The Alpha's Hunt Chapter 168

Another two days passed and the ceremony for the Guards who had been killed was held yesterday. It was beautiful and honorable but when I saw all the families distraught and heard the loud cries, I nearly fell apart. Today was our turn, Mathilda and I were saying goodbye to our parents.

The driver took us to the cemetery, and we walked out onto the green grass. The headstone was in the shape of a halo, and the two would lay beside each other, resting together forever. Darian stopped a few feet away. 

“Go, I’ll stand here,” his fingers trembled when he cupped his hands behind his back and lifted his head. A gentle smile stretched on his lips and he opened his mouth two times before he spoke. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered through clenched teeth and his eyes were turning red. I bowed my head, my eyes caught on his shoes when a drop fell from his cheek and landed on the black leather.

I walked to the headstone, and as I came up behind Mahtilda, standing in her black dress with black ballet slippers, I saw the little girl who would squeal when Mom lifted her up in her arms. When we were kids, we would cuddle on the couch before bedtime, and Mom would read us a book.

The bow that was tied behind Mathilda’s back hung softly and fluttered as the wind drew in. In her hands was a bouquet with yellow roses, mom’s favorite, and Lillies for our dad. He was never much for flowers but one year for his birthday our mom gave him Lillies and ever since then, he said that no other flower compares because of the love he feels when he sees them. 

Tears fell down her cold pink cheeks and her brows were deeply furrowed as she gasped for air. 

“I’m going to miss you so much,” she whispered and wiped her eyes.

I squatted down, my black dress covered my heels and I put the flowers in the middle. 

“I’m sorry,” my voice broke, shattered, and the tears landed on the petals.

“If I’m half as good with my pups as you were with us, I’ll consider it a job well done,” 

Mathilda put her flowers down, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. We stood there like that for a long time, remembering and crying- telling stories and reminiscing. She asked me yesterday how it happened and why they died, and I told her the truth. They sacrificed themselves for their girls. She asked if it was Darian's fault, and I told the truth, I told her that he killed our mother but that I didn’t blame him for their death. I blamed the Elder, I blamed the Council and the Councilmen, and I blamed Ophelia. Darian was to blame for many things, but not my parent's deaths. 

When we walked back to the car, Darian stayed still, and by the time we got in he was walking down to the headstone. He got on his knees and put his hand on the grass where they rested.

I put my hair behind my ear and listened.

“No amount of apologies will rectify what I have done, but I want you to know that you did a good job with your daughters and that you don’t have to worry, I’ll take care of them from here. I’ll keep them safe for you,”

He sat for a moment in silence before he joined us in the car. 

We locked eyes and I took his hand over my knee, tightened the hold around his trembling fingers and we drove home.

Gabby and Kiera were playing outside as we drove up to the palace. I could see from afar how he chased after her and her precious giggles welcomed us home. 

We stepped out and I stopped by the car, watching them for a moment and enjoying the sound of happiness coming from the same place that housed so much pain.

“Is everything okay?” Darian asked and slipped his fingers between mine, entwining them in a soft knot. 

I nodded and sighed in contentment.

“It is now,” saying goodbye to my parents was the last of a bad year. The amount of pain and grief we had suffered this year, all of us, was beyond my wildest imagination but what was even stranger was where we ended up; laughing, smiling, and loving.

I didn’t understand it, and maybe I didn’t have to, but I needed to stop for a moment and just be grateful for it because who the fuck knows when the next curveball will hit.

Darian lifted our hands to his lips and pressed them against my knuckles. We walked after Mathilda inside and I waved to Kiera on the way as she was hauled onto Gabe’s back. 

We changed our clothes and I hung the funeral dress in the back to keep it safe. The dress was my mother's, Darian got it for me from the house when he went to gather our things. It still smelled like her, so whenever that crippling grief haunted me, I could put it on, crawl into bed and close my eyes. It’d be like she was hugging me. 

Everyone took a moment alone before we gathered in the family room. We ate dinner there and played games for the rest of the night. Darian said that he had outsourced the day's responsibilities and that until the sunset, we’d all be together without anyone running off. Mathilda chose our third game and just as we were setting up the board on the floor, Nora walked in. She hadn’t talked to anyone since the war, she had helped the surviving members of her former pack adjust to their new life in the Lycan pack, those whose loyalty to Darian never faltered. 

Everyone turned their heads and there was a slight hesitation twisting Gabe’s features and Darian’s chest rose as he drew a deep breath. Nora flicked the ponytail over her shoulder and spun the ring on her middle finger when she walked closer to us. Kier’s face lit up, she hadn’t seen Nora in ages, and she didn’t see what the others saw, Kiera just saw her friend returning home.

“You’re playing games?” Nora looked over the game board and the pieces lying on the floor and smiled. “Never thought I’d see another game in here,” she said quietly through a weak smile. 

“Do you want to play with us?” Kiera asked, “You can take bunny’s place,“ she said, moving the bunny onto her lap to give Nora the seat.

“No, hun, that’s okay. I just- I guess- well,” she looked nervously around and drew a double breath. 

“I’m sorry,” she said and looked between Darian and Gabe. “Not just about the potion but about not telling you that the Elder reached out. I should’ve told you,” 

“Yes, you should have,” Gabe said gruffly. 

“Right,” Nora nodded and I stood to my feet. 

“Come, play with us,” I took her hand but she subtly shook her head. 

“I don’t think-“

“Come on, sit down and play. If there’s one thing we all know how to do, it’s that.” Darian grinned.

I puffed a breath and raised a shoulder. “He’s right,” I said. 

Nora walked over and Gabe shifted on the floor.

“Yeah, we may be a fu-“ Gabe stopped mid-sentence and looked at Kiera before re-phrasing. “We may be an odd group of people, but we’re family. Let’s just all agree to keep the games to game night, deal?”

I smiled and looked at the confused expression on Mathilda’s face. I pulled her in and picked the red tower for my game piece.

“Deal,” everyone said.