Alpha's Blind Luna novel Chapter 34

The smoke rose into the air and I stared at the flames that were erupting from the pyre. Around me, all the pack members howled for their lost Beta. Tears streamed down my face but I didn’t make a sound. My thoughts focused only on the fire that now allowed his soul to be released from his body. Allowing his soul to be reborn again. It hurt to breathe but it had nothing to do with the smoke billowing up.

One after another, they bowed their heads and tossed flowers into the center of the blaze. The flowers evaporated nearly immediately in the heat but everyone came forward. I stood off to the side, my part as Alpha already done. Rose went up last with Cory. He threw a flower into the center and so did she. True to her word though, she never looked over at me. She just turned and walked back into the forest. Cory left her side for a moment and came over to me.

“Alpha…”

I didn’t look away from the fire. “You should be with your mate, Gamma.”

“Rose, she will come around. She will…”

“Stop, Gamma. She has every right to never speak to me again. I’ve done nothing but be a disappointment to her.”

Out of my peripheral, I could see his eyes widen. “Zeke, that’s…”

“Owen is taking over. He will be Alpha. I recommended you to stay as Gamma.”

“Alpha! No!”

This time, I did look at him, tearing my eyes away from the fire. “You have been an exceptional Gamma. You deserve the title. Owen would be remiss not to have you as a voice as leadership. It will be his decision, but I just put in my recommendation.”

His eyes welled up. “You have been an exceptional Alpha. I know you blame yourself, but…”

“Go to your mate, Gamma.” I ordered him this time and he stared at me for a moment before turning and following after Rose into the forest.

My eyes went back to the fire and I clasped my hands behind my back. It was about five minutes after the entire pack cleared out when I was surprised to see the Golden Moon pack walk out of the forest. All of them stepped up to the pyre and bowed. Each one threw a flower into the fire and I tried not to let the tears come forward.

AJ, Jax, Lucy and Bryan left back into the forest but Auri, Morgan and Hector stayed. All three of them stood in front of the fire. Hector and Morgan both had a hand on Auri’s shoulder.

“One should be so lucky to have a pack to care about them enough to build a pyre.” Hector said quietly, looking over at Morgan.

“As a vampire, there is nothing left when we die. So this is unnecessary.”

There was a quiet as I’m sure Auri spoke up.

“Maybe. I wouldn’t mind keeping this as a tradition though. It seems like a good way to send off the warriors if you have the ability to.” Hector sighed.

“I think I’m with Cub on this one. A viking funeral fits our location much better. It’s the same concept. Letting our body be destroyed to allow our souls to not be tethered to it anymore.”

Auri shook her head but whatever she said visibly upset the two men beside her. Hector took her face in his hands.

“You deserve a life of happiness, Auri. You can’t just say that. Being reborn don’t mean your carrying the pain this life has brought with you.”

My eyes looked back at the fire. I was never close with my brother or my father but they were still family. After losing them, the only people who made me feel like I still had family were Leo and Rose. The two of them helped me and now I felt the true loneliness. It started to creep in as I helped Keith set up the pyre this morning and then all through the ceremony.

Closing my eyes, I started to sink into the feeling when I felt an arm loop around mine. A hand fell to my shoulder as well and I opened my eyes. Auri was holding onto my arm while Hector was standing next to me, his hand on me while Morgan stood next to him. They didn’t say a word, just looked at the fire in front of us. I looked back at the fire.

'You aren’t alone, Ezekiel.'

How she knew what I was feeling, I didn’t know, but I was glad. I was glad for their presence. As we stood there, I mourned the loss of my best friend but also the loss of my pack. It was more likely that I would never come back here after I left. This pack that I protected more than half my life at this point. Not a single one of them moved or shifted, they didn’t rush me. They didn’t say anything as they just stood by my side.

After a couple hours, the fire had lulled but Keith was still stoking it, making sure it burned long enough and hot enough. Taking a breath, I raised my head.

'Gamma?'

'Yes, Alpha?' Cory answered immediately.

I sighed. 'Please take Rose and the child out of the pack house for a couple hours. Call the Elders, my mother, Owen’s mother, and Kaden. I would like you there as well but if Rose does not allow it, it’s fine.'

'Yes, Alpha.'

I cut the mind link and rubbed my eyes. “I need to finish up some last minute things. What time are we leaving?”

“As soon as you are ready, Ezekiel. No sooner. If you need to take your time, it’s fine. We will wait.”

Shaking my head, I smiled at Hector. “No, this shouldn’t take long. I’d rather leave as soon as possible.” My eyes glanced over the pyre. “I don’t have anything left holding me here.”

'Would you like us to come with you?' Auri looked up at me.

I didn’t say anything for a moment. “If…you and Hector could come. I can enact the pack transition while we are there.” Turning to Morgan, I smiled. “As much as I don’t think they would mind my grandfather-in-law coming, you being a vampire might freak them out a little.”