Reborn As Cursed Alpha's Mate
Chapter 196: Aiko’s Request

Chapter 196: Aiko’s Request

Over the next few days, all the required preparations were made for their journey. Siroos discussed the details with the Elders. They gave him their blessing and agreed with his plan.

"Take care of the pack in my absence. Your Luna, Princess Lotus and Commander Razial have protected the borders with their magic. No one without permission will be able to enter." Siroos informed the Elder Council.

"We will not disappoint you, Alpha. You and Luna are our strength and we highly regard what both of you have done for us," Pallia (The new head of the Elders) answered respectfully. He patted Siroos’s shoulder giving him strength. Unlike the previous heads, the man fully believed and trusted his Alpha, as an Elder should.

Siroos nodded and told them to gather the pack near the oasis. He wished to address them before they left on the journey.

Once everyone had gathered, Siroos stood before his people with his thick corded legs open and muscled arms folded. They had an idea about what the announcement was going to be.

While others were taking time to go through some final preparations, Siroos decided to address his people.

"500 years ago our land and our people were cursed by Arkiam because the bastard didn’t believe in true love. He thought he could curse me and my people and make us give up on love. To abandon the very fundamentals of the existence of us shifters. He wished to break us, break me. But against all odds, we have survived, and now Cassandra’s arrival has given us new hope. We have a chance to lift this curse. So I would like to ask? Do you trust me on this?"

Siroos asked, eyeing every member of his pack. Their faces had brightened with the surfacing of this new truth.

The older people wished to see their children flourish and find happiness.

Mated couples who hadn’t been blessed so far wished for kids.

Unmated ones yearned for their mates.

They all had a chance now.

"We do, Alpha," they chorused.

"Then be each other’s strength in my absence and be the guardians of this pack. I will return with glad tidings."

The pack cheered. The kids rushed forward hugging their alpha. He hugged them back, accepting the small token of their love they had bought for him. Their cheeks blossomed like innocent flowers.

The others exited the dwelling, all set for their journey ahead. Cassandra came and stood by Siroos’s side, accepting her pack members with pride and love.

Wila brought some fresh bread for his Alpha and Luna and they accepted it with gratitude.

"Please! Take care of yourself on the journey and return to us soon," he requested with teary eyes.

Cassandra lowered herself so she was at eye level with the small boy.

"We will. You be a brave boy and take care of your mama." Cassandra kissed his forehead making the little boy blush in the process. He slowly nodded and ran off, making Cassandra giggle at his action.

"We believe in you, Luna." Other pack members stepped forward and gave her their blessings and love with little souvenirs to assist them in the journey ahead.

Siroos and Cassandra thanked everyone.

Ames and Tara stepped forward and presented them with a small lantern.

"It’s charmed, and the light inside it will keep burning; no fuel is needed. We bartered it from a mage."

"Oh! Tara, Ames, you didn’t have to." Cassandra hugged her female bodyguard and thanked her for everything she had done for her. Siroos embraced a rather emotional Ames.

"Return to us soon," Ames uttered with watery eyes.

"We will."

Next were the Beta couple and Lana was all but crying. Her eyes were puffy, for it pained her that their Luna had just returned, and now she was leaving again.

"I–I knitted this blanket for you both. I hope it will keep you warm on the coldest nights." Lana presented her gold and emerald-shaded blanket to her Luna.

"Lana, you didn’t have to." Cassandra graciously accepted and felt the softness of the material in her hands before handing it to Siroos.

Cassandra smiled at her Beta female and lovingly placed her hand on her pregnant belly. A small bump had already begun to form there.

"You will most likely be a mother when I return. Take good care of yourself, no stress and no crying." Lana nodded with a sniffle, trying to hold back her tears while Cassandra turned to Ranon.

"Take care of my girl, will you?"

Ranon lowered his gaze in his Nissa’s respect and definitively said.

"You didn’t have to ask, Luna. Please, stay safe on the journey as well. We will be waiting for your return."

"We will return with glad tidings." Lana and Cassandra hugged each other one last time before the beta couple moved ahead towards Faris and Aiko.

Lana hadn’t really spoken much to Aiko, although Ranon had informed her that Aiko was forced into those actions, she still couldn’t bring herself to speak to her.

"You leaving, man?" Ranon pulled Faris in for a hug and thumped his back.

"I will be back, you know me. Don’t miss me too much." Faris pulled back and winked. He then turned to Lana and took her hands in his.

"Take care of my nephew or niece. I promise I will return with tons of gifts."

"You better," Lana answered with a small smile, holding back her tears.

Aiko watched their interaction with a smile of her own. They all seemed so close together, and at times, she felt like an outsider.

She then reminded herself that she was an outsider and had to make her place.

Lana then finally turned to Aiko and offered her a box filled with some tandoor bread.

"Something for the journey, I wish you well." Lana’s smile had relatively thinned and seemed more forced now.

"Thank you! Lana, I appreciate it." Aiko observed that Lana was still wary of her and maybe she felt obligated to meet her because of Faris. She had a long way to go to win her over.

Once Ranon and Lana had moved on and Cassandra and Siroos were still busy bidding farewell to the pack, Aiko leaned in and whispered to Faris.

"I have a request if you won’t mind."

Faris turned his head and tentatively asked.

"What is it?

Aiko fumbled and hoped she was not being inappropriate and he wouldn’t take it in the wrong sense.

"I would like to visit Ara’s burial site before we leave."