Alpha’s Rancor: His Forsaken Luna

Chapter 1

RAELYNN

Some places stop feeling like home the moment the people in them break you.

This place was once my home, but now, as I stare out the window, I can’t seem to find a single thing about it that once felt like home.

I’m at a loss.

I’ve experienced hundreds of losses in my life, and each time, one always felt greater than the other, but today, I know they were all nothing. Nothing I’ve ever lost was of worth, not until now, I lost what I hold most valuable, my dad.

Beta Ronan Penrose, the greatest man who ever lived if you ask me, but I’m his daughter, his Sunshine, so I’m certainly biased.

I keep staring out the window, watching the world I once knew pass by, but somehow it stops at a graveyard. In some way, it's poetic, this is exactly where all our journeys are bound to end. I just never imagined I’d be here, not so soon. I haven’t died yet, so why do I feel like I have?

“Raelynn,” my brother-in-law clears his throat. “We’re here.”

“Here?” I frown, finally taking in the location I’m at.

I’m supposed to be at a graveyard, yes, but not this one, we can certainly afford better for Dad. Maybe this is a joke, maybe Dad is punishing me for not coming back for his and Mom’s anniversary party three days ago. He certainly is dramatic.

“Is this where they’re burying him?” I ask, still struggling with the sudden news of my father’s death. My dad is the healthiest person I know, he eats well, works out, and he’s got lots of life left in him, so how could he just die?

Marcus nods, pointing to a certain spot, one that’s practically empty. “There?” I frown, somehow relaxing.

“Yes.” He quietly says.

“Why is it empty, Marcus? Did I miss it?” I frown, playing along with the ruse they’re all in on just to bring me back home.

Marcus sighs, exiting the car. When I don’t move, he opens the door for me too.

“This is it,” he says, once again motioning to the same spot he did earlier.

“Dad was this pack’s Beta,” I remind him, an oversight on their end if they planned on making me believe he did in fact pass. “Why is his funeral attended by four people?” I ask, counting the people by what he claims is Dad’s funeral.

My sister Soraya waves when she sees me, wiping her tears. I start moving when she does, meeting her halfway.

“Raelynn,” she rasps, her voice hoarse and scared almost. “I’m so glad you came.”

“To the funeral?” I snicker.

“Yes, I was worried you wouldn’t come, and we couldn’t delay this any longer.”

I nod.

Soraya has gotten better at her antics. Afar, I only see my two other siblings and a man dressed in all black holding a bible.

“Where’s everyone? Where’s Mom, and why are we burying Dad this far?” I frown. His grave was to be with the higher ranks, Alpha Xander had bought the land long ago and planned for them to be buried next to each other as best friends.

“Mom is in the asylum.”

“What?”

“She umm…” she swallows, her eyes shifting nervously, like she doesn’t have an explanation for why mom wouldn’t be at her husband’s funeral. “Just come with me.” She says, dragging me away.

“Aunt Lunara’s gone coo-coo,” Marcus says.

I frown, following Soraya. Everyone is dressed in black, my brother and sister don’t look at me, Ravenna is kneeling beside the casket, she places roses above the glass and rises.

“Your turn,” Soraya says. “Say goodbye.”

Goodbye? I frown, an unfamiliar anguish clawing at my chest.

“Don’t you think you’ve taken this too far?” I snort. Putting someone in a casket just for a prank is too far, no wonder my Mom didn’t come along, she’d never go for this. It’s a distasteful joke, except it isn't. When I step closer towards the casket, my heart drops.

Beneath the clear glass is my father, he doesn't seem to be pretending. His skin is so pale, blue and battered.

“He’s really dead,” I gasp, tears flooding my eyes.

“That’s the reason we’re here, Sunray.” My brother Caspen sighs.

“Hurry up,” Soraya tells me. “The priest has to leave before he is caught, it's risky that he’s here, and you’re late.”

“Risky?” I turn towards them, my fingers trembling against the glass. “What happened? Why would he start when nobody’s here yet? Mom’s not even here!”

“Everyone is here,” She deadpans. “Who else are you expecting Raelynn? No one is coming, Alpha Killian has forbidden anyone from coming to this funeral, anyone who does will be deemed treacherous and face the same fate.”

Forbidden? No, I don't get it, even after my….incident, everything was fine between Killian and my Dad.

I can see him lying here, so I know it's not a joke, but why is no one at his funeral? My mom should be here, everyone should be here, this is the pack's Beta, my father is a kind man, everyone loves him, so why is no one here?

I try to open the casket, but it seems to be sealed shut.

“What is she doing?” My sister gasps. “Raelynn.”

The messy stitches around his neck catch my attention, and I gasp, staggering an inch back.

“Why-why is he hurt? Why does he have stitches?”

Marcus snickers, “She sure does ask a lot of questions.”

“Lower it,” Caspen says to the man I didn't notice standing on my far left. He pulls a rope and the casket lifts.

“No, wait!” I cry out, the realisation that he’s actually gone hitting me hard. I went from crying when I heard the news, to thinking it was a prank and now actually seeing him dead. “You can’t put him in the ground, don’t put my dad in the ground.”

“He’s dead, Raelynn.”

“He’s supposed to come and visit me,” I tell them. “We have plans to see my favourite band next week, please wake him up, he’s just pranking me.” I force a laugh, the tears falling heavily. “Ravenna, Raya, you know Dad loves pranking me, right?”

Soraya nods, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. “I know, sweetie, but this is real.” She says. I refuse to believe it despite having proof in front of me, I can’t look away from the casket. “Dad is dead, he killed him.”

“Killed him?” I echo, my voice low and cracking. “Wh-who killed him?”

“I did.”

No. That voice.

That familiar chilling voice.