In the Shadows of the Past (MXM)

Back to That Sad Past

Chapter 1 - Richard

Along with everybody else, I saw the coffin being taken to the fire to burn with strange feelings in my chest, even if it was our custom when someone from the Pack passed away.

However, unlike other funerals, this one was different, and the other members seemed to feel in the same way as I did about it as the bonfire kept burning.

... Standing firmly as the Alpha that he became, the expressions on William's face were difficult to understand that night, returning once more to the cold facet we met after Serena's death, but it was easy to understand why.

That farewell day had so many emotions that even I would prefer to hide while I remembered who the person inside that coffin was and how his real personality turned to be one that I never knew, just like an old proverb that we had in the Pack used to say...

You'll never know anyone completely, not even your closest friend.

Nothing about that day was easy, especially for Liam, but I was happy that at least he had his Mate, Jordan, by his side at that problematic time before they left for the man's hometown.

I knew that my son was strong... However, I also knew that it would still take a while for him to recover from that betrayal that shocked us all.

William didn't deserve any of that, and he already suffered enough when he lost his family years ago, but that didn't seem to be enough to Fate when it also took his wife, and now that.

... Everything making me think that my Mate's decision had been the best after all...

It was better if Liam kept thinking that everything had been an accident, that it had been a fire that no one would be able to predict that destroyed his family than the harsh reality that Cal and I hid from him.

And as if he could read my mind, my Mate held my hand more tightly, showing me a small smile before returning his eyes to the bonfire that slowly destroyed the wooden coffin as if it were nothing.

Easily, I could also imagine what Callum should be thinking now. Even if he hadn't said anything to me, I knew his mind was there too...

Back to that sad past that we would never be able to forget.

... Unlike today, the wake of the other members of his family had been more gloomy, sad, along with the heavy rain that fell through the whole afternoon as background music.

However, even it hadn't been able to stop or hide the crying of relatives and friends who were there to say goodbye.

And when all the Human's ceremonies were over, and we say the last goodbye, Liam's eyes were completely swollen and red, not allowing any tears to escape any more of his young body...

"C'mon, pup. It's time to go home." I told him, not thinking too much about my words, placing my arm over his shoulders before he held my coat tightly, hiding his face on my chest.

"... To... To where... should I-I go? ... I-I... I don't have a home to go back to anymore." Amid his cries, he asked me in a voice so low that it could easily lose itself in between the rain, and which I had only been able to hear because I was a Werewolf.

"Don't worry, pup. You can stay at my house as usual, okay? Like we used to do when you were little, and your parents needed to go out." Trying to cheer him up, I didn't know what else to do when his aunt joined us.

"Hey, Liam. What do you think about spending the night with your old aunt Lili while we watch some old movies and eat all the chocolates and pizzas we can like in the old days?" Like me, Lyra or Lili seemed to be trying to understand everything that had just happened less than a week ago. "... They say he was a miracle, you know? The doctor. But even so, some dumb cop still tried to blame him for everything."

On our way back to the car, the Human woman, who was only three years older than me, ended up commenting, walking more slowly to make sure William couldn't hear us.

"Blame who? Liam? That man must be crazy." And being as shocked as she was, I soon agreed with her thoughts. "But then, is that what you were talking with Sheriff about? About Liam?"

"Yeah... That, and how all the investigations proved that everything was an accident. A problem with some electrical wire or something like that, but I didn't pay any more attention after he said that some police officers suspected Liam as if he would be able to kill his own family. "

Disgusted, she finished saying as we got into the car, where the mentioned boy waited for us with his eyes yet fixed on the place that now would be his mother's and brothers' new home for the rest of the eternity...