Chapter 80 Hidden Messages
1847words
Beta Don took in a sharp breath and exhaled deeply. My wolf surged up quickly when he noticed the unease in Beta Don's body language. Beta Don was not usually a man at a loss for words; he was level-headed and optimistic. I raked my hand through my hair in frustration when Beta Don warned that Alpha Christian had shown up at my mother's burial. I felt my hands clench tightly, molten anger violently rolling through me. After the stunt he pulled with my mate, I was certain I never wanted to cross paths with him again. Though it was unlikely—since we were both Alphas of our packs—I had no intention of rekindling any sort of friendship. Knowing Alpha Christian as long as I had, I knew his sudden visit was his way of extending an olive branch—a peace offering of sorts.
I rushed toward the clearing where the burial was being held, eager to find the traitor I had once considered a friend. My black dress shoes crushed leaves underfoot, followed by another pair hurrying behind. I immediately recognized the quickened pace without even turning around: Beta Don had taken his place as my second-in-command as I began my hunt for Alpha Christian. He was undoubtedly preparing himself for the wrath I would unleash once I got my hands on him.
I stopped in awe of the magnificent arrangements made on such short notice. Bouquets of moonflowers and roses lined the perimeter of the clearing—a beautiful tribute to my mother's well-known favorite flowers. I scanned the area and saw no sign of Alpha Christian. All I found was a saddened Sophia sitting next to my mother's now pale body, propped up in a wooden casket. The look on her face pained me to watch. She was lost. Now an Alpha female orphan, officially, days before her eighteenth birthday. I moved closer and wrapped my sister in my arms. A melody of howls sung out from the pack; the pack was showing their support to the heirs of the fallen Luna.
"I've got you," I whispered to Sophia and tenderly ran my hand down her hair. She glanced up at me, hope filling her eyes. "I know, Jax. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you and Adeline now, too." I smirked at her reaction. "That's something you don't have to worry about for a long, long time, Soph. It'll take a lot more to take us down than that."
Beta Don approached us cautiously, clearly recognizing that we were sharing a brother-sister moment, both feeling the pain of losing our mother.
"I'm sorry to interrupt. The ceremony needs to begin soon, Alpha—we're already three hours behind. Did you find him?" he asked.
I shook my head. My mate appeared in my peripheral vision as I said, "Beta Don, I need you to find him and summon him to my office afterward. The pack has waited long enough to bury the body of their lost Luna. We will proceed." As much as my wolf craved Alpha Christian's blood, it was my responsibility to my pack to let them have their peace with my mother, the Luna who served Midnight Moon with love and care every damn day she was alive.
"You ready, Sophia?" Beta Don asked, care evident in his voice. She flashed him a small smile and nodded. "Thanks, Don, for everything," she replied.
Adeline approached Sophia and me, wrapping her arm around my sister's other side and placing a kiss on her cheek. All I could do was smile; it warmed my heart to see my sister and my mate get along so well. Beta Don approached the stage set up for the orchestra near my mother's body and took the microphone. "Please take your seats, the ceremony will begin promptly," he said, his voice echoing through the forest.
Shifters began to take their seats; there must have been hundreds of rows set up to accommodate them all. It seemed the entire pack had come out to unify during this tough time.
The orchestra began to play a soft and romantic melody as Adeline, Sophia, and I took our seats in the front row. Beta Don soon sat next to Sophia, who was seated on the other side of my mate. Adeline rubbed her head against my chest for a moment, the feeling instantly relaxing me as her body tenderly sought attention. She slowly raised her head and whispered against my neck, "Please, Jax. Bloodshed on the day of your mother's burial would be disgraceful to her memory. If Alpha Christian is here, he's only here to pay his respects. There's no reason to escalate any of this. I'll forever be your mate," she said softly.
I steadied my breathing and nodded. As conniving as it was that Alpha Christian showed up on Midnight Moon territory, he also carried many memories with my mother from his childhood. She had often called us partners in crime, especially when we tried to steal extra cookies before dinner. The mere memory made me laugh because she always pretended she didn't notice until the cookie tray was empty, citing that there must be a couple of mice in the pack house.
