The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 16: Funeral

"Yes, Ashlyn is carrying my little one." Cillian said standing his, hand still on my tiny bump.

"I don't think I have ever been happier than I am right now." My dad said breathlessly. I smiled and looked down at my blood covered body and felt my stomach churn.

"I've got to get cleaned up." I said as I looked at my hand with disgust. Cillian's blood soaked hand took mine and he began leading me to our house. Once we walked in I went right to the shower and cleaned off the blood, Cillian joined me and washed my back and hair. I ended up cleaning his back placing butterfly kisses on his spine. We had a really hot make out session before getting out and drying off, too guilty to have s*x. We had a funeral to attend, and yet here we are trying to f**k. I put on a black bra and thong before pulling on a black v-neck sweater dress and black combat boots. I put on my silver wolf pendent and brushed my hair putting it in a french braid. 

I looked at Cillian who looked hot as hell in his black t-shirt and black skinny jeans, he put on his finger rings and a brass dog tag from his uncle Jordan, he pulled on his black combat boots, matching mine. I tied his leather wristband on his left wrist and he took my hand, placing a kiss on the back of it. I gave him a small smile and we interlocked our fingers as me left the house. We walked back to the blood soaked field and started the funeral by walking to the pile of blood rouge bodies that were covered in accelerant.

"Before we say salute to our fallen, we must burn the murderer's and killers known as the blood rouges!" Cillian cried out. He and I were both handed torches, so were the families of the passed wolves, we all walked to the pile and lit the rouges on fire. I walked back and gagged at the smell of the burning flesh. I put my nose in Cillian's side and breathed his scent instead. His large arm wrapped around me pulling my body tightly against his. When the pile of rouges was ash and various pieces of charred bone, we walked to our dead and began the rest of the salute ceremony. I took the sheet off the face of the first warrior, tears slid down my face as I looked at her, she was tan wolf I sparred my first time. 

"Brittney, you have been a strong fierce warrior from the first time I met you, we have been training together since I shifted for the first time. Thank you for protecting our pack, you passed a warrior's death, the moon goddess will open her heaven for you and you will see those we have lost and loved. Go with strength and love." I stepped back as her mate said his good-bye, her five year old pup was bawling and reaching for her mother and I cried so hard my body shook. I went to the next warrior, I lifted his sheet and Cillian said the words for him.

"Collin, you have been with our pack for a long time, you have saved us many times with your acts of valor. I have known you since I was a pup, thank you for protecting our pack and our family with everything you had. Your death was one of honor, I'm honored to have fought by your side. Go with strength and love." I watched as his older children and younger grand-daughter said their farewell and went to the next fallen soldier. Cillian pulled off his sheet and I let more tears fall.

"Louis, you were young and fierce with the heart of a true fighter. I sparred with you for the first time just a month ago, you were energetic and strong, thank you for protecting our pack and our home, you fought well and deserved a longer life, someday I hope you get a second chance. Go with strength and love." I said, his parents came and told a few stories about his short life and I cried some more. I could hear Cillian sniffling beside me and I cried a little more. We went somberly to the next wolf and Cillian lifted the sheet.

"Sarah, you have been an amazing addition to our pack since your brother and yourself crossed our borders two years ago. You have been fun and a light in a dark room, your spirit was that of a guardian of the pups, who you protected fiercely. I am proud to be your Alpha, go with strength and love." Cillian said. I heard a car door and Brody ran down the hill, he fell to his knees and cried out seeing his sister laying lifeless on her wooden pyre. I went over to him and pulled him into my arms, Sarah was the only family he had. He held onto me tightly as he sobbed. I ran my hands through his spiky ash blonde locks and he gripped my arm. 

"I'm so sorry Brody." I managed to say through the tears. A woman walked over to us and took Brody's hand, she glared at me and I saw the mark on her shoulder. "Are you his mate?" I asked lightly. She nodded still glaring a little. "Take care of him, we'll send a different warrior back to Dead-thorn in the morning." She nodded and I helped a silent Brody off the ground and let his mate take him.

"Why was she fighting Luna?" He asked looking at me sadly.

"She was protecting the pups on the way to the shelter when they were attacked, she fended off the rouges while the others got the pups to safety." He looked at his sister and walked over, kissing her forehead before saying good-bye. I walked over next to Cillian and the last wolf and we lifted the sheet together.

"Zane." Cillian started.

"You have been a strong warrior for as long as we can remember." I continued. "I have sparred with you on multiple occasions and always adored your passion for the fight."

"You have protected us for over twenty years, saving myself and my mother on one occasion. You died an hero's death and should be proud. Thank you." Cillian said

"Go with strength and love." Cillian and I both said. Zane's family came up and bid adue before the sheets were pulled back over their faces. The families of the deceased were handed torches, they lit their loved one's pyre and we all watched the small embers blow in the wind that brought them to the sky, to the moon-goddesses heaven.

