Chapter 19: Why Aren't You Doing Anything?

Acamar raised himself to his full height, his black eyes glowing with dominance. 'Our Beta has spoken,' he declared. 'Leave and do not return.'

Dingo took a one step back, then another, his gaze fixed on the current Alpha of Eridanus. The Alpha who had taken his place as soon as he left and rebuilt his old pack into the powerhouse it was today.

He regretted his betrayal.

He regretted leaving Ran and becoming Alpha of Leo when he saw her again at the Summit.

She had grown up well.

She was hot.

That was the reason he came after her. He wanted to make amends, rebuild ties with his old pack and possibly elevate the status of Leo by becoming close allies with Eridanus.

But Ran saw through him in a flash. She humiliated him in front of her pack—retribution for what he had done yesterday. There was no emotion in her black eyes when she called him a traitor. The traces of fury, of betrayal in her eyes at the Summit had vanished.

If he could not pander to Ran's emotions, then convincing Acamar was definitely impossible.

He had no choice but to retreat.

Dingo looked at Ran one last time. She was beautiful, her lithe and slender figure with hints of toned musculature even under the unfashionable clothes she wore.

No wonder the rumoured playboy of Cassiopeia fancied her.

She met his gaze resolutely, with no sign of anguish.

'Go,' she breathed.

And he left, burning, melting into wolf form, raging through Eridanus territory with an angry howl that hung in the air for a long time.

The pack talked about Dingo for a long time.

Caph learned a lot about Ran's relationship with Dingo. They were not just betrothed from a young age. They had grown up together, went to school together and trained to lead the pack together.

Ran trusted Dingo deeply.

When he 'died', along with her parents, she closed off her heart. She became cold and difficult to understand, a pack member told him.

Obsessed over becoming strong.

Reserved and expressionless.

It was as if Ran had died when her parents and Dingo died.

So Caph worried, along with members of her pack, about the effect Dingo's reappearance would have on her. He found her staring into space a couple of times. She would walk into a room and forget what she was doing there. Some nights, when he woke up to get a drink of water, he found her in the garden behind the manor, training until early morning.

He thought about distracting her like he did at the Red Moon Summit.

But knowing what he did now about Dingo, it would be insensitive. She would react defensively, thinking he might hurt her the way Dingo had, and there was no Truce to hold her back this time.

The only thing he could do was to give her space and respect her silence.

Basically, do nothing.

Caph was good at doing nothing. He returned to Cassiopeia that weekend to see his father. He told Ran before he left, but she shooed him from her father's study without acknowledging what he said.

She might not have heard him at all.

When he walked through the front door of the ancient Cassiopeia castle—sweat dripping from his transformation—Celphus demanded, 'When are you proposing to Ran?'

He stared at his father, still out of breath, unable to believe what he just heard.

'Good to be home too,' he muttered under his breath and walked away.

'Don't ignore me!' the Alpha of Cassiopeia growled.

Caph halted, unable to resist his authority. He spun around reluctantly and dipped his head in a curt greeting. Did his father only care about the pack?

'I am your son before I am a werewolf of Cassiopeia,' Caph said.

Celphus growled, yellow eyes flashing. 'No, you are a werewolf before you are my son. Tell me you haven't simply been playing around with her.'

Caph dropped onto the couch opposite his father. 'I'm not.'

'Then, have you made any progress? When are you proposing?'

Caph shook water from his damp jeans. 'I'm not proposing any time soon.'

His father's eyes narrowed like laser beams.

'No progress then? Caph, you did well standing up for her at the Red Moon Summit but you must do more. Take responsibility for her before someone else does.'

Caph gave his father a half-smirk. 'If you're talking about Dingo, he came to Eridanus to apologise.'

Celphus growled. 'So why aren't you doing anything?'

He leaned forward, bristling.

'Are you still dreaming about finding your bonded mate? Forget that already! It's impossible. You better seal your engagement with Ran before that persistent, power-hungry Dingo takes Eridanus from under our noses!'

Caph met his father's gaze, his blue eyes faltering under the pressure of his authority. 'If I rush foward, I will become just like that persistent, power-hungry Dingo.'

Celphus slammed a fist down on the armrest. 'And what's wrong with that?'

'She banished Dingo from Eridanus,' he growled back. 'Eridanus is ready to wage war with Leo, Father! Dingo is a traitor. Ran needs time to recover from his betrayal.'

Silence echoed through the entrance hall of the ancient castle.

Finally, his father asked suspiciously, 'You're not trying to worm your way out of this?'

Caph closed his eyes and sighed impatiently. He smirked. 'Of course not.'

Celphus grunted and stood up.

His short stocky frame loomed over Caph. 'You better not.'

He stalked away, leaving Caph alone, still drenched, exhausted and feeling unwelcomed after running across the continent for 12 hours to reach home.