Chapter 1
Death is something I’ve never experienced or grief…
Anger, yes many times even…but dead and grief is the very first time. My soul is as grey as the sky, today my pack and I stand in the Pack cemetery to bid our farewell to the greatest and most loved head warrior and his mate…my parents…my mom and dad…my two best friends!
I watch as the Alpha and Luna together with the rest of the pack members bow their heads as a show of respect for them. My mother Scarlet stopped her heart the moment she felt her bond with my father Jared die, she knew at that moment that her beloved went to join our ancestors. That’s what the bond between mates does to mated wolves…
Once my parents’ caskets were lowered, it was time for the Alpha and Luna to throw in their flowers…but to my surprise, he mindlink me to go before them.
‘Go bid your parents' farewell child…’
I looked at him with wide eyes…this has never happened before; the Alpha comes before anyone else. But seeing how everyone stares at me, I guess Alpha Matt let everyone hear him.
I walked forward and looked at my parents’ casket…I threw my first rose to dad’s side… ‘Rest dad…and take care of mom!’
I felt someone hold me by my shoulder only to see my aunt Sheila…she is my uncle’s mate and used to be mom’s friend before mom found dad and moved from her old pack to dad’s pack Moon Valley Pack. I threw the next flower into mom’s grave and aunt Sheila followed…
“I will take care of your daughter like she’s my own Scar…just rest now baby sister!” I heard my uncle Lance say besides us. My tears were blurring my vision… my uncle pulled me into a hug and Aunt Sheila patted my back as I let my tears fall on my uncle’s chest.
Males of the pack took shovels and started to bury them…at this very moment that’s when it finally sink in that they are truly gone and I am left all by myself. I saw as Blake, gave Liam the shovel and walked back towards his mate Valeria…Valeria is the Alpha’s daughter and my best friend and the next in line Luna…and Blake is the Beta’s son…and soon to be Alpha of my beloved pack.
Just as all the burial was done the Alpha walked forth and said his speech, “Warrior Jared was everything to us, a head warrior and a mentor and my best friend, but most importantly the greatest father to his daughter Zoe and the best mate to his mate and wife Scarlet, Scarlet the best female warrior and the life of the party…she knew how to entertain, I know that wherever they are they wouldn’t want us to be sad or worry about them as they are together and at peace…” after I heard this few words I couldn’t pay attention to anything anymore as I cried my eyes out choking on my sobs.
‘Be comforted, sweet Zoe…’ I heard Luna’s link and nodded my head.
I don’t know how long I have been crying and just staring at my parents’ tomb but once I look up all I can see is a dark sky and my friends seated on the chairs behind me with Valeria beside me, her face has tears stains and her doe eyes were puffy and red…
“You look ugly!” I told her and she laughed and wiped her tears and retort…”If you think I’m ugly you should take a look at yourself…” I also joined her in laughing and the guys joined in.
After a long time, my friends and I head back to the packhouse…
“I can’t believe you living tomorrow…” Valerie stopped in her tracks and looked at me with glossy eyes. I couldn’t help but sigh…with my parents gone, my uncle and his wife are now my only family left and they don’t stay in the same pack as me…their live at Crimson Shadow Pack together with their two sons Levi and little Aiden, they both couldn’t come to my parents’ funeral as Levi took his place as Beta after my uncle…so he had to stay behind since according to my uncle the Alpha of the pack went away for business.
“I know Val…I am going to miss this place and you guys so much.” I felt my tears falling as I say these words. They all walked to me and gave me a group hug…
“Don’t forget about us…” Liam said as he squeezed us tighter…
Paul laughed and squeezed out a few words… “Must you squeeze us like that…we can’t breathe…”
We all laughed at what he said…
It has always been the five of us since young…Blake, Val, Paul, Liam and me! and now I am leaving them.
“Guys…come and eat now!” we heard Luna call out for us and we broke our hug and Paul the foodie of the group answered for everyone.
“Ohh good…coming Luna…am starving I can eat a deer!” he exclaims as he ran towards Luna.
We all rolled our eyes and walked inside… I spotted my uncle right as I walked in and he was talking with the Alpha, and my aunt was helping with food. My uncle looked at me and I could see him sigh in relief…I just gave him a reassuring smile and walked to my aunt and took my plate.
“Thanks, Aunt…” I told her as she also gave me a smile.
“You welcome sweety…”
I followed my friends and took our seats outside the yard where we normally stay when the pack is packed.
“To our last meal together…” Blake raised his beer and we all followed him…
“And to Zoe’s new beginning…May she be welcomed there and never forget about us in any way…!” Liam added.
“And may she always know that this will always be her home and we will forever be her family!” Val chimped in with a shaky voice…
“It will be good if she can find her mate too…” Paul decided to get out of way!
We all looked at him and shook our heads…
“What…I am saying what each and every one of you is afraid to say…” He shrugged his shoulders.
“As if you have yours weirdo…!” I exclaimed as I gulped down my beer.
He mimicked my words and gulped his…
We stayed in silence and I looked at my now empty bottle and said… “You guys must watch each other’s backs…” I looked at each and every one… “Blake, be the best of your kind, take the Pack to its highest, and Val…be the baddest Luna of all times, be the best you could ever be…lead beside your mate as one!” I sniffed and held Valerie’s hand. “Be there for everyone, be the Luna your mom trained you to be…” she got closer to me and hugged me while mumbling… “I will Zozo…I promise you that!”
I turned to the guys and looked at Paul…now that my father is gone and his father is currently filling in until Valeria takes over the Pack Paul will become the Head warrior.
“You got this Paul…” I said the same words my dad usually used on him when we train…
He let choked on his tears and nodded his head and said “I will make him proud Zozo…I promise you as I have promised him!”
I nodded at him and turned my head around and saw Isaac coming our way… “Take care of him too…his going to need your support and encouragement a lot, especially from you Liam!” I looked at Liam and he turned and nodded.
Liam is a Delta, but since Blake is going to be Alpha instead of Beta, Liam had to fill up the Beta position and Isaac one of our friends had to take the delta position.
“Hey guys…: Isaac greeted us with a smile.
“Hey man…” the guys responded.
“Zozo…here, I got you this…” he gave me a chocolate cake.
He has always been this sweet and warm… he is just one year younger than us.
“Thanks my guy…you always know how to warm me!” I told him and he smiled.
I stayed with my friend until midnight and walked to my house…it’s so quiet without them. Dad always waited for me on the corner couch for me to come back home and he will wait even if I get home in the early hours… seeing me get in…on my tiptoe, he will just snort and go straight to bed afterward.
Once he's inside his bedroom he will just mindlink me… ‘Nice to see that you alive slugger…’
“Right at you Dad…”
I said it aloud and sighed…
“Ohh how I miss you guys already…”
