153

153


The sky was gray over the royal courtyard as the pack gathered for Sandra’s cremation. The guards stood in long straight lines. The council members wore dark robes. The courtiers whispered among themselves, and no one knew where to look. The air felt cold, and even the wind refused to move.

Sandra’s pyre stood in the center of the courtyard. Her body had already been prepared by the healers. Many members of the pack stared at it with a mix of confusion and sadness. Some people felt pity, others felt anger, but everyone felt tense.

Keegan stood close to the pyre, trying to control his breathing. He kept his shoulders straight, but grief made it hard for him. Rosa stood next to him with their sleeping child wrapped in a blanket. She glanced at Keegan from time to time, making sure he did not crumble under the pressure.

“Are you alright?” Rosa whispered.

“I am trying,” Keegan answered quietly. “I just want the truth.”

The council stepped forward. Elder Mikal raised his hands. “We begin the Ceremony of Ashes,” he announced.

Everyone lowered their heads. The flames were lit at the base of the pyre, and small crackling sounds started to fill the silence. Keegan kept his eyes on the fire. His jaw clenched. He could not stop thinking about Sandra’s final days and the unanswered questions around her death.

Kevin stood at the front in full Alpha attire. His expression was calm and serious. Anyone watching would think he was a broken husband. But Keegan, Rosa, and a few council members knew better. Kevin was focused, thinking, calculating. His eyes kept scanning the crowd, not the flames.

From behind, the whispers began.

“I heard she could not handle the pressure.”

“She brought trouble upon herself.”

“Maybe she was hiding something.”

“She deserved pity.”

“No… she deserved punishment.”

The mix of opinions spread quickly. Keegan heard bits of everything, and each word made his chest feel tighter.

Rosa touched his arm gently and whispered, “Ignore them. Focus on what matters.”

Keegan nodded, but the noise continued to grow.

Across the courtyard, Kevin lifted his hand to silence everyone. The pack obeyed. He stepped forward, his voice carrying across the courtyard.

“Today, we let go of a woman who was part of our pack,” Kevin said. “No matter her mistakes, she was still one of us. Today is about respect.”

Some nodded. Others looked away.

Keegan felt anger rise inside him. Kevin acted like a grieving husband in public, but in private, he had shown no sadness. He had shown only annoyance that Sandra’s death created more questions.

The fire grew stronger. The heat reached the crowd. Some people stepped back. Keegan did not move.

Elder Mikal continued the rites. “Her ashes will return to the land. Her spirit will find rest.”

Rosa whispered again, “This is too much for you.”

“I have to stay,” Keegan insisted. “I owe her that much.”

When the fire reached its highest point, the guards lowered their heads again. No one spoke. Even the whispers stopped for a moment.

When the flames finally began to settle, Mikal stepped forward. “The Ceremony of Ashes is complete.”

The council bowed. The crowd began to break apart. Some left quickly, eager to escape the tension. Others lingered, still whispering about Sandra’s last days.

Keegan stayed where he was. When the last of the fire died down, he approached Elder Mikal.

“Elder, I need access to Sandra’s personal items,” Keegan said. “I believe she tried to reach out before her death.”

Mikal frowned. “This is not the time, Keegan.”

“It is the right time,” Keegan insisted. “I cannot wait.”

Mikal nodded slowly. “I will allow it, but you must move quietly.”

Keegan thanked him and turned away. Rosa adjusted the sleeping baby in her arms and followed him.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“To find someone who spoke to Sandra often.”

They left the courtyard and went inside the palace. Keegan walked fast, and Rosa hurried behind him. They reached the servant quarters and found a maid standing in the hallway.

“Lina,” Keegan said softly. “I need to ask you something about Sandra.”

The maid looked nervous right away. “Alpha Kevin said we are not to speak of her.”

“I am not asking as your Alpha,” Keegan said. “I am asking as someone who wants answers.”

Lina looked down at her hands. “I… I attended to her often. But I do not know if I should say anything.”

Rosa stepped forward. “We are not here to hurt you. Please. Whatever you know could help.”

Lina took a breath. “Sandra wanted to send a message to you,” she whispered. “She asked me to carry it. But every time I tried, someone stopped me. There were always guards. They said she was not allowed to send anything without permission. She kept asking for one chance. She said it was important.”

Keegan felt his stomach drop. “Did she say what the message was about?”

“No,” Lina said. “But she cried every time she asked.”

Before Keegan could ask more questions, heavy footsteps came from behind. A voice echoed through the hallway.

“What is going on here?”

Kevin walked toward them with three guards behind him. His eyes went straight to Lina.

“Why are you speaking with my brother?” Kevin asked sharply. “Did he call you here?”

Keegan stepped forward. “She only answered my question. Do not threaten her.”

Kevin smiled coldly. “I am not threatening. I am handling orders.”

He turned to Lina. “Pack your things. You are being transferred to the Southern Border.”

Lina gasped. “Alpha… please. My family is here.”

Kevin’s expression did not change. “It is an order.”

Keegan stepped forward angrily. “You have no reason to send her away.”

“I do not need a reason,” Kevin said. “I am Alpha.”

“She did nothing wrong,” Keegan argued.

Kevin’s voice grew sharper. “Keegan, step back. If you interfere again, you will face punishment.”

Rosa grabbed Keegan’s arm. “Please,” she whispered. “Do not make things worse.”

Kevin nodded at the guards. “Escort the maid. She leaves today.”

The guards took Lina away. She looked back at Keegan with fear in her eyes, but she said nothing.

Kevin turned to Keegan. “Stop chasing ghosts,” he said quietly. “Let Sandra rest. That chapter is closed.”

“No,” Keegan said. “You are trying to close it because you are afraid of something.”

Kevin’s eyes went cold. “If you value your family, stop digging.”

He walked away, leaving silence behind.

Keegan clenched his fists. “He is hiding something,” he said.

Rosa stepped close, her voice soft but firm. “And he will remove anyone who can help you.”

Keegan nodded. “I know. But I am not stopping.”

He turned toward the hallway leading to Sandra’s old room. His steps were slow but determined.

Now he understood something clearly, and that was that Kevin would silence anyone who tried to help him.