Chapter 54

Aftermath

Jason.

Gray’s death and burial were a warning sign to everyone who might have had intentions of betraying the pack. In front of the pack assembly, I mounted the pack as the Alpha and made my speech.

“Good day everyone! Honor to the goddess who always watches out for us, both on rainy days and sunny days. Most of you here from Clyde’s pack know Gray, who was the beta and big-time confidant of your ex-Alpha, who is currently missing in action. Gray was a very formidable person as well as a full-blown traitor. You might also be wondering how we managed to get rid of your Orhert so fast; it was all thanks to Gray! He ordered that it be fed to its fill with a huge dose of atanaxins, thereby disintegrating the nervous system of the Orhert and leaving it susceptible to our attacks. Now, what I am trying to say is that, as each and every one of you has seen how united and productive this pack is striving to be, anyone who so much as shifts a finger in the wrong direction will be severely dealt with. That being said, the punishment for treason is nothing less than death! Have I made myself clear?” I thundered and was met with a silence heavy with affirmation and reverence.

Clarissa and Nolle had come to fight with us and were in the crowd; no matter how huge the crowd, I could find Clarissa’s eyes in it. Also in the crowd were Mirian and Elliot; they did not fight because they were too emotionally attached to Gray, although he had abandoned them at last. They still loved him so much. They came and spread flowers over his grave, and tears trickled down their faces. I felt pity for them; I could not imagine what it felt like to lose one’s last family. It was heartbreaking to watch them cry over his grave; he had been a big brother to them.

Mirian and Elliot:

Although we knew what the outcome would be, we were still shaken when we got the news that Gray had died in battle—the only family we had. We were angry for years after he abandoned us like mere pawns on a chess piece, but we still loved him and did not want to believe that he was gone forever. We had made so many fun memories with him, and everything we knew how to do, Gary had taught us how to do it.

We dropped our flowers by his grave and walked back into the crowd with tears in our eyes when Clarissa walked towards us with pity and love in her eyes. She embraced us both warmly and whispered into our ears:

“It’s alright, we are your family now; we’ll always be here when you need us.” She said this as she squeezed our arms as though to squeeze our pain away. We were happy that at least we had found a new family to love.

Clarissa:

I could not help thinking of Jason’s speech. I imagined that if it were still the time in which Gray had framed me for treason and I was branded a traitor, would I have been alive now to be in love with him if there was no such thing as mercy? I would have been dead, and I would not know him, nor would I have given birth to an angel like Cisca. As long as we were together, it was my job to make sure he did not make the same dreadful mistake Clyde had made in my case. I had gone through enough turmoil, and I did not want anyone else to go through what I had gone through.

As we made our way back home, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. The loss of Gray weighed heavily on my heart, yet there was a glimmer of hope amidst the sorrow. Miriam and Elliot had found solace in our pack, and I was determined to be there for them as a surrogate family.

Nolle walked silently beside me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. I knew she was also grieving the loss of Gray, who had been a mentor and friend to her as well. We had both witnessed his transformation from a caring brother figure to a traitor, and it was a difficult journey to accept his fate.

Amber Hart, our reliable pack member, was waiting at our doorstep with little Cisca in her arms. The sight of our adorable girl, who had just celebrated her birthday a few weeks ago, brought a small smile to my face. Despite the darkness that surrounded us, Cisca’s innocence and playful energy reminded us of the joy that still existed in our lives.

“Thank you, Amber,” I said gratefully as I took Cisca into my arms. Cisca was excited to see her favorite people, and she ran into my hands, seemingly unaware of the turmoil we had just experienced. It was a comforting distraction, a reminder that life continued even in the face of loss.

Nolle and I settled down in the living room, surrounded by the warmth of our pack members. They understood the pain we were going through and offered their support in their own silent ways. The room was filled with a sense of unity and camaraderie, a testament to the strength of our pack.

I looked at Nolle, whose eyes were still filled with sadness; she still had memories of her family and the happiness we shared before Gray’s Jealousy ate him up. I reached out and took her hand, offering a gentle squeeze. “We’re not alone anymore,” I whispered softly, my voice filled with reassurance. “We have each other, and we have our pack. We’ll get through this together.”

Nolle nodded, her grip tightening on my hand. She leaned against me, finding comfort in our shared presence. We had found a new family, a pack that accepted us and cared for us. While the pain of losing Gray would never fully fade, although we had lost him a long time ago to his own greed. We were determined to honor his memory by embracing the love and support that surrounded us.

Nolle:

The entire thing was a breathing paradox; we had lost a friend and a foe, a brother and a traitor. We were glad that we had protected our packs, yet we were sad that we had lost somebody who was an important part of all our childhood memories. Goodbye, Gray; may the goddess cleanse your soul of all evil.