74 Funeral arrangment…
Lylan
“Hey!” Nathan pressed me closer to him. “Are you alright? Can I get you anything?” he murmured.
“No!” I shook my head slowly “H–How did he die? Was he sick?”
There was a small pause from Nathan’s end before he replied. “He wasn’t. They were on their way back from the Annual Moon Goddess Worship Ceremony when they were attacked. The Ferals killed a hundred warriors and six elders that travelled with them. They injured Elder Eldric…”
“Ramsey’s grandfather?”
“Yes!” Nathan nodded. “With your father dead, I think he’s the only survivor left and maybe a few other Alphas. They all ran away when they attack started. They said your father fought bravely and took wounds for the Elder Eldric…“.
“Won’t be surprise, a fond smile played on my lips. “Dad has a deep sense of responsibility and loyalty. How is my mother and my sister?
“They’re not fine, especially Luna Vanessa,” Nathan sighed. “They’re barely getting by. My dad… he doesn’t say but I can see it in his eyes. Your father was a good man and everyone in the pack
loves him and we’ll miss him.
“I guess,” I shrugged, wriggling out of Nathan’s hold. “Everyone except me.”
“C’mon, Lyla!” Nathan sighed “He’s still your father. I know…”
“I know that and I’m not happy that he died too, Nathan. There was a time when I was Daddy’s little girl but that was a long time ago. I just can’t share the pain. I don’t know, I think I feel numb. There’s sadness in my heart but that’s it, I’m sorry and thank you for telling me.
I walked towards the bedroom door. It was morning already and I had to prepare for work.
“I didn’t come here just to tell you, Lyla!” Nathan followed after me. “You need to come back to Blue Ridge with me.”
We were in the bathroom now and I had pasted my brush. I stared at him through the mirror, an amused smile on my face.
“I don’t think my father would want me to attend his burial. What if my pheromones seep out? Can’t afford to disappoint him both alive and dead.”
“This is not a joke, Lyla!” Nathan sighed. “He’s your father. You need to be there. As his first–born child. You need to be there to help with his funeral. It’s your duty.”
“They already removed my name from the family register. Didn’t you remember, Nathan?”
“He did not. What father would do that? You’re still Alpha Logan’s daughter both in words and in books. You’ll come with me to Blue Ridge to arrange the funeral. Your mother and sister is in a bad shape and…”
74 Funeral arrangment…
“I won’t come!” I stopped him before he finished. 2
His eyes widened with shock – you know the kind of expression you show when you don’t believe someone would do something.
“W–What did you say?” he stuttered.
“I said I’ll not be attending my father’s funeral. Look, I’m sorry he died and I feel sad but that’s just about it. I cannot relate with a lot of things, maybe because I’m too traumatized to care or damaged…”
*Don’t say that, Lyla!” Nathan sighed. “You’re not damaged.”
“I am!” I smiled at him. “The truth is, when I left, Blue Ridge, I made a pact to never return and I plan to keep it that way, okay. I’m sure my mother and my sister can manage with the funeral arrangements in the absence of Alpha Logan’s firstborn.”
“You don’t understand, Lyla, you need to be there. This is customary and if you’re not… it’s a bad omen. Noone else, not even me can fill in that role for you.”
“That is a farce!” I walked out of the bathroom, and headed to the kitchen to fix myself breakfast. “You know that, Nathan. Besides, what is more bad omen than me showing up with my arousal in the middle of a funeral…”
“We can fix the funeral around your heat. You just need to tell me…”
“I don’t know when the heat comes. It comes whenever it likes. So, I cannot go,
The people…”
“Are my people now!” Nathan said through gritted teeth. “I am Alpha now, Lyla… I’ll protect you. No one, will bully you or say derogatory words to you. If your heat comes in the middle of the funeral, everyone will stay there and take in your scent, I don’t care.”
“Don’t become a Tyrant because of me, Nath!” I threw behind my shoulders taking out a pan from the cupboard. “You should rule the people with the same love and care the other Alpha used, else, they’ll turn againt you.”
“You’re not listening to me, Lyla. You’re not hearing a word I’m saying” Nathan sighed. “You’ll go back with me to Blue Ridge. I don’t care if I have to drag you there myself but…”
“Don’t pull that Alpha stunt with me, I chuckled, stopping him midsentence. “Look around you, Nathan… this is not Blue Ridge pack. Here, we’re just friends… you’re not my Alpha and I’m an ordinary human girl…”
“You’re not human,” Nathan said coldly, crossing the room to where I was, filling up my tiny kitchen with his presence. “You’re very much a werewolf and you’ll start acting like one. You’ll go with me to Blue Ridge and that’s that…”
I opened my mouth to respond to him but before I could get the words out, I heard a key rattle in the keyhole of my front door before the door was pushed open.
I knew it was Nanny before she came into view. She was the only one that had the key to my apartment. As soon as she came in, she made a beeline for me and before I could say a word, she gathered me in her arms.
11+1€
74 Funeral arrangment…
Her body was trembling and her voice was shaky. She sounded like she was crying.
“O–Okay!” I muttered slowly, trying to leave her arms. “I’m fine, Nan…”
“Don’t be silly, Lyla… you just lost your dad. How can you be fine?”
I pushed out of her arms stepping back. “I’m sad but that’s all I feel. The sadness isn’t enough to even make me cry. I don’t love Dad like that.”
“Don’t say that!” Nanny said gently. “He was your father…”
I
gave her a pointed look and she trailed off with a soft sigh. “It means you have to go for his Funeral and help prepare him. You’d also need to assist in Nathan’s coronation. Pass the scepter of leadership from your house to the Tanners“.
“Did Nathan ask you to tell me that?”
She frowned. “No, he only texted me a while ago and told me about your father’s death but this is the custom. You must go…
I looked around me, making sure it was just me and Nanny in the small kitchen. “He was attacked by a Feral,” I murmured, staring at Nanny, wishing she would understand. “I don’t think it’s safe to
go.”
“I thought you might be worried about that but there’s a way to fix it…”
“There is no way, Nanny,” I said forcefully, still throwing a glance behind my back. “What if it’s Xander’s way of bringing me back. You said so yourself that I released his powers. This could be a sign that he’s looking for me and I cannot play into his hands again.”
“I know!” she nodded “If you refuse, it’ll raise suspicions. There’s no explanation for it and you know that. See, what if I told you there’s a way you can go in there without being found and leave as quickly as…”
“Even if there’s a way, I won’t go. If Xander…”
“What are you two whispering about?” Nathan’s voice behind us made me jump, letting out a startled scream. I was so engrossed in the conversation that we didn’t hear him come.
“Who is Xander?” he asked, his stare flitting from me to Nanny. “Why are you scared of him?” Beta Wolves have enhanced hearing and can pick up the tiniest of whispers.
“None of your business!” I repeated, cracking the eggs into a plate.
“Xander is a fictional name we created to represent her family, Nanny explained smiling at Nathan. “I’m trying to get her to understand that she needs to be there, no matter what but you know how stubborn she is all the time.”
Nathan’s gaze narrowed at us suspiciously but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he turned to me. “Do what you must, we’ll leave at the first light of dawn tomorrow. I’ve informed everyone that you’re coming”
“You can’t do that!” I shook my head, annoyed by his belligerent attitude.
“I can!” he shrugged, giving me a pointed stare “I’m Alpha now and if you refuse to come, I’ll
74 Funeral arrangment…
punish your family for it.”
I scoffed. “You can’t do that? My father is an Alpha…”
“Was…” Nathan said coldly. “If you refuse to do your duty to your people and pack, then your family will suffer for it.”
