The Farewell Of The Luna
Two days later, the morning sky was gray—thick clouds pressing low over Dam-Nighade Pack as though the heavens themselves mourned with them. The entire pack gathered in the courtyard before the Alpha’s estate. Every wolf, from the lowest omega to the eldest elder, stood in silence as Rina’s body, dressed in white silk, was placed inside a crystal coffin.
Beside her lay the small bundle that everyone believed to be her stillborn child. Flowers covered the coffin—lilies, moon-blooms, and white roses, all her favorites.
Theo stood motionless, his face pale and empty, his hands trembling slightly at his sides. He hadn’t spoken since the night she died. Matt and Jihoo stood behind him, exchanging silent, worried glances, knowing no words could comfort him now.
Samantha knelt near the coffin, her hair disheveled, face streaked with tears. Her cries were the loudest among them. “Why, Luna Rina? Why did you leave us?” she wailed, clutching the edge of the coffin. “You promised we’d raise your child together! You promised!”
Her performance was so convincing that even the council elders wept harder. Some whispered that Samantha should be honored for her loyalty. Others said the gods would surely bless her for her devotion. No one saw the faint, almost smug flicker in her eyes when she lowered her head again.
When the ceremony began, the healer performed the sacred rites, lighting silver candles and sprinkling the ground with purified moonwater. The wolves howled in mourning, a sound that echoed through the valley like a broken song.
Theo stepped forward at last, his voice hoarse and shaking. “Rina… my light. My heart. You were the kindness this pack never deserved.” He paused, swallowing hard. “I failed to protect you. But wherever your spirit rests, know that I will love you until my last breath.”
As he laid a final white rose upon her coffin, his tears fell freely. The moment the coffin was lowered into the earth, a gust of wind swept through the courtyard, scattering petals into the air. Many believed it was Rina’s spirit saying goodbye.
\---
Later That Day
By the time the sun sank behind the forest, Liam arrived with two Shadowfang officials. Their arrival brought quiet respect; they were received with solemnity by Matt and Jihoo before being led to Theo’s private chamber.
Theo looked hollow, his eyes red-rimmed and unfocused. When he saw Liam, he rose unsteadily. “Brother…” His voice cracked, and in the next moment, they embraced tightly, both of them breaking down.
Liam held him for a long time. “I’m so sorry, Theo. Alpha Damian sends his condolences… and his strength.”
Theo nodded weakly. “I keep expecting her to walk through the door… to scold me for working too late.” He gave a broken laugh that quickly dissolved into silence. “She was everything, Liam. Everything.”
Liam’s jaw tightened as he looked around the chamber—at the untouched cradle, at the shawl draped across the bed. “Then her memory will not fade,” he said quietly. “We’ll make sure of that.”
They spent hours together that night, speaking little, drinking in silence as the rain began to fall outside—soft, steady, and mournful.
\---
Some Days Earlier On... Far Away…
Meanwhile, many miles from the grieving pack, the merchant who had purchased Rina’s newborn from Menar trudged along a muddy road toward the southern villages. The infant, wrapped in a rough blanket, whimpered faintly in his arms.
He had no use for a child, only profit. The lady who had bought it before, returned it saying the child is cursed. She laments of having nightmares since the arrival of the child into her home.
When he reached the outskirts of a small mountain town, he stopped at a quiet cottage where an older woman sat weaving baskets on her porch. Her eyes widened when she saw the baby.
“Madam,” the merchant said, lowering his voice, “I hear you prayed for a child. The goddess might have answered sooner than you think.”
The woman’s hands trembled as she took the baby. The moment she looked into the little girl’s face, her heart melted. “She’s beautiful…” she whispered, tears welling up. “How much?”
The merchant named a small price, and she paid it without hesitation. When he left, she cradled the infant gently, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
“From now on,” she murmured softly, “you are mine.”
The baby’s cries quieted, her tiny fingers curling around the woman’s hand. Neither of them knew that she was the lost daughter of a Luna—that her blood carried the power of two mighty packs, and that one day, destiny would call her back.
\---
The Broken Alpha
Three days after Rina’s quiet burial, Dam-Nighade Pack had fallen into a deep, uneasy silence. The once lively courtyards were now empty of laughter. Even the air seemed heavy with sorrow. The rain that had started the day of her funeral hadn’t stopped since, as if the skies themselves mourned for their Luna.
Liam had already returned to Shadowfang Pack, carrying Damian’s message of comfort and alliance, but the emptiness Rina left behind still lingered.
Inside the Alpha’s estate, Theo had not stepped out of his room since the burial. He neither ate nor spoke, not even to Matt or Jihoo. He simply sat by the edge of Rina’s bed every day, staring at her empty pillow, her folded dresses, and the faint scent of her perfume that still clung to the sheets.
Matt, who had been trying to hold the pack together in Theo’s absence, finally decided he could no longer stay silent.
That evening, he went to Rina’s chamber and pushed open the door gently. The air inside was stale and quiet, lit only by a dim candle on the table. Theo sat by the window, eyes sunken, his hands resting on his knees. He didn’t even turn when Matt entered.
“Alpha Theo…” Matt’s voice was soft, almost pleading. “It’s been three days. You need to eat something. The pack still needs you.”
Theo gave no response. His gaze stayed fixed on the cradle beside the bed—empty, untouched, covered with a folded white cloth.
Matt sighed and tried again. “Rina wouldn’t want this. You’re punishing yourself, but she—”
“She’s gone.” Theo’s voice was hoarse, quiet, and empty. “And no amount of food, no amount of words, will bring her back.”
There was nothing more Matt could say. His chest tightened as he looked at his Alpha—his friend—reduced to a shadow of himself. Finally, he placed the fruits tray down on the table and left the room silently, hoping Theo might change his mind later.
\---
Later That Night
In the quiet corridors of the estate, Samantha walked out of her chamber. Her expression was calm, almost saintly, as though grief had softened her. But when she reached the kitchen, she noticed a few maids gathered around a tray of untouched food, whispering to each other in worry.
"The alpha didn’t eat again?” Samantha asked gently, her tone dripping with concern.
One of the maids sighed, wringing her hands. “No, Samantha. Not even a bite. We’re so worried—he might start getting weaker with each passing day.”
Another maid shook her head. “Maybe if someone close to him talked to him again, he’d listen…”
Samantha’s eyes glimmered faintly at that. “Perhaps,” she said softly, touching her chest as if moved by compassion. “Let me try. Maybe he will listen to me this time.”
The maids exchanged hopeful looks and eagerly handed her the tray. “Please, do your best. The alpha needs to eat something.”
“I’ll do everything I can,” Samantha promised with a sympathetic smile.
The moment she stepped out of the kitchen, that warm smile faded. Her lips curved slowly into a sly, calculating smirk. Her eyes darkened with satisfaction as she looked down at the tray in her hands.
“Well, Rina,” she whispered under her breath, her voice dripping with venom, “even in death, you still manage to steal everyone’s attention. But soon… you’ll be forgotten. Completely.”
She adjusted her robe, straightened her expression back into one of gentle sorrow, and began walking toward Theo’s chamber—the picture of concern and kindness, while beneath it all, her heart pulsed with triumph.