"Go with strength and love." We all said as a pack, our voices carrying in the empty silence that followed. My dad walked over to Cillian and I, he took my free hand and we watched our loved ones pass on to their next place. The sadness was palpable as we all grieved as a large family, I looked up and saw tears roll down from Cillian's red eyes. His hand squeezed mine and he looked down, he gave me a sad look before kissing my forehead and pulling me to our house.  

I let my dad follow us home and sit on the couch while I put on something more comfortable. I took off the dress and pulled on one of Cillian's huge shirts and took off my combat boots then went back to the living room. I sat next to my dad as underdog played on the TV.

"You make a great Luna Ashlyn."

"Thanks dad."

"You'll make a great mother too." I looked at him and offered him a small smile. 

"I'm glad you get to be in my pup's life."

"So am I princess." Cillian walked over to us with just his boxers on and sat next down beside me.

"Dad, Cillian and I have decided to make Ed the godfather, he was my dad when you couldn't be." He gave me a sad smile and nodded his head.

"I'm happy you had someone princess." I sighed and leaned against Cillian and focused on the movie. The man who plays Kronk is with the evil doctor in the dark tunnel. I felt an arm around my shoulder as Cillian pulled me into him, I drifted off to sleep then found myself in a cave with Slate.

"Hello Ashlyn." His deep voice said.

"Hi Slate, how have you been?"

"I'm good Ashlyn, and how are you?"

"I've been better, there was an attack and we lost a few wolves. Our pack lost some great people today." I said sadly.

"I'm sorry for your loss Luna, were you safe?" 

"Cillian and I fought side by side as Luna and Alpha, I was not about to let my pack get slaughtered while I sat back doing nothing." I said stubbornly. Slate chuckled and then sighed.

"Just be careful Ashlyn, you don't want to lose your pup." I put my hand on my belly and sighed.

"I know Slate but I also can't lose my pack or my mate, he is my everything."

"I can understand that, if I were to have lost Anetta....." Slate trailed off and looked at the ground. 

"My pup and I are both going to be okay Slate, Cillian asked me to get a check-up tomorrow, he wants to be 100%."

I spoke to Slate for a while filling him in on the happenings since the last time we talked, we both thought it best to keep my identity a secret until my pup was born. We both felt, my pup and pack would be in danger if the wrong wolves found out who I was before the right time permitted it.

............Alpha Darius POV...........

I had been keeping a closer eye on the white wolf since the Alpha summit, I thought about what her sister had said, and I realized she was mistaken. Alexa was never going to catch my wolf's attention, especially since she was pregnant with the servants pup. How do I know? It has only been a few weeks, I can't be sure! That is what you are thinking, but I can smell him all over her, and she refuses to go near him since that night. She won't look me in the eyes anymore and she keeps to herself and her mother. I heard what happened with John from Alpha Cillian and heard her sobbing in her room, her mother was standing outside the door like a statue, a blank expression frozen on her face. 

(I think we should reject her and look for our second chance.)

If we have one.

(Why would the moon-goddess give us such a weak mate? She must know we hate weakness, so why?)

I'm not sure Grimm, all I know is she chose wrong. I think it's time we get this over with, and reject that spoiled b***h.  

I heard a ping on my computer and looked at my screen to see an email from Moon-lake.

"Alpha Darius,

 There was an attack on Moon-lake by rouges today and one of the warriors sent to you had to be brought home as his sister was KIA, his replacement will be sent to you in the morning. He also brought his mate home, a she-wolf named Anastasia, we plan on letting her stay to help him grieve his loss. Please accept our apology for their hasty leave.

  Beta Terrance of Moon-lake."

Why would the Beta send the email and not the Alpha or Luna?

  "Beta Terrance, 

I accept your apology, I must however ask how the rest of your pack fares. Send my condolences to the warrior who left and Anastasia for their loss. Were the Alpha and Luna injured in the fight? Is that why you are writing in their stead?

 Alpha Darius."

I waited for a response and one came back nearly instantaneously.

 "Alpha Darius, 

We lost 5 wolves total, we have 34 injured, we killed over 400 blood rouges. Alpha Cillian and Luna Ashlyn are in perfect health, but are grieving the loss of our wolves. I am notifying the packs to lessen the burden on their shoulders as they are to help the families of the lost go through personal items for the hall of fallen warriors we have here. Alpha Cillian and Luna Ashlyn will be in contact with you soon, take care of your pack and the warrior's from ours.

 Beta Terrance."

I closed my laptop after I finished reading and thought about what Terrance said, 5 dead,  34 wounded, over 400 rouges dead. I have never seen those kinds of numbers before, they must have a pretty strong wolf in their midst, perhaps even a Crescent wolf. A light bulb went off in my head, the reason Ashlyn wasn't born a special wolf was because she would be mated to one. A black Crescent wolf, Alpha blood. Ed said Cillian was one of his strongest wolves, and he has an aura of supreme power. 

Alpha Cillian is the Crescent wolf.