When the orchestra's song finished, I placed a kiss on my mate's forehead and prepared to stand up and head to the stage to welcome everyone who had chosen to attend. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Beta Don squeezing Sophia's hand. "I'll always be here for you," he whispered. I clenched my jaw and shot him a look that caused him to quickly release my sister's hand. I knew he was comforting her, but she was my baby sister after all. Beta Don and Sophia had always gotten along well—their similar playful personalities often led them to gang up on me whenever they disagreed with something I did.
I turned and climbed the two steps onto the stage toward the microphone. Adjusting my fitted suit jacket, I cleared my throat and said firmly and commandingly, "Midnight Moon, today we lost an important piece of our pack. Luna Fraya will forever serve as a reminder of what unity, teamwork, and peace mean for a pack—symbols we will continue to uphold in her honor. I want to thank you all for your support and invite Elder John to begin the ceremony." Applause erupted from the crowd, and my eyes shifted directly to Alpha Christian. He sat toward the front with his Beta and Delta, whom I immediately recognized. A few other bulky shifters sat off to the side. He wasn't stupid enough to travel alone to the pack of a man who vowed to kill him in cold blood, but he still had the balls to show up.
Shifters were possessive by nature, especially about their mates. I was sure any other Alpha would have ripped his throat out by now. I made brief eye contact with Alpha Christian and then concealed my feelings, pushing down my wolf who was eager to shift and finish the job I hadn't.
I sent a mindlink to Beta Don. "Alpha Christian is on the far side with his Beta and Delta. Ensure he meets me in my office after the burial," I said bitterly. "I've got the team on it already. He was spotted while you were speaking. I know what he did, but as your second, I urge you to think rationally, Alpha. Our alliance with his pack has always been favorable."
I sat back and wrapped my arm around my mate, pulling her close into my body. "Oh, and Don? Hands off my fucking sister, pal," I warned. He turned his head and smirked. "Got it, Alpha." My sister was off-limits to all shifters—that wasn't new. I knew what those horny jackasses saw; I had been one of them not long ago.
Elder John began the ceremony, lighting white sage and waving the smoke over my mother's body. White sage was a custom to ensure the deceased's soul didn't bring evil spirits into the afterworld with it. Knowing the mate I thought had my best interests at heart then betrayed me and killed my mother, Elder John would need a lot more sage if there were others like Beverly in the pack.
When Elder John was done, he picked a moonflower and set it on my mother's body, nodding at me to signal the ceremony was complete. Sophia and I stood up and approached the wooden casket for one last look at our mother. I watched as tears pooled in Sophia's eyes while I picked her lifeless body in my arms and placed her in the hole dug nearby my father's. Her body made a soft thump as it hit the bottom of the hole. "I love you. Thank you for everything," I muttered and threw a fistful of dirt onto her body. Sophia followed suit, then Adeline. The higher-ranking shifters in my pack went next, each taking a moment to say their final goodbyes, followed by the rest of the pack.
I reached for Adeline's hand in support. I could see her fighting back tears. I was grateful to know my mother had fully approved of my mating to Adeline—her blessing meant a lot to my wolf and me. I pulled Adeline's waist close and looked down at those beautiful, big eyes that I knew were mine. "I have to go meet Alpha Christian. Do you want to come?" I asked, surprised by such a wild thought. He had tried to steal my mate away, yet here I was inviting her to the meeting with him.
She shook her head and gently pressed her lips against mine. "I hoped you'd come with me. Beta Don is setting up the burning of Beverly's body near the cabin. Theo and Sophia will be there, too. Seems none of us can put this behind us until Beverly gets what she deserves," she said.
I thought about it for a moment. My wolf was still on edge and refusing to leave her side, but I couldn't have Alpha Christian roaming the pack freely, either.
"You go if it'll make you feel better, but I'm sending more enforcers. I would come, but I have to deal with a pesky Alpha who's in love with my mate," I replied teasingly. She giggled and rolled her eyes. "Ay ay, captain."
The visiting shifters had just finished paying their respects to my mother's body, officially concluding the burial. Adeline's eyes widened in fear behind me, causing my head to jerk backward in the direction she was fixed on. Alpha Christian wore a bright smile as he talked to Sophia and Beta Don. Beta Don had his arm firmly planted around my sister's shoulders, despite my recent warning that she was off-limits.
I straightened and growled as I moved toward them. Beta Don immediately dropped his arm, and Sophia's eyes widened at the fury radiating from me in waves. "My office. Both of you. Now," I demanded and disappeared into the pack house.
