Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Miranda shook her head, disappointedly. She felt so weak that her legs could not even carry her weight and she collapsed on the sofa. "No, I don't understand. Why? He knows how important this wedding is to me and my pack. Then why did he decide to bail on me at the last minute? A day before the wedding? This makes no sense at all."

Beta Finn felt sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Princess Miranda, but Alpha Walden is having too many responsibilities choking him on the neck. He tried to make it believe me, he did, but he just can't make it to the cardinal ceremony. The burdens he is carrying are too overwhelming. Even for the sacrifice this year, I will be the one representing the Night Shadow Pack, as he is too busy."

"He couldn't make it? For his wedding? He knows how important this engagement is to the Lotus Pack. To me. What is so important to him that he can't come?" Just then, she remembered something, something that he had told her earlier on a phone call, the same thing that made her storm with rage. The realization dawned on her.

"I should have known. It's Samara, isn't it? She is the reason he can't make it here today, right?"

"Umm..." Finn could not answer.

"Don't lie to me, Beta Finn. I can see right through you. Tell me the truth!!!"

Beta sighed, as he gave up making excuses, "I'm sorry Princess, but Samara was severely injured and he can't help but blame himself for it. I..."

Miranda cut him short with her laugh that did not feel even real to herself. "So only because Samara is injured, he canceled his own wedding? Ha!"

"He didn't cancel it dear, he only postponed it to next year's cardinal ceremony. He promised that there would be no more excuses next time and both of you would get married. He said he's sorry."

Miranda was not only heartbroken, but devastated, and the words of Beta Finn hurt her even more.

'Follow your heart,' she heard her wolf, Lily, suddenly whisper within her. Lily hardly came out to speak and when she did, Miranda knew it was time to make a hefty decision, a decision that would change everything. "Tell your Alpha to save his explanations. He can go ahead and marry Samara. I am calling off the engagement. I'm not doing this anymore." She said with determination.

"Miranda!" She heard her father's loud voice. Her father rarely shouted, but he did it because the words she had said shot him like an arrow in the chest. No Alpha would like to see his pack's downfall because of his daughter.

"Father!" She turned to see her father holding his chest, struggling to breathe. He panicked and had an attack. Fear suddenly erupted in her heart. Oh no! That was not good! Not good at all!

"Guards!!!!" As soon as she yelled, two uniformed men stormed into the meeting room. Upon seeing the Alpha in a state of attack, they held worried looks on their faces. Miranda then gave instructions. "Take him to his room now and call the healer immediately!"

"Yes, Milady!" They hurried past her to where the Alpha was struggling, nearly falling out of his wheelchair. Guards lifted him to take him out of the room, leaving Miranda and the Beta alone, but her mind was not conscious of that fact. The only thing she could feel right now was tremendous guilt prickling her insides. She should not have said that in front of her father, who could not take the bad news too well because of his condition.

"Princess!" Beta Finn's voice interrupted her thoughts.

She turned to him. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry about what happened to your father dear, I guess there are things in life that happen beyond our control."

By things that were 'beyond control,' Miranda knew he was referring to the unfortunate happenings in the Lotus Pack over the past few years. The last war had badly damaged the pack. It was unexpected, but it happened, of course, taking many lives. Alpha Luther was the best leader any pack could have, and if it was not for him, the Lotus Pack would not exist any longer. He fought for his people's protection until he could fight no more, but it was not enough to uplift the prosperity of the pack. There was only so much a werewolf could do. All other packs scaled through and succeeded after the war period, but the Lotus Pack kept getting worse, especially without an Alpha who could not even stand on his own two feet.

"Princess? Princess?"

Her thoughts were interrupted again. She realized that Beta Finn had been calling her a couple of times. There was just so much going on in her mind at that moment, making her oblivious to her surroundings.

"I'm sorry. What is it you were saying?"

"I'm taking my leave now and I have to send feedback to the Alpha before heading to the cardinal ceremony. I understand it must be a reflex that you called off the engagement so quickly. No one would like to hear that type of news just before the crucial day. I understand if you need some time to think things through. I can pass that message to Alpha Walden instead."

Miranda shook her head. "I'm not thinking anything through. I have made my decision and nothing will change that. Tell Alpha Walden what I told you earlier. The engagement is called off. I'm not doing it anymore."