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“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go. I think we’ve got enough.”
The pyre was crude and shapeless, more a pile of wood than an actual structure. But it was enough. As the stars began to appear overhead, as the sliver of moon peered through the fading light, we laid the Alpha to rest.
Elizabeth carried her from the house, her face stoic, her strides slow and sure. Shannon was wrapped completely in a white sheet, her head lolling against Elizabeth’s shoulder. I could make out the shape of her nose, and at one moment her arm slipped down, swaying with every step Elizabeth took. But Jessie was there, lifting Shannon’s arm back under the sheet.
Elizabeth carefully placed her on top of the pyre. Once that was done, she leaned forward and kissed Shannon’s forehead, lips moving but no sound coming out. She stayed hunched over her for a long, long minute, but eventually she stood upright and took a step back.
The wood was slick with lighter fluid and oil.
It caught quickly.
The flames burned bright as they leapt up the dark sky, sparks and smoke rising toward the stars.
We were all silent, lost in our own thoughts as she burned.
Rico spoke first. “She was an Alpha.”
“Yes,” Elizabeth whispered, eyes reflecting the dancing fire.
“What happens to her power if there’s no one to give it to?”
We all held our breaths.
Elizabeth said, “An Alpha, strong of heart and mind, mated to one they love most, can give their power away in order to save a life. To a Beta they return, never again to hold the power of an Alpha. Just a story, of course. Wolves pass along the Alpha power to their successors constantly, though usually not under the threat of death. I’ve never heard of bringing someone back from the brink in such a way. Regardless, it was too late for her. And stories are just that—stories.” She sucked in a sharp breath. “We come from the moon. And to the moon we return. Her line has ended. All that she was is becoming smoke and ash. It will rise, and she will hear her pack howling her home. There will be no more pain. There will be no more sorrow. She’ll run free and know only peace.”
She bowed her head, a tear trickling down her cheek.
It took only a moment before she was surrounded by her sons, all of them hugging her and each other. Kelly laid his head on her shoulder, but his eyes were on me.
I wondered if this was how it’d been for them when they’d said goodbye to their father.
If they believed her words.
I didn’t know if I did.
Gordo stood away from the rest of us. He wasn’t watching the fire.
He was watching the wolf.
When the pyre was nothing but smoldering embers, the pack began to drift away in pairs. Jessie and Elizabeth, Carter and the wolf, Ox and Joe, Chris and Tanner. Kelly looked at me, but I told him I’d meet him back at the house. He glanced at Mark and Gordo on the other edge of the clearing before nodding. He trailed after Rico, looking back at me over his shoulder only once before he disappeared into shadows.
I waited and watched.
Mark stood in front of Gordo, holding on to his elbows. Gordo was looking away as Mark spoke. He shook his head once, and Mark all but threw up his hands. He sighed before leaning forward and kissing Gordo’s cheek. “I love you,” I heard him say.
Gordo winced. “I know. I love you too. I just….”
“I get it, Gordo. But don’t shut me out, okay? Not about this.”
Mark stepped away from him. He headed toward me. He checked the pyre to make sure it was dying before he said, “It’s hard on him. He doesn’t know what to think. It’s like a large part of his life has been a lie.”
“I know.”
Mark looked at me. “You do, don’t you? Don’t push him, Robbie. It’ll only make him close up more.” He patted me on the shoulder before leaving the clearing for the house.
I took a deep breath before I walked toward Gordo. I didn’t think I could add anything Mark hadn’t already said, but something pulled me toward Gordo. He didn’t seem surprised to see me. His shoulders slumped, and he shook his head before I could open my mouth. “Look, I don’t want to hear it, okay? Ox already tried, and Mark did too. I don’t need anything else right now.”
“Okay,” I said. “We don’t have to talk. Sometimes, it’s okay to just be, you know? Without saying a word.”
