Chapter 4 The exposure

~Ralph~

The moment I had always prayed and wished for was right before my eyes and I didn't know how to feel about the recent development in my life.

Everything was just aligning unlike how I predicted it would turn out, but I'm happy.

I stared interestingly at Mira who had confusion dancing on her face as my pack announcer kept on addressing my pack members.

I knew she must have a lot going on in her mind, but it would just be a matter of time before everything became crystal clear.

My heart felt so heavy after doctor Lemuel- my personal doctor in Los Angeles, informed me, Mira's accident tampered with her brain, and she now has memory loss. This discovery made me decide to make her my Luna at once in order for us to be able to share quality time just like before, and just maybe it would help quicken her recovery.

The pack announcer kept on going with his words and soon the moment I'd always waited for came, the moment I could finally mark Mira.

Her eyes sparkled immediately when she heard what the announcer said and instantly shot her eyes close in anticipation of my bite and a smile escaped my lips.

My wolf (Karl) growled inside me as he kept pushing me to mark her already. My fangs elongated, and I leaned forward to mark her, but the sudden outbursts of my father's voice restricted me from my act.

It felt like a bucket of ice was poured into me the moment my ears filtered what my ears heard as my hands on Mira's arms turned cold.

Her eyes flashed open immediately, and her pupils dilated, which made a part of my body feel stung.

The silent murmurs from the crowds irritated me. Out of disgust, I threw my gaze at where my father's voice came as I watched him walk towards me with the help of some pack servants.

"What did you mean by what you just said, father," I asked him-confused as soon as he reached my side.

"Don't ask me such a stupid question," he tutted and averted his gaze at Mira, who stood petrified and confused, darting her eyes from me to my father.

"I can't believe we all have waited all this year for you to finally get to mark your lover, and you didn't know that she is cursed?" My father thundered and for a moment one would think he wasn't ill.

"Don't say that about her father," I tried to defend Mira, but a loud slap sound rejuvenated the whole place, which surprised me.

My father just slapped Mira, causing her to stagger in her weak body.

"Father, you can't do that to her," I said gruffly and rushed towards Mira.

Her body was already trembling in response to the slap when I grabbed her, which made my heart shrank and drop into my belly.

"Take her away at once," I heard my father declare, and soon 5 of my pack soldiers appeared ready to take her away, but with her still in my hands, they stopped their action.

"What are you waiting to grab her at once," my father snapped, but they didn't bulge.

"Don't let this lady deceive your son," my father snapped and pushed Mira away from me before the pack soldiers seized the opportunity and took her away amidst her struggles and cries.

The sight of Mira being taken away by my father's command made my belly knot and I threw my gaze laced with anger to my father.

"Do you mind telling me what's the meaning of this," I snapped at my father, not minding the park members present.

"Yes father, why not tell us how you found out Mira is cursed," my sister Caramiel asked my father, but he shot angry glares at her and she shut up.

The sudden outburst by my father was so unlike him. I mean he had always liked Mira, even before she went missing, and he had joined in the search for her but had to give up at some time.

My father wasn't such a man to blab or lie, and he always had reason to back up any speech he made and also every action he took, which made me feel a bit confused at the point he was trying to make. I mean he was very happy 8 months ago when I had returned to my pack because of his sickness; the very day I saved Mira and told him I had found Mira. So why all this confusion now?

"Meet me at my sturdier right now!" My father snapped, bringing me back to reality.

I watched him leave and wanted to follow him before I felt a hand pull me back. It was my uncle's.

"You should know that your father loves you and wishes the best of you. If he says that the lady is cursed, I truly think you should believe him and get rid of the lady." my uncle muttered, and I glared fiercely at him, making him pull his hands out of fear.

I glanced at the crowd who murmured at each other in silence before following the path to my father's study with Caramiel trailing behind me.

***

"I'm here to find out why you made such a declaration about Mira, father," I asked my father immediately as I banged the door in the room behind me.

He was already sitting in his chair, his always mean and cold aura which I took after him radiating off him in the whole room-typical of him.

His face went cold immediately, and he rose up from the chair, as he started walking towards me until we were a few steps apart.

"A seer appeared to me. A few minutes later, I was informed by the pack messenger that you had arrived for your mating ceremony. Do you know what he told me?," he asked and my eyebrow furrowed.

"That Mira is cursed?" I said to him and he nodded.

"Correct. So how do you expect me to let you go ahead and mark a cursed woman as your Luna," he barked.

"Over my dead body will I allow you to mark that thing as your Luna? You had better find a way to get rid of her already," he snapped.

"But father, you have always loved Mira, why the sudden change," I muttered and his face hardened.

"That was before, and how long has it been? 2 years! 2 solid years' son. Things have changed and what if she is not the same woman? I mean the 2 women look different although with the same body stature, but why would she want to change her appearance? That's bullshit! " he thundered and my chest knotted.

"Not the same woman? What do you mean father?" I fired. His last question troubled my mind.

My father doesn't know I saved Mira from an accident. I only told one person and that was my sister Caramiel.

I had yet to explain things to him and promised to do so upon my return to my pack. So where is all this fuss coming from?

"I have just made one thing clear to you, son. I'm very tired, and it's time for me to rest. I don't believe that lady to be Mira. Your obsession with Mira has affected your brain and at the same time blindfolded you. It has to end." He muttered and pressed his temples before walking back to his chair. His action proved that he didn't want to talk more about the topic.

My eyes lingered on him for a moment as my brain tried to diffuse his last statement and, without any further arguments, I left the room to avoid an outburst from me, only for me to meet Caramiel standing outside the door, her face laced with confrontation.