Love And Betrayal | ✔️

19. Rejected by the rejected?

Why are old lovers able to become friends? Two reasons. They never truly loved each other, or they love each other still.

- Whitney Otto

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A D E N

Even the skies know when an innocent dies.

It laments in the form of lightning, it grieves in the form of thunder, it weeps in the form of rain.

The line of us Alphas stand sombrely as the casket is lowered into the ground. Muffled cries, some loud, echo in the background as the final rites are performed. The rain continues to drench us, like it has been doing for the past three days now. The air is too full of sorrow to handle.

When the water trickles down my bare neck, I resist the urge to wipe it away.

My eyes wander towards the group for Lunas standing on the other side. They are dressed in black, with a thin black veil covering their hair and foreheads. Kiara is among them and my eyes linger on her a moment longer before they look away. In the brief moment our eyes met, a wave of unspoken words through us.

I can feel the guilt and the sadness in her, and it kills me not being able to do anything about it.

"It's time to pay our tributes to the young departed soul." Cerberus cuts through the silent air, making me turn my attention back to the scene. "May Nora Lawson, beloved daughter and niece to the Blood Hounds, rest in peace."

With a chorus of amens, the wolves get ready to shift.

Discarding the last piece of cloth that covers us, Alpha Taylor is the first to shift, followed by me and the other Alphas only moments later. Our packs follow us soon after, throwing their heads back to face the rising moon.

A united howl of regret and loss rips through the chilly air, the wind making it sound twice as loud when it picks up speed. Beside me stands Taylor, and I feel his voice quiver with emotion and it takes him tremendous control not to show his guilt and sorrow ridden feelings. I know both Kiara and he are blaming themselves for the loss, and my heart goes out to them.

It was a mistake - a tiny ounce of carelessness but it cost a child her life.

What else would we have to face before our ultimate battle? What else would come our way?

But worst of all, how many more of us are destined to die?

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It's evening by the time everyone goes back home, tired, exhausted and weary. The day's been a long one and the night's going to be longer.

Sitting in my usual spot, I let out a puff of smoke, enjoying the solace while I can.

"Even the dumbest Alpha should know smoking is injurious to health."

I stiffen when I feel her presence behind me, her reproving eyes never leaving the cigarette between my fingers.

"What do you want, Kiara?" I snap, not really in the mood.

As much as I'm in love with this girl, I don't think any life changing conversation is appreciated right now. My father has already given me a two hour long lecture regarding my inefficiency as an Alpha, souring my mood until I reached breaking point. Then he went so far as to listing every reason why I should give up chasing Kiara. As far as my Dad was convinced, it was her fault she was bullied, her fault every misfortune happened. The very idea that she ran away after I rejected him bugs him to this day. It's my fault, but he still believes I did my pack a service by letting go of her.