Chapter 2 The Reveal

"You have to hurry soon. We don't want to keep the guests waiting." Alpha Cassius' grandfather said.

"Urgh! Please." He groaned as he helped Cassius to dress up. Cassius didn't bother telling him to slow down because he had already given him the reason why he was in a hurry to get him all dressed up.

But the truth of the matter is that Cassius actually hates the fact that he was getting mated to someone he really does not care about.

"Don't you think it's just too early or perhaps, quick of you to plan a mating ceremony? I mean, I didn't even get to know her yet." Alpha Cassius said to him, hoping he would understand him clearly this time.

"Nothing is too early son. Nothing is too quick. And besides, you know why we're doing this." He answered, and walked back behind Cassius. He was done dressing him.

He sighed and stood to think again for a few minutes. He was actually right. Cassius knew the reason why he had to get a mate earlier enough. But this wasn't about that.

"What's her name again, grandpa?" He asked him.

"Nora." He answered back.

"Yes, Nora." He repeated after him for confirmation. "Don't you think there's something wrong with her?" Cassius turned to ask him.

"Oh, come on. Not again with that." His grandfather groaned.

"I'm actually telling you what I feel. This is something that I can't just get out of my mind." Cassius said and walked back to sit on his bed.

His grandfather turned to look at him, and let out a deep sigh. He walked towards him, taking a seat beside his grandson, the Alpha.

"You do know why we're doing this right?" He asked again, and Cassius just nodded.

Alpha Cassius pack has been laced with an ancient curse, spanning from the sins of their great fathers who lived before them. Most times he's curious to know what might have been their sins. But whenever he asked, he got no befitting response from his grandfather or any of the elders.

The curse was that no member of their pack shall bear forth a child, alongside a great famine plaguing them. So, for a long while now, they've been getting food from the forest and the neighboring packs.

And unfortunately for him, the remedy to breaking this curse is to find a mate which his grandfather successfully did, but not one he ended up liking.

"Don't let any thoughts of negativity crawl into your mind. After the ceremony, you both can get to know each other. I can see that she's a loving girl by the way." He said and stood. Soon enough, he was out of the room.

Cassius knew that was his old man telling me to come out and join him.

He walked out after him, ready to get this done with and see the miracle that his grandfather expected to happen.

While he walked with Nora by his side towards the diviner who was going to bless them, he watched how everyone smiled at them. He bet they were all happy because they knew after mating her, the curse will be put to an end.

Most times he felt so sad that he was fixed with the responsibility of setting his pack free of the curse. Why couldn't his grandfather do it? Or, the elders? Or why couldn't they just perform any sacrifice?

Alpha Cassius found himself thinking about this most times. But in the end, it seemed he was the sacrificial lamb.

"It's time." The diviner announced the moment they were standing right in front of her. And immediately, everyone sat down.

Cassius looked over at Nora, and he could see how her face was beaming with smiles. He was pretty sure she was happy about the ceremony. And is it just him, or was she not just over excited about this whole thing?

God! Why was he not just feeling good about this union?

"Today, we're all gathered here to witness the joining together of our Alpha and his newly found mate. We -"

"STOP!" They suddenly heard. The voice was loud enough and came with full force, stopping everybody in their tracks.

"Shaman?" Cassius muttered. Most of his pack members had begun whispering to one another. He was pretty sure Nora wouldn't understand who she was or what was going on.

But, why was the great shaman here unannounced? They hadn't actually invited her. Was it because of that? Was she annoyed at that? Cassius just didn't want to believe there was a problem.

"Great shaman." His grandfather walked up to her.

"Move, Clay." She said with authority, pointing her staff at him. "I didn't come to see you." She said again. Her face didn't escape the stern look. Cassius' grandfather walked away just like she had said.

Her eyes quickly rested on Cassius and she began to take steps closer to him.

"Where's your sister?" She asked Nora, her eyes on her.

Sister? Cassius wondered. What was she saying? Cassius quickly turned to look at his grandfather. And he could see the look on his face. He was confused too.

Nora stuttered, not knowing what to say.

"Stop." The great shaman yelled at her. And everyone shook. Especially Nora.

Immediately, she turned back to face his grandfather.

"Who is this you brought here?" She asked.

"I don't get your question, great shaman. This is the destined mate to break the curse of course." His grandfather answered.

Surprisingly, the great shaman burst into an unexpected loud and shrilling laughter.

"This ceremony cannot be held." She said immediately, shocking everyone to the bones.

"What? Why?" Cassius' grandfather was the one to ask immediately. He was surprised, but he didn't bother asking. This was what Cassius wanted anyway. And it was good to find an end to it without him ending it by himself.

"This is not the direct descendant of the supernatural pack. You've been deceived." She let out, shocking the hell out of everyone.

Alpha Cassius turned immediately to look at Nora. But before he could even ask if the shaman was right, Nora fled away angrily.