Chapter 5: Times Have Changed

'I don't want to be Alpha,' Caph said.

He probably should have kept quiet. Celphus's moustache twitched. 'You don't?' he asked, suspiciously soft.

A pause. 'I don't,' Caph replied carefully.

The Alpha of Cassiopeia raised an eyebrow, holding up a hand to quell whatever protest his Luna had come up with in defence of her son. 'So you prefer banishment?'

'Celphus!' Jelsie cried. 'That's too much!'

Celphus turned to her, his eyes hard and cold. 'Too much?' he growled. 'This damned brat has spent his whole life causing trouble and ruining the reputation of our pack. Every werewolf at the Full Moon Gathering knows more about him than his brothers, why? Because he's dated every female in Polemon County!'

'I didn't–'

'Shut up! It's because of your fooling around that the other packs don't respect us anymore. The Ursa Minor pack built some factory at the edge of The Citadel and dumped waste into our river. The Gamma leaders reported protests within the pack about the way things are being run. Our people rebelling against us! And you don't feel the slightest little bit remorseful about the way people perceive your actions. You've even begun preying on the females of Septrion County! Do you intend to erase everything our ancestors have achieved and replace their legacy with your tomfoolery instead? Have just one iota of respect for the pure werewolf blood that runs through your veins and take responsibility, Caph, for once in your life!'

Caph bowed his head and kept quiet. This wasn't the first time the Alpha reprimanded him. He heard this speech at least once a year, depending on how often he came home from what Celphus called his 'conquests'.

The Alpha's muscular hand gripped the front of his drenched t-shirt and pulled him down to his knees. Caph kept his head down as his father hissed, 'This is an order. You must marry the Eridanus heir or you'll be banished from Cassiopeia."

Celphus stalked out of the hall and slammed the door till the tapestries trembled.

Jelsie knelt next to Caph and cupped his face, staring into his eyes with her worried yellow ones. 'He doesn't mean that, dear. You know he doesn't. He's just...really angry right now.'

Caph pulled away from her and stood up. 'Yeah, right. I'm going to bed.'

When he woke up, the sun was setting again and Jelsie was sitting at the foot of his bed, fidgeting with the hem of her dress. She started when he sat up.

'What is it?' he mumbled sleepily.

Celphus had sent her to give him the details of his sentence. As mentioned before, he would return to Septrion County and begin courting the Beta of Eridanus who had slapped him across the face. Celphus will personally escort him to Acamar and he will continue living in the apartment he rented for college. They would leave The Citadel at twilight.

Caph was silent when she finished delivering the news.

A tear streaked down Jelsie's face.

She wiped it away briskly.

'I want to marry the mate I am bonded to.'

Jelsie's yellow eyes filled with more tears. 'Oh Caph, you know how difficult it is–'

'I know,' he interrupted. 'I'm the one who looked the hardest.'

'Then stop,' Jelsie whispered. 'For the sake of your father and Cassiopeia, please come to your senses.'

Caph smirked. 'My senses are fine, Mother. Besides, our legendary ancestors married their bonded mates. Why do we want to accomplish what they have but not marry like they do?'

'Times have changed, dear. Your bonded mate might not be a werewolf. For the sake of Ca–'

'Yes, yes. Can I get ready now? It's almost twilight.'

Once again, Celphus and Caph sprinted south, across half the continent to Septrion County. They stopped by Caph's apartment to change out of clothes drenched from the shift and drove down to the Alpha's manor in Punggol just as the morning rush hour began.

They were silent throughout the journey. Celphus occasionally glanced at his unusually passive son warily, as if expecting him to run for it at any moment.

The truth is, Caph would have planned to make an escape somehow.

If he hadn't overheard Ran's objection to this arrangement two nights ago.

Given what he knew, there was no need for him to embarrass his father and instigate more of his wrath.

Ran would do all the protesting for him.

He just had to subtly encourage her.

Acamar and Ran were waiting on the porch to greet them.

The two Alphas exchanged warm handshakes and gruff greetings.

Caph braced himself for Ran's hostility.

He smiled tentatively at her. 'Morning, Beta of Eridanus' he said.

To his utter surprise, the prettiest smile blossomed on Ran's face. Her cheeks flushed slightly and she replied in a gentle voice, 'Good morning, Caph of Cassiopeia.'

Huh?