Chapter 5

Titus' POV

"So, what happened to her, Courage?" I immediately asked our Pack Doctor as soon as he stepped out of my room, where Cassandra was. After calling him, we rushed her to our Pack Hospital to treat her. Courage looked at me as if he couldn't believe what had happened to Cassandra.

I didn't do anything bad to her because I was about to mark her. Courage cleared his throat and stared at me before speaking. "She's in a coma, Alpha."

I gasped at the information—not because I cared for her, since she was still the pack slut—but because she was a member of my pack.

"Alpha, I think you need to talk to our elders," Courage added. I remained frozen in place, knowing full well that I was the reason she was in that room.

"You marked a she-wolf who isn't your mate, Alpha. I strongly suspect that's the reason Cassandra is unconscious," he continued.

My rejection of my mate from earlier suddenly crossed my mind. What does that have to do with Cassandra's condition?

"Tsk, tsk. Now, now. Thank God your slut can't touch me now."

I rolled my eyes as my wolf spoke to me. After all this time, he's suddenly talking to me now? What a pathetic wolf!

"I am not pathetic, you idiot!" My wolf growled, but I just scoffed.

"At least, I'm not a mutt like you," I taunted him and cut off our connection.

He refused to talk to me before, so why is he speaking to me now?

I blinked twice when the Pack Doctor called my attention, waving her hand in front of my face.

"Alpha?"

"Yes, Doctor?" I asked.

I was momentarily dazed because, once again, my wolf was sending me images of my mate—her face when she entered my office and her face when she left.

"Alpha, I suggest you see our Elders right now. They might know who your true mate is," Courage advised. I nodded in agreement.

No one in my pack knew who my mate was—only Cassandra, my Beta, and my sister, who had suddenly disappeared because of what I had done.

Just moments ago, I realized that I needed my mate to keep this pack balanced. But because of my selfish and unreasonable reasons, I rejected her.

"Thanks for informing me, Courage," I said before turning to head to the Elder House to clear things up.

I hadn't gone far when the Pack Doctor called me again.

"And Alpha, sorry to say this, but our Pack needs a good Luna, not a pack slut."

I was stunned by her words. Why did everything she said hit so hard? I couldn't respond as she entered her office.

I started walking toward the house of the pack elders—the former Alphas and Lunas of our Pack. My grandfather was the first Alpha, followed by my father, and now I was the third-generation Alpha.

They were the council, especially when it came to matters concerning the current Alpha.

It didn't take long to reach their house, as it was just a few steps from the clinic—a deliberate decision since the elderly needed medical attention more frequently, especially the former Alphas.

Even from a distance, I could already see my grandfather's dark expression as he stood at the doorway. I swallowed hard.

Does he know what I did?

"Is the weak human afraid?" My wolf taunted me.

Is this all he does now—mock me and complain because I rejected our mate?

"'Our' mate? She's only mine. After all, you didn't want her," he emphasized in my mind, leaving me speechless.

As I stood before Grandpa, I instinctively took a step back. Despite his age, he was still intimidating.

"Go inside," he said sternly, without emotion.

I entered immediately, not waiting for a second command. Even though I was the Alpha, I still respected my grandfather, as he was one of the first werewolves in history.

Yes, Grandpa was one of the Elites.

I was taken aback when I saw all of them sitting in the living room, seemingly waiting for me. My mom, dad, and Beta Styx looked depressed and disheveled.

I felt betrayed by my Beta, but I knew he only did this out of concern for his mate. He had gone to the elders before I did. But I couldn't blame him—he was like a zombie in a zombie apocalypse.

It had only been two days, yet this was what Synn had done to him.

What about me?

"I am very, very disappointed in you, Titus," Grandpa spoke behind me, his voice filled with anger and disappointment.

I never expected my actions to lead to this.

Styx sat before my parents, his face buried in his hands.

Grandpa sat on a single couch and gestured for me to sit beside Styx, who remained silent, knowing this was a family matter—even though he was already part of the family as my sister's mate.

"Do you know why Cassandra ended up like that, Titus?" Grandpa asked seriously.

He stared into my eyes, and I shook my head. His jaw clenched, and in a split second, my grandfather pinned me against the wall.

My mother's hysterical screams echoed as Grandpa grabbed me, but I didn't fight back. As an Alpha, I had to learn to respect the former Alphas of our Pack. Without them, I wouldn't be in this position.

Even after hundreds of years, Grandpa was still incredibly strong.

"You put our Pack in danger because you rejected an Aeon!"

My mom and dad gasped.

Unlike them, my jaw completely dropped.

What the fuck is my grandfather saying?

"What do you mean, Dad?" my father asked seriously, recovering from his shock.

But I felt deafened by Grandpa's words.

My m-mate is an Aeon?

"Our Titus is mated to one of the Aeons, and your son rejected her!" Grandpa's voice rose.

Dad shot me a deadly glare, making me lower my head. Even without explaining, Grandpa already knew everything.

What use was his status as an Elite if he didn’t?

No wonder I felt different when I first saw her—her beauty was out of this world because she was one of the Moon Goddess's children.

My wolf was right—I was the biggest idiot in the entire werewolf world.

"Of course, I'm always right, you idiot! And hey! Don't drool over my mate because she's mine!" he reminded me.

I growled at him.

He stuck his tongue out, teasing me.

"She's my mate!" I shot back, regretting every word I had said to her.

"Ah! Ah! For the nth time, you rejected her! Tsk, tsk. Synn was right—you will regret this every day of your life," he retorted, cutting off our mind-link again.

I snapped back to reality when my father growled at me.

"Damn you, son! You put our Pack in a dangerous situation! You're creating a war—one versus a hundred packs!" Dad scolded me in rage.

Definitely a big war.

The Aeons had many allies, especially since they were the ones who led the victory in the war against the Rogues.

Not only that, but one of the Aeons was mated to the strongest Pack in the world—the Silver Moon Pack. Next to them was the Aeons Pack, which was also led by an Aeon. We, as the third strongest, were completely outmatched.

"I didn't know you were this selfish, son," Mom said, equally disappointed.

They were right—I was to blame. My pride and denial had led me to this moment.

"You can't mark another she-wolf, Titus, because your mate is one of the most powerful werewolves in our history. Whether you like it or not, you have to take her back," Grandpa said.

"Go, Titus. Find your mate."

Selene POV

"Ate? Ate? Where are you? Did you leave me?"

I jolted awake from where I was lying. Every single day, I wake up to the sound of Rose’s voice. She's begging me to help her. She's crying because she thinks I left her.

My poor sister. I'm so sorry I'm not by your side. We promised each other that we would protect one another, but I failed you… I failed you, Rose.

"Is it Rose again, love?" Dwight asked. He rubbed his eyes, waking up again because of me.

I nodded and leaned back on the bed. He did the same and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tightly. He was reassuring me that we could get through this. I know we all grieve for Rose's disappearance—even Dwight, because the two of them were close.

"We haven’t stopped looking for her, love, even after hundreds of years. We will never stop," he whispered in my ear. Even now, I refuse to lose hope. Rose is just out there, waiting for us. That’s why I would kill for my family, for my children, for my siblings.

I fear nothing and no one—except losing the people I love.

"Same with you, love. I would kill for our family," he said to me. I kissed and hugged my husband. I am grateful that my mother gave me an understanding and loving husband. And I hope Rose had one too—a mate who would protect and love her just as my husband does.

"I hope we can find Rose as soon as possible before it's too late for us."