Chapter 41

On a normal day, I would have been intimidated but now, I just didn't care. I turned back to finish what I was doing only to feel a heavy hand clap my back causing me to immediately tense.

"I don't like you anymore than I did yesterday but I just want to personally give you my condolences. Am sorry" He said hoarsely

Without a word, I nodded and then went on my way to kneel beside my mate.

"I would like her funeral rites to be done in our way..." he said again and I nodded again.

"I would let the others know and start preparations... we will call on you when it's time" He waited for a minute and when I didn't say anything, he turned and left the room with a heavy sigh.

Grabbing my mate's hand, I dropped on open kiss on the back of it.

"I am so sorry baby. Am really sorry. I know it's too late now and I will live with this guilt for the rest of my life but where ever you are now, I hope you find a place in your heart to forgive me... I can't bring you back to life but I can promise you this; I promise to hunt down the person who did this and I won't stop until their blood bathes this land and their remains scattered all over this land.

I really don't know how am going to survive now that you are gone. What am I going to do Chaos? I know I screwed up our lives before it even began and I will spend the rest of my life paying for it. I really hope you find peace wherever you are now. I will always love you baby" I whispered

Taking off the necklace I always wore, I put it around her neck and sealed it with a kiss on her lips and forehead. No sooner had I pulled back did the door to her room open yet again. This time it was her mother who walked through.

"She looks beautiful" she whispered with teary eyes

"Yes she does" I answered just as teary eyed

"They are waiting for you. Everything is ready"

"Okay. We will be down in a minute"

She looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it after a few moments before really leaving. I stood back looking at my mate lying there all peaceful and serene and I felt tears rushing down my face again at the thought of this being the last time I would ever see her again.

We didn't even have a picture together. I cast my eyes around her room and spotted her phone been charged. Unplugging it, I opened her camera immediately since there was no password on it. Thank heavens. I took a couple of pictures before pocketing the phone. As I lifted her into my arms, every nerve in my body protested against it.

With the intake of a couple of deep breaths before slowly letting it out, I walked towards the door. The journey out of the house though was short was the most excruciating one I had ever taken in my life. It was draining everything I had in me. It was taking everything I had not to turn back. I took my last step out of the house and had to take a double take. A wood bed was mounted in the middle of our compound and a whole lot of people I have never met in my life took half of it.

I knew immediately that they were from Chaos' side of the family. Their red bright eyes and obsidian black ones spoke for themselves. Their intimidating forms and blank looks on their faces were just an added bonus. I saw the faces of some of my tormentors and by the cold shivers that racked through my back, I knew I had to calm down nerves before they made me hightail out of my own mate's funeral.

I focused on taking my mate to the wooden bed made for her. We were going to burn her. I would have loved to bury her but this is their way of sending off their dead and I have taken enough already from her that I wouldn't want this to be added unto the pile.

Setting her down as gently as possible, I took a step back and nodded in her father's direction to let him know he can proceed with the burial. It took a couple of minutes for him to finish whatever spell or prayer they offered to their dead. I wouldn't know what it meant because it was all said and done in her native tongue and then the hard part arrived.

Her burning.

I automatically fell on my knees when her father torched her wood bed. I couldn't take my eyes off her as she burned nor could I stop the tears racking harshly through my body.

This was the final nail to the coffin. Throwing my head back, I howled brokenly to the moon for that is how I felt.

Broken

Empty

Lonely...

I was a mate less broken man.