Chapter 196

Chapter 196
RYDEN

The moment I received a call from Drak, I knew something terrible had happened. He couldn’t hide the sadness in his voice. I quickly asked help from Zarah to send me to the Blood Moon Pack.

Every last member of Lucius’ pack was around. His compound was crowded with the people who loved him, who believed in his cause, and the people he saved and had given a second chance.

As I entered the house, a howl of mourning echoed from the forest. It was heart-wrenching. I didn’t only feel extremely sad about losing a great alpha, but he was also a savior and a hero, and I was proud to call him a friend.

“This is so unfair.” Amelia ran into me. She looked like she’d been crying. She really looked like a mess, with wet cheeks, and red eyes and nose. “This can’t be happening.”

“I’m so sorry, my love.” I took her in my arms. I knew my presence wouldn’t help the fact that Lucius was gone, but I was hoping I could somehow help ease the pain in her chest.

“He’s gone, Ryden. He’s gone.” She buried her face in my chest, wrapped her arms around my waist, and inhaled a hitching breath.

I hugged her tight, kissed her head, and stroked her hair when she shook and sobbed in my arms. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Amelia. I wish I could take away your pain. I lost a dear friend, too.”

She dragged me upstairs, still crying. As soon as we reached Lucius’ bedroom, I pushed it open. Drak and his third in command, the giant with braided hair, Eann, were there watching him.

“Please, accept my sincerest condolences.” I shook their hands. “He was such a great man and leader. I owed him a lot, and he left a legacy behind. He would never be forgotten.”

“Thank you,” Drak said. “I’ll leave you with Amelia.” He called Eann and left.

Amelia sat next to Lucius in bed. He looked like he was just sleeping, but he grew much older since last week.

“My love, I don’t even know what to say.” I touched and gripped her shoulder. “But I want you to know that you’re not alone.”

“I just left the room to the kitchen to bring him breakfast. He complained of his wiggling tooth, so I told the kitchen to make some soup for him. When I came back—” She couldn’t finish her words anymore.

“Hey. It’s okay to cry and mourn.” I hugged her from behind. “He had a beautiful and memorable week with you. That’s how he wanted to go. It might be difficult if you were watching him, but I knew he loved you until his last moment, Amelia.” I kissed her shoulder, and she even smelled like him.

It should triggered my wolf, but I had accepted the fact that Lucius was no longer my competition. We may love the same woman, but we both wanted the same thing for Amelia— for her to be happy.

Amelia, Drak, and some elders from the pack had arranged a funeral for Lucius. 

The rest of the elemental wolves, the witches, and even Dr. Gallagher were around to pay respects. Surprisingly, even Alec had attended the funeral escorted by the council’s enforcers. Beside Lucius’ casket was his painting and the image of his wolf. Drak gave beautiful eulogies, including Amelia, and it didn’t end without her crying.

“Lucius was such a good man with a big heart. He was a beautiful soul. Before he left this earth, he kept reminding me of the beauty of life, it is that love, humility, and forgiveness, and you, all being here today prove that what he said was true. You are the living proof of his hard work, of the legacy he left for everyone to follow. He will never be forgotten. From this day onward, I will do everything in my power to keep his legacy alive, and to live the way he always wanted for everyone, spread love and compassion.”

I smiled as she ended her eulogy and watched her as she shook hands and hugged her people. She was indeed a great luna. I called them her people because she belonged here as much as she belonged to my pack.

Amelia decided to bury Lucius under the house in the basement. Drak, together with the elders had agreed with her plan and built a mausoleum for him. Dark and Eann together with their enforcers brought the casket down.

Amelia gave the sword to Zarah. “Can you do me a favor? This sword can only be wielded by my blood heir.”

“Of course.” Zarah chanted a spell and blessed it before Amelia placed it on top of Lucius’ casket.

She studied me first before she talked in our link, “I have something to tell you.”

“It can wait, my love.” I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed the side of her head. “I will support everything you do.”

For the last time, Drak howled, and the rest of Lucius’ enforcers, knelt and bowed to pay their respect for their alpha.

Later in the evening after dinner with the elders and members, Drak called Amelia to Lucius’ office, and he asked me to accompany her.

“What is it, Drak?”

“He asked me to give this to you after his passing.” He gave Amelia a pretty thick envelope.

“What’s this?” She accepted it.

“His last will, important documents, and there’s a key to his safe deposit box in Caymans. He left all his assets and money to your name.”

“No.” Her chin trembled. “I can’t accept them. I’d rather choose him to be alive than his money, Drak. You and his people deserve more than me.”

Drak smiled. “That’s his last wish, Amelia. I happen to be also his lawyer.”

“You’re a lawyer?” she asked in surprise.

“Yes. And don’t worry, every last member of the pack has been very well compensated, and he opened a bank account dedicated to his pack. If you wish to contribute, it’s fine. And he also asked me to personally ask you if you wanted to run the pack, even if you’re not a werewolf.”

“Um.” She paused for a few seconds to think. “Not at this moment. In the meantime, I want you to run the pack. I appoint you, as the alpha, and Ryden the alpha King.”

“Very well. Thank you,” Drak accepted the offer.

“Amelia, I—”

She pointed at me. “That’s my wish, Ryden. Don’t defy me. You make an announcement and tell the council.”

“I’ll vote for you,” Drak said to me.

“Thank you. That means a lot.”

“There are small packs that need to be informed of your appointment. You have to arrange a meeting once we all get to rest. I will send them messages ahead of time.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to challenge me for the position?” Verily, I asked him.

“No. I respect Amelia the same way I respect my late Alpha. And if the Alpha King would be here right now, he would have agreed with her decision.”

After the funeral, Amelia wanted to spend a few days at the house. I left her to mourn with the pack members as much as she needed. I knew Drak would take care of her while I was back to my pack.

I called for a meeting online with Zeph beside me. Amelia also joined the conversation while she was at her territory. 

“Thank you all for joining me today. As you all know, Alpha King Lucius just passed away. As your ally, his Beta has left Amelia to decide who would be the next in line. Drak, his beta has accepted the Alpha position, while Amelia has appointed me to be the Alpha King of all Lucius’ territory and the rest of the Western United States and Tahoe. If you wish to challenge me for the position, I’ll take it.”

Knight was the first to shake his head, then Califf followed and Guston was next. The rest began congratulating me. Zeph also applauded beside me. When the meeting ended, I received a phone call from Amelia.

“Hey, my love. Are you coming home?”