Chapter 60: The Merry Supper

The supper was a merry affair. The pack celebrated late into the night. The wine and ale freely flowed in tankards and goblets.

Men were bragging about the number of Anmiks they had killed. Faris was complaining about how Ranon had cheated, but Ranon was adamant he won fair and square; the hearts he brought back were the clear evidence.

Even Tara announced that she had beaten Faris, which caused quite a commotion.

Cassandra kept a polite smile going. Seated on the left side of Siroos at her designated place. Her temperature had lowered after Lana had begged her to take medicine.

Pack members were bringing her all kinds of gifts since she was unable to attend yesterday’s feast where they had planned to present her with different offerings.

Ranging from dresses, jewellery, flowers, perfumes, exotic oils and fruits to weapons.

Cassandra graciously thanked everyone for their hospitality and accepted each gift with a polite nod.

Her heart swelled seeing the content smiles on their faces and hope shimmering in their eyes. She was a beacon for them, a beacon to bring back what had been missing from their pack.

A young child who was not more than five brought a red flower with seven petals. He was one of the ten children the pack currently had. The ratio was quite low.

He offered it to her with his tiny hands and flushed cheeks. The black curls on his forehead reminded Cassandra of a mop.

"Thank you! Little one, you are so thoughtful." Cassandra offered him a hearty smile and pinched his chubby cheek, making him blush even harder.

She adored children, they were the purest beings among them. They spoke their minds and didn’t sugarcoat. Plus, those tiny limbs she always wished to squeeze them, and those over-fluffed cheeks always reminded her of cotton candy.

"You are beautiful, Nissa. Mama says you will bring goodwill to us," he shyly said.

"Is that right? Well, I will try especially for someone as cute as you. Because I think you are way cuter than I am."

Siroos was watching their interactions from his peripherals, his heart panged at the thought that they could never have a child of their own. She seemed so genuinely happy and comfortable interacting with him.

"How?" The boy sweetly asked. His grey eyes held wisdom.

"What is your name?" Cassandra questioned, holding his small hand.

"Wila!" The boy chirruped, feeling special to be talking to their new Luna and having to have his hand held by her.

"Such an amazing name for such a cute little fellow," Cassandra praised him and continued to speak.

"Those cheeks and these little hands. Who wouldn’t like those? I don’t have them." Cassandra spread out her hand alongside his, showing him how thin hers was.

"See?"

Wila excitedly nodded at the praises until his mother’s voice came to his ears.

"Wila, stop bothering Nissa. Let her eat." A woman dressed in a loose cotton dress with hair very similar to Wila’s stepped forward with an apologetic look.

The little boy quickly withdrew, seeming disappointed. Cassandra picked up on that and spoke politely.

"It’s fine, he is not bothering me. Just having a polite conversation. Your boy is very well-behaved."

"Thank you! Nissa." The woman humbly bowed with a smile that showed she felt pride at being praised and took Wila’s hand, leading him away. He waved and a cheerful smile appeared on his face at being appreciated by his Luna.

Cassandra waved back. Dipping her head, she smelt the crimson shaded flower and placed it in her hair.

"Sister-in-law, my humble gift. You can freely use its hilt to bash brother dear as well, dare he bother you." Faris presented Cassandra with a silver hilted dagger with a purple gem studded in its hilt.

Cassandra couldn’t hide the chuckle that fell through her lips while Siroos sent a death stare. His hands were breaking down a piece of large meat.

"You certainly needs a spanking, Faris," Siroos grunted like a caveman. Faris only rolled his eyes while sweetly smiling at his sister-in-law.

"Thank you! Faris. This was very thoughtful of you." Faris saluted her amidst cheers from the joyous pack members and retreated.

Meanwhile, Siroos had prepared a plate for her. Taking the big chunks of meat, he had shredded them and neatly piled them in a heap at the side of her plate so she could easily eat. The bread had also been broken down into small morsel-sized bits. So she wouldn’t have to apply force because of her arm.

He had thought of everything.

As Cassandra turned back Siroos placed the plate in front of her and instructed in a calm voice.

"Eat!"

She stared at the plate, which reflected his care in bold letters, and yet her heart was shredded just like these pieces of meat.

Was he faking this care?

Will he continue it a few years into their relationship considering what she had been told was the truth?

The temperature was gone, but there was a bad taste in her mouth, and the things that had been said to her itched in her brain to push the plate away and not eat.

But glancing around she found happy smiles and laughter. They had finished eating and were just celebrating now. The pack was on its high and most of them seemed to accept her, especially after she had let them brand her.

Quietly she took a small bite and then another until her eyes wavered to where Kela was sitting, calm and composed but with a hostile glint in her eyes.

Revulsion and jealousy coiled inside Cassandra and the soft features of her face hardened. Kela’s words came back to haunt her and she couldn’t take another morsel.

Why did she feel such a profound amount of jealousy from that woman?

Was it possible that Siroos was still in love with her and was only doing all this as a duty to his pack?

Love doesn’t disappear overnight.

The idea propelled her towards puking again and she didn’t wish to make a mess.

She quietly leaned closer to Siroos and asked in a hushed voice.

"Can I be excused?"

Siroos threw a startled look at her plate and saw she had hardly touched her food.

"What’s wrong?" He asked, trying to decipher the expressions she was carrying.

They bordered on hurt and sadness.

"Nothing, I just want to rest," she lied between her teeth, not meeting his gaze.

"Is the food not good? You wish to have something else?" He questioned slightly alarmed but she just shook her head.

"Alright, go with Lana and Ranon. I will be right there. We will talk and you will tell me what’s been bothering you since yesterday." Siroos clicked his fingers towards his Beta and his mate.

Both of them were by his side in a jiffy.

"Take your Luna to her room. Have all the gifts placed there as well? Stay with her till I join her."

"Yes, Alpha!"

Cassandra quietly got up as Haylia turned to watch her. She had been listening to Faris’s wild tales.

Leaning towards Siroos, Haylia asked.

"What happened?"

"She is not feeling well, it’s her medication time too. It would be better if she would rest and recover completely," Siroos answered, picking up the goblet full of the finest wine they had.

Taking a gulp he let it burn its way down his throat.

"Are you going to talk to her Siroos? It’s time you do that," Haylia said, picking up her own goblet and taking a relatively smaller sip than her son.

"Yes, I am going to do that. Just preparing myself for the inevitable and her hatred. She is going to curse me." He sighed, staring at the plate she had left and taking a bite from it.

"I understand she is your mate but keep her in her place, Siroos. If you would give her free reins she will bring you down. No one should bring down an Alpha, especially not someone of your calibre." Haylia’s words made Siroos turn to his mother and gaze at her deeply.

"I thought a woman could better understand a woman’s pain. I guess I was wrong, especially about you," he said bitterly and got up.

Haylia paled and mumbled. "I didn’t mean it that way. I am just looking out for you."

"Then I guess there is no one to look out for her." He scoffed and dropped the mahogany contents of the goblet down his throat. His prominent Adam’s apple bobbed with every gulp.

"Good night, Mother. I hope you ponder on your words in the solitude of the night. It’s not very respectable of a ’Vera’ to have such a thinking."

Haylia was no more a Luna so her title was Vera now.

Banging the metal container on the wooden table, Siroos walked away while Haylia watched him with a sigh that made her shoulder droop. The fact that he had addressed her as mother and not ’ma’ told her he was pissed.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read