Bound Beyond Death

Chapter 3

"You can't mean it!"

These words were whispered amidst a heavy silence.

"I do! I'm not going to pick a new luna." Fenrir replied with every bit of seriousness. The elder shook his head, flabbergasted.

He immersed himself in the heavy silence that pervaded the open space.

Yet, there were so many beings around. Large and small, tall and short, strong and weak. All had come to pay the last homage to their luna, who had died exactly a year ago, trying to protect their alpha.

Fenrir, the alpha she had died to protect, looked at his pack members with a heavy heart. He felt like a failure.

He had failed to protect his luna, the one person who mattered in his life. But this was no time for personal regrets.

Raising his face to the full moon, he let out a soul piercing howl. The whole pack immediately joined in a breathtaking chorus.

This went on for a few minutes. Then some males, frenzied by the sorrowful howls, rushed out and started digging.

They dug six feet into the ground, then one jumped in and picked a cloth.

"f**k!" Fenrir growled, clenching and unclenching his fists. The cloth was a stark reminder of how much of a failure he was. He had not even been able to bring back her body for a proper burial then.

Fenrir watched as all the pack members filed past the cloth, paying their last respects.

All he felt was numbness. And an ache in his heart. The ache was so strong a tear slid down his face.

A female near him stretched out her fingers and flicked off the single teardrop. Fenrir nodded at her gratefully.

"She's gone. She can't come back." Tasha said comfortingly. Fenrir nodded at her gratefully. Right then, he needed every bit of comfort he could get.

At last, deep at night, he threw the last of his mourning shrouds into the fire, leaving only one. A bunch of female clothes followed them.

The ring of elders exchanged ominous looks, understanding the significance of the one mourning shrouds he withheld.

Fenrir had not yet let go of Lupe, his late mate. He had not made up his mind to let another replace her.

The act marked the end of the memorial ceremony. The pack had finally severed every relationship with their dead luna.

But not Fenrir. He still felt her in his heart, the love fresh as it was when he first marked her.

Therefore, when he was called to pick his new luna, he stood gravely before the pack, and made them gasp with his words.

"There will be no new luna. At least, not yet!"

The pack scattered in confusion. And Fenrir retired to bed with even more confusion in his heart.

An hour later, a rap sounded on his window. It was Tasha, come to spend the night with him as she had been doing for the past six months.

Fenrir rolled over and ignored the repeated rappings.

___ ___ ___

The next day…

Fenrir woke up, acutely aware of what day it was. This was the final day he could stall having a new luna. By pack traditions, he has to provide a new luna today.

Sighing heavily, Fenrir swung his legs from the hardwood bed and stood upon the wooden floor.

At the far corner of the room, near the window, was a full size stone statue of his late mate. Fenrir walked over and picked it up. He hugged it to his chest, and tears fell from his eyes.

She had died, trying to save him. It was this fact, more than any other, that pained Fenrir the most.

Golden sunlight was streaming in through the sliding sash windows. The tree outside the window swung lazily in the morning wind. Everything looked peaceful.

Till suddenly, it wasn't. The gates burst open and two men entered, dragging a third man. The two men were his guards

Their captor struggled against them, thrashing and digging his heels. But his strength was no match for the other two.

Fenrir dropped the statue and slid open the sash windows. It seemed like the third man was pleading with his captors, and Fenrir wanted to hear him.

"Don't take me to the alpha, please! I beg of you!" The man was saying.

"We have to. It's our job. Sorry." One of the men said.

"But he would kill me!" The man wailed.

Briefly, one of his captors' faces showed shock and wild disbelief.

"No, he won't. You won't get the death sentence just for bullying your mate. Alpha Fenrir is not as cruel as his brother." The guard assured the man.

At that statement, Fenrir felt hot red anger erupt in him. He wasn't cruel, huh? That was why he had lost his mate! If he hadn't tried to act all gentle and benevolent on his brother, perhaps, she wouldn't have had to sacrifice herself while saving him!

At that moment, Fenrir decided he was done being all kind and good. Clenching his fingers so tight his claws cut his palms, he resolved to rule his pack with an iron hand. From then on, he would serve no one's interest but himself.

Minutes later, there was a knock on his door. Fenrir opened it. The guards and the bully stood there.

"Kill him!" Fenrir commanded before the guards had a chance to speak. Their mouths fell open in shock.

That was just the first of the many acts of cruelty Fenrir would mete out that day. By the time it was afternoon, his pack scampered away from him as fast as they could wherever he went.

___ ___ ___

An hour before the Choosing Of Luna ceremony, Fenrir stood facing the setting sun. He had expended his rage, and all that was left was an aching loneliness in his heart.

"I heard what you did."

Fenrir started. He had been so absorbed in his sorrow he had not even noticed Tasha sneak up on him.

She came to stand beside him, quietly sharing in his grief. But Fenrir resented this uninvited intrusion into his privacy. He barely managed to keep his voice polite as he asked:

"What did you hear?"

Tasha took a deep breath. "You have been raging all day, taking offense and lashing out at the slightest thing."

"And what concern of yours is that?" Fenrir asked, still managing to keep a hold on his emotions.

Tasha laid a hand on his shoulder. Fenrir tensed. There was a time he would have relaxed, even felt soothed under her touch. But today was not the day.

"I know her death hurt you. But believe me, it hurts me even more than it hurts you…"

Fenrir bit back a tart comment. He wanted to hear the full ridiculous statement she wanted to make.

"....but don't you think you have mourned her enough? It's been a year already! It's time to move on dear."

Fenrir's eyes darkened dangerously. His lips stretched into a thin line.

"Of course! Move right on and make you the new luna, right? As if she had never existed?" He snapped at her.

"Her death hurts me too…"

"Stop saying that!" Fenrir snarled. Tasha stared in shock. She could not remember how many times he had raised his voice at her.

"I said, get out!" Fenrir screamed. Tasha scampered out, very confused. This was the first time Fenrir had not let her sooth him.

___ ___ ___

Later, late evening of the same day…

The pack watched with bated breath as Fenrir threw his one remaining mourning shroud in the burning flame. After that, he threw in a bunch of female clothes.

Unconsciously, they heaved a sigh of relief. They had been afraid their alpha might choose to continue mourning his luna.

The elders sighed in relief. One of them stood up and walked to Fenrir.

"The pack has been without a luna for a full year. It is breaking apart. The pack needs a new luna."

The elder motioned and a group of females came to stand before Fenrir. Tasha was among them.

"The elders have decided each of them would make a good luna. Take your pick."

There was silence. Palpable tension and unease rippled through the pack once more. Everyone heard their breaths as Fenrir stared at each of the females. His eyes were icy cold.

At last, facing the pack, he declared.

"I choose no one. No one can replace my Lupe!".

Turning on the heels of his shoes, he walked off.

But this wasn't true at all. Later, that same night, someone did replace his Lupe. It was a petite female from the human world who had just had her heart broken a third time.