of this power, of taking his rightful place before his Queen.

Kaiden didn't think about the words they simply came to him and before he could question them he was speaking, "I Kaiden, Son of the moon, pledge to serve, to follow, to protect, the light of the dark, the crown of the night, the wolf of the moon. My life is freely given to the oaths of old, to fight for the blood and to serve until I shall draw the final breath. I give to you my fists, my body, my life, my heart, my soul. I am yours until the dawn again."

The feel of the power in the room hit a fevered pitch. Aislinn looked down on the bent head of her Alpha. She knew her eyes would be shining bright with molten silver, the power she usually kept so controlled and hidden was finally released filling the room, it rolled off of her. She felt as it radiated from her, although unlike before when she had been upset, this time it was gentle and comforting. Thick waves of power and protection flowing from her, embracing those around her, she felt each wolf, each soul. She reached into them, sought them out, soothed and calmed, it was as natural and instinctual as breathing. She was their Queen, they were her people.

The words he spoke wound around her. She let her mind, her wolf focus back now on the one before her. She felt each word, each promise, weighed them, tasted them, and devoured them to their core. And as each rang true and sure she felt them tighten between them. With each layer of his oath the bond between them strengthened until it was done. She felt herself and her wolf accept the last word and then the power erupted falling in until it wrapped around him filling him, solidifying his words his oath into his bones, his blood, the very essence of his wolf, of him.

"Sanguinerm iuramentum accipere coronam usque ad auroram." The flow of power coming from her faded, the aura and feel of dominance radiating from her diminished as the words settled and finalized the exchange.

Still seated in the chair Aislinn swung her legs out from under her, pushing herself up she tried to stand up but found her legs shaky and unsure beneath her. Having not used her powers or her wolf for so long this display had zapped a considerable amount of her energy. She felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. That had taken far more from her than it should have. She was truly surprised and upset at just how weak this had left her, such a simple oath should not have affected her at all. She noticed the concerned look her Guardian was giving her as he watched her trying to steady herself, but brushed off the hands he reached out to try and anchor her with. Shooting him a pointed look she found herself irritated again when it didn't seem to faze him in the least. Taking a deep breath she focused instead on the task at hand.

She didn't know what she was supposed to say but knew that her wolf would, and that she would speak the words she was meant to. "The oath has been given, and the bond accepted. Rise and hold your truth, 'Opinando tenere unum; to hold as one'. Rise Alpha of Pack Argentum Sanguinis."

Kaiden stood as if in a trance, his movements powerful and graceful as he stood tall before her. Meeting her eyes he held them as he looked into the last traces of silver swirling there. Bowing his head, his back straight and proud with not an ounce of nervousness or reluctance he accepted the mantel she had bestowed.

As if that movement broke a spell they all crashed back down to reality. Richard looked stunned his gaze moving back and forth between them as Kaiden's mind suddenly took off. He heard the words repeating over and over in his head, had he really heard that? Emotion after emotion hit him as he fought to make sense of what a moment before had been so clear. Aislinn just looked weary and exhausted, letting out a sigh she let herself sag back into the chair behind her, pulling her legs up she wrapped her arms around them as she watched the others disinterestedly.

"Whoa man that was crazy!" Austin suddenly spoke up staring in awe at Kaiden.

"Did she say what I think she said?" Kaiden asked looking between Richard and Aislinn, not sure if what he was remembering was true. It couldn't have been what he thought it was, was it?

"Yeah she did." Richard said in a strangled tone.

"Wait what'd we miss?" Blair asked as he racked through his own memories of the last few minutes but all he could remember was the feel of contentment and safety he had felt, it had been pure absolute bliss. Heavenly.

"The mantel or I guess the purpose that she gave Kaiden's pack, the name." Richard said his voice slowly going back to normal although his face still remained shocked.

"I don't remember that." Olivia piped up confused.

"Yeah what do you mean, nothing happened except that ... feeling." Austin said searching for the right word as the others piped up their own support.

"You don't remember. But it happened." Richard said.

"Why not? We were here, how do we not remember?" Austin pushed.

"Only members of the pack could witness the oaths. They are sacred, protected by each pack - none were able to overhear those of the others."

"Okay I guess that makes sense." Austin relented, "So then what happened that has you two so freaked out? Did it not work? Did she reject him?"

"No. She definitely did not reject it." Richard mumbled his voice back to awe as he recalled what had happened. He was floored, absolutely 100% floored, and ecstatic. Beyond ecstatic. This changed everything. Everything.

"What then!? Would someone please explain this to us lesser minds?" Clay snapped irritated.

"Do you want to tell them?" Richard asked Kaiden, the first hint of true respect in his voice since he found out who Aislinn was and had taken his own oaths, as he looked to the younger man.

"No, you go ahead, I think ... I think I need to hear someone else say it." Kaiden said honestly.

Richard nodded his head in understanding, looking down at Aislinn to see if she had anything to add to the discussion, he couldn't feel anything through the bond so he wasn't surprised to find her looking at nothing in particular as she faced them, her eyes blank.

