160- A Memorial of Names
POV Lunara Grimwald:
“Come on, we have a surprise,” Lyris called, pulling me toward a secluded part of the village.
Celindra was on my right, her arm linked with mine, while Lyris walked ahead of us.
I looked around, my heart racing as I realized we were moving too far away from where I considered safe.
I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Alessio no longer existed; there was no danger anymore.
Wandering around was peaceful—there was no risk at all. No one would show up to kidnap me or kill any of my friends.
Controlling my breathing, I followed the two of them to where they were taking me. It was in the direction of the lake, but not close enough to it.
“I have no idea what you two are up to,” I whispered, looking down at my feet as they crushed the thin snow of late winter.
The weather wasn’t as icy as it had been lately; it was growing more pleasant by the day.
I lifted my face and looked at the sky, feeling the sun’s rays warm my skin like a comforting kiss.
The days felt lighter. And I knew they were only like that because of Edric, who lived to please me and try to make me forget everything bad that happened.
It wasn’t that easy, but following his advice—to live one day at a time—things just… happened, day after day, while time passed, pushing the past farther and farther away from the present.
We entered an open field, without so many tall, high-canopied trees around. Lyris stopped beside a tall stone, laced her fingers in front of her body, and smiled.
“While you were away, we decided to create a memorial,” she remarked, glancing at the stone before turning back to me. “Everything happened so fast, and so intensely.
“We wanted to have something to remind us of the lives of the people who were part of our journey.”
I stepped closer with unsteady steps, not letting go of Celindra’s arm.
My heart was pounding, and my throat tightened.
“What?”
“It’s just a tribute for those who were by our side and are gone.” She cleared her throat. “Celindra and I were responsible, but the whole pack helped.”
I moved close enough to the stone to notice Anton’s name carved near the top, in large cursive letters. It was etched into the rock like an eternal reminder of his presence among us.
Tears filled my eyes.
“It’s a memorial for those who left their mark on our lives, a reminder of those who no longer walk among us,” Celindra said. “Anton deserved this.”
I gasped, unable to say a word.
They looked at me, their eyes full of emotion and solidarity. I felt the weight of his death, but also the strength of our family, the unity we had built.
I sniffled, rubbing my fingertips over my eyes to wipe away the gathered tears.
“I think he’d complain that his name isn’t high enough,” I joked.
Lyris laughed, her eyes shining.
“That would be so like him.”
“Yes, it would,” I agreed.
It was a moment that was ours—one that represented how much we missed him, and would miss him forever, but also acceptance.
Anton was gone, but he would be remembered forever and never forgotten.
I stepped closer to the stone and reached out, touching with my fingertips the place where his name was carved. Just below it was Ruda’s, followed by other names of wolves I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting.
“He’d be happy, after complaining a little,” I murmured, my lips trembling into a sob.
Lyris stared at her longtime friend’s name.
“Anton was the first one I told about Celindra,” she whispered. “He supported me and said that love overcame and stood above everything. So I told Edric and Andrei, and I got support from all of them—my family.” She sniffled and turned to me. “But it was still incomplete. I needed a friend, a sister to tell. You arrived and changed everything, made everything perfect. You brought hope to our people and turned a male who was unhappy into the happiest of wolves. Anton saw that, Lunara. He died knowing that, despite everything, things would work out for all of us.”
“His death… was my fault.” I shook my head, pressing my lips together, unable to contain the sobbing that broke free from me.
“It wasn’t,” she argued, taking a step closer and holding my hands. “Anton died fighting for a cause, just like all of us would. He died because of cruelty, because of betrayal—but never because of your fault.” She laughed as tears ran down her face. “That shameless wolf must be, right now, there in the Valley of the Dead, laughing at us, enjoying our suffering.”
“If they watch us like it’s television, he’s definitely doing that,” Celindra agreed.
“Free yourself from this, Lunara. Anton is fine—happy and satisfied that everything worked out, that we ended up okay, and that the pack is stronger than ever. He was an Eldoria born and bred; he fought for our people with claws and fangs.”
“Always, and forever, for Eldoria,” Celindra breathed.
I squeezed my eyes shut and turned back to the stone, my body shaking with uncontrollable sobs.
I placed my hand against the rock.
“For every drop of blood. For those who are gone, for every wolf we lost, we will remain steadfast. For those who are still with us, we will fight to the end. May their memories inspire us, may their voices guide us. Anton will never be forgotten, and his courage will continue to sustain us, today and always.”
With a heavy sigh, I let the feeling of peace and gratitude wrap around my heart. Anton and the other wolves who had left would live forever in our memories, and that memorial was a promise that we would never forget them.
My heart warmed before his scent hit me. I turned around and found Edric leaning against the trunk of a more distant tree, his arms crossed over his chest.
“I felt your sadness and came to check,” he said, raising an eyebrow. He looked at the stone before turning back to me. “Lyris and Celindra were brilliant,” he praised.
Lyris clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, mocking. Celindra and I laughed.
“Yes, they were,” I agreed, walking up to him with determined steps.
“Point for Lyris!” the omega declared, making a victory sign with her hand.
“Always so full of yourself,” Celindra said.