Chapter 49: An Announcement

Ran burst into the Eridanus manor just as her family was eating dinner.
Nugo almost choked on his mouthful of grilled sausage when she threw the dining room door open and let it crash into the wall. Acamar frowned disapprovingly at her.
'You're three days too early,' Cass remarked, pulling out a chair for her.
Ran refused to sit down.
She turned to the Regent and declared, 'Gather the pack. If you won't do it, I will.'
He stared at her, cheese sauce dripping onto the table.
He put down his fork and grunted.
He didn't ask any questions.
He didn't demand to know why she came back earlier than expected, why she returned without Caph.
He strode to the porch of the manor and let out an ear-splitting, commanding howl that reverberated for miles.
He returned to the dining table and dunked his sausage into more cheese sauce.
Ran was surprised.
Cass just grinned stupidly at her.
A shiver trickled down her spine.
As Cursa began clearing the table, werewolves began to arrive. Nugo positioned himself at the door to let them in. Ran greeted them and brought out all the chairs they had in the house.
It was a weekday night, so many of them had spent the day working.
She thanked them for coming.
Acamar disappeared to use the upstairs bathroom.
Ran followed him, waiting outside.
She remembered how she did the exact same thing for Caph the morning he came to the manor.
Her uncle emerged, wiping his hands on a paper towel.
He crushed it in his large hands, his dark eyes glowering at her.
'What do you want?'
Ran lifted her chin. 'I want to ask you that question. You never listened to me before.'
He snorted. 'Yes, that's right. I don't take orders from my own Beta,' he growled. 'I gathered the pack because I have an announcement to make as well.'
Again, a cold shiver washed down her spine.
He strode downstairs and coughed to gather the attention of the worried pack.
Ran followed him, the words burning in her throat.
'I am officially going to break off my engagement to Caph,' she wanted to declare as silence fell over the large gathering of werewolves.
But authority filled air, and the Regent's eyes exuded dominance, commanding the attention of everyone—including Ran.
'Alpha Celphus of Cassiopeia and I have discussed and have agreed that Caph and Ran will get married this weekend.' He turned his triumphant dark eyes on Ran. 'Congratuations, Ran.'
There was a moment of stunned silence.
Then, hoots and cheers and claps filled the air.
Deafening her.
Ran was disoriented for a moment. Her head swam.
Things began to make sense.
But also, they didn't.
Celphus outmanoeuvred her by contacting her uncle before she could.
Checkmate, Acamar's eyes said.
'No!' Ran yelled above everyone's voices.
The werewolves stopped cheering in confusion.
It was an Alpha's command. Why was the Beta rebelling?
Also, it was her wedding?
Caph was a good person, someone was saying to his neighbour.
'While I was in Cassiopeia this week,' Ran said, 'I found out many things. I met Fang. He is alive!'
More whispers.
More confusion.
'Ran!' Acamar growled.
'Celphus was the one who gathered the rogue wolves and attacked our pack ten years ago! His goal was to kill my parents, to stop Eridanus from growing stronger.'
A large hand flew through the air and Ran's head was jerked to the side.
The slap was so loud, it silenced all the werewolves murmuring among themselves.
Ran touched the hot patch on her cheek where the Regent struck her, a wet sheen filling her vision.
'Stop slandering the Alpha of Cassiopeia just because you want to spite me.'
She turned to glare at Acamar, hatred seething to a boiling point.
But with one growl, the Regent commanded her to her knees, bowed before him. 'I know I'm not your father, but I have done my best for Eridanus. The whole pack can attest to that. You know it better than anyone. It is with good intentions that I chose Caph to be your husband, to be the next Alpha of Eridanus. Do not speak badly of his father.'
He turned back to the gathering of werewolves. 'Ran will marry Caph this weekend. The ceremony will be held. Anyone who dares to object and raises discord within the pack will be banished. You are dismissed!'
Noisily, the pack shuffled from the main hall, muttering and whispering among themselves.
Acamar waited till the last of them have disappeared into the dark night before he grabbed Ran by the scruff of her neck and hauled her to her feet, tilting her head to look her in the eye.
'Don't mention this ever again,' he ordered in a low voice. 'Caph will be Alpha of Eridanus. This is my command. This is what your father would have wanted too.'
But in his angry dark gaze, she saw grief.
A raw sorrow she herself was very familiar with.
She had felt it every single day after her parents died.
It startled her so much, she forgot to tell her uncle he had just handed Eridanus over to a psychopathic murderer.