"Kaiden's oath was one of the strongest you could make. I shall not repeat it, it is for him and her alone to know." With that he gave a pointed look at the wolf in question who nodded in understanding, "Aislinn accepted the oath of featly, it solidified or imprinted it onto him. And then she had to give him the pledge his pack was to dedicate themselves to or what they were to be... And well ... she rested upon him the task 'to hold as one'." The looks of non-recognition had him rolling his eyes in exasperation, "It means that him and his pack would be charged to hold the Blood, the throne itself as one. As their own. It means his pack is Argentum Sanguinis. The Royal pack. She pledged him the ninth pack, the first of our race, the pack of her father, her grandfather, the pack of her blood. He is now Alpha of the Silverbloods, which means that after 13 long years the pack of the Crown is finally in existence again."

"That's possible?" Austin asked, looking at the three of them.

"Apparently." Richard answered.

"Wow."

"Yeah." Kaiden said still stunned and looking at his mate unbelievably. He had heard the words and had been shocked but hearing Richard talk about it, explain it had his knees weak. He couldn't believe what she had just done. He felt tears prick the back of his eyes from the honor, the gratitude, the trust.

"So okay what does it mean?" Austin asked again, his curiosity once again spiked, he was by far the most intrigued and excited by everything going on around them like a kid with a new shiny toy that he wasn't 100% what it did.

Kaiden looked to Richard.

"Well it means that Kaiden has the authority to create his own pack as Alpha, you all can ask to join his pack. It would bind you to him and through that to the oath that he holds to Aislinn. You would become a member of the Royal pack. Your loyalty, your lives would be to hold ... well ... her, as you would your own life. You would share in some of her affinities and would technically, become the first members of her court."

A hiss had them all looking to the woman in question. Richard raised an eyebrow at her display of displeasure, which she replied with a sharp glare thrown at him, to which he grunted back in frustration.

"Fine. You wouldn't be members of her court officially because she is not actually part of the Royal pack, but when" Another sharp hiss of breath "fine, if, she joins you would be. Happy?" He asked sarcastically looking down at Aislinn who ignored him.

"What do you mean? Isn't it her pack?" Kaiden asked.

"Well yeah and she normally would be part of it. Actually she should be leading it, if she wasn't so stubborn, she should be Luna and then mating you would make you Alpha. However instead she went around that, gave you the title of Alpha to the pack that through your mating you would be entitled to anyway. And she did it without having to proclaim herself Luna or giving you the title of King or herself Queen. Sneaky really." That earned him a grunt.

"So she isn't a part of the pack?" Olivia asked.

"No technically she still doesn't belong to any pack, she's still a rogue. But even she has to admit that's only a minute difference, a tiny technicality. It comes with the very essence of what your pack is. The Silverblood pack is HER, it is tied to her and her to it. She may not have joined yet but that doesn't change it; Silverblood is hers as she is it. The crown or the throne IS the Royal pack, they are one." This time his words got a sigh and a sharp slap of annoyance through the Guardian bond.

"But we can still join Kaiden?" Blair demanded.

Richard nodded, "All you need to do is ask permission and swear your loyalty like with any of the packs. Kaiden must merely accept, but you must understand and acknowledge, both you and your wolf, what you are accepting. To join the Silverbloods, to pledge yourself to the Royal Pack is not something to take lightly. The position you would now hold, the responsibility you would now carry and the danger you would bring to your life is nothing you will have ever faced. You must be absolutely certain."

The gravity of his words settled around them. The weight of it worming into each of them. The seconds ticked by.

Austin leaped to his feet, his movements suddenly light and sure. His face lost the last trace of seriousness as a grin split free his eyes now sparkling with excitement. Moving quickly to where Kaiden still stood he cleared his throat until his friend had turned and was now facing him. Remembering how Kaiden himself had sworn to Aislinn only minutes before he eagerly sunk to one knee, he didn't think it was normal practice to join a pack, but for some reason his wolf urged him to mimic the ritual now.

"Alpha I seek the sanctuary of your pack. I swear my loyalty, my life and wolf to you and to the Pack. I offer my fealty without bar or reservation and ask to hold as you do the oaths of Pack Argentum Sanguinis to hold as one and stand at your side." A nod from the Alpha was all it took for the mind-link and oaths to snap between them.

One after another, Blair, Clayton and to all of their amazement Olivia repeated Austin's words and joined themselves to Kaiden. They all sighed in contentment as the familiar feeling of belonging to a pack and the comforting buzz of the mind link took up once again in the back of their heads.

Kaiden looked at his new pack with pride. Clearing his throat he made them official.

"Austin I ask you to be my Beta, my second in command." Nod.

"Blair I ask you to be my gamma, my third." Again a nod

"Clayton I ask you to be my head Warrior to lead my men into battle." Another nod.

"Olivia I ask you to lead my runners, to take the task of my scouts and spies." Quickly trying to recover from her surprise, she nodded quickly to her Alpha. though she didn't try to hide the feelings of absolute gratitude and pride at the unexpected honor from the newly created and solidified link.

As if finally noticing the deep twilight that had fallen around them they all sagged as exhaustion suddenly set in.