47- A Trail of Blood and Retribution
POV Edric Eldoria:
I turned on my heels and walked away, inhaling and absorbing her scent, still in the same place where I had left her with Anton.
My steps were heavy. The death of the bastards wasn't enough to calm me down, to make the irritation, the anger, and the guilt over little Ruda's death dissipate.
Anton was holding Lunara in his arms, holding her gently, while speaking softly with Lyris. She was sitting on the ground, with her knees bent and her arms resting on them. Her eyes were fixed on the tree in front of her, lost, red and swollen from crying.
Lunara had her head hidden in the alpha's chest, eyes closed, breathing slowly. My wolf didn't like seeing her so close and comfortable in another's lap.
Further back, Ruda's body. They were avoiding it, as if they couldn't look at the dead pup.
I stopped in front of Anton and took the she-wolf, pulling her to me. She inhaled, flaring her nostrils and leaning even more against me, as if she needed contact.
"Lyris, go home. Andrei is finishing the job."
"What job?" she asked, standing up in a quick movement.
"Tearing the heads off the damned and putting them on stakes at the territory borders."
A light of indistinct fury shone through her brown eyes. Ruda wasn't just a member of the pack; he was one of Celindra's students and the pup she had been responsible for during the challenge. Lyris felt she had failed him, failed his girlfriend, failed the boy's family, failed me, and failed the pack.
"I'll help him. I insist on being the one responsible for separating the heads from the bodies."
"Alright," I agreed, knowing she needed this to find some peace. I turned to Anton. "Take Ruda's body to his family and prepare the ceremony."
He nodded silently.
I made my way to my house with Lunara in my arms. She was so light she seemed to weigh nothing. Nicoleta was no longer there when I arrived. I climbed the stairs calmly, pushed open the door to her room, and went to the bed, placing her gently on the mattress.
I could try to take her to the bath, but she wouldn't accept it, even though I had memorized every inch of her skin. She was stubborn and proud.
She opened her blue eyes and stared at the ceiling. The tears streamed down the sides without stopping, like a waterfall, sliding over skin dirty with earth, creating a trail and wetting the pillow. There were some leaves stuck in the strands of her hair, mixed with dried blood.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
I could smell the blood staining her dark hair, forming a small crust, but I felt no physical pain coming from her. My saliva had done a good job, sealing the open wound.
"I'm not hurt," she whispered, pressing her lips together and wrinkling her small nose. "Your life isn't in danger, there's nothing to worry about." There was a certain bitterness in her tone.
I opened my mouth to protest but fell silent.
She was right; my only concern regarding her was because of our bond. At least, that's what I believed and thought.
"Alright. Rest, tomorrow will be a long day."
It was already approaching late afternoon; soon the sun would give way to the moon. Ruda's grieving family would spend the final hours under the night's mantle, saying goodbye to who he was in life, preparing his soul for the afterlife.
I focused on her breathing. Rhythmic and slow, just like her heartbeat. She was fine and out of danger. I turned on my heels and headed out of the room. I heard the rustle of sheets and the creak of the mattress.
"Edric?" she called. I looked at her over my shoulder; she was propped up on her elbow, facing me. "I tried to save him, I swear I tried," she whispered, her voice barely a breath.
I clenched my teeth, grinding my jaw.
"I know you did," I revealed.
Lunara had some qualities, and caring for others, even if they didn't deserve her kindness, was one of them, especially when it came to pups.
I took a step when she spoke again:
"Can I go to his wake, or whatever you do here when someone dies?"
It wasn't a good idea, but... she had the right, since she tried to save the pup's life, putting herself at risk even when she didn't have to. They weren't her pack, nor were they friendly. She had no reason to help him, and yet she tried.
"Tomorrow, at dusk," I advised, leaving the room and closing the door behind me.
I went down the stairs with firm steps, pulled a whiskey from the kitchen counter, took off the cap, and drank it straight from the bottle.
Of all the bad days I had had during my life, this one would make the list. I hadn't just lost a wolf; I had lost a pup. I had failed as an alpha; as a mated partner; as a man, a leader, and a wolf.
I grabbed the bottle and threw it against the wall. The glass scattered across the floor, along with the amber liquid and the smell of alcohol that emanated, permeating the environment.
At least I could no longer smell the scent of Ruda's death. The smell of my failure.