The Hidden Luna

Chapter Thirty-Three

Although they believed it was over, they still had one choice to make. What they would do with the redhead Scarlett had poisoned with the wolfsbane.

When Scarlett was well enough, she and Asher when down the infirmary hallway to a room where two pack members stood outside, guarding the door.

They offered a curt nod as the pair of them entered the room.

The redhead was sitting up in her bed, leaning against the wall, staring at the ceiling. She tore her gaze from above her to Scarlett. "I suppose this is where you kill me?"

Scarlett was sick of death. She didn't want to be responsible for anymore lives lost, even if this woman was responsible for injecting Lilith with wolfsbane and attempting to kill Scarlett.

Her mother's voice echoed in her head. You have to make a choice.

Scarlett kept her head high as she inspected the girl on the bed. She looked about Scarlett's age, maybe a year or so younger. Her hair was littered with grass and dirt, not having the opportunity to clean herself, apparently. Scarlett set her lips in a thin line. "I'm giving you a choice."

The girl was about to respond, when Asher cut her off. "Your pack is dead. Not a single member is left so before you make some empty threat, know that there is no one coming to get you."

The girl's throat bobbed and she looked to her lap, refusing to meet their gaze.

"You can leave," Scarlett began. "Or you can stay and join our pack."

The girl's head snapped upwards, her sharp green eyes narrowing on Scarlett. "Because you pity me?"

"No," she replied. "Because I will not punish you for choices you did not make or for choices you made under the influence of someone else. Because I know what it's like to lose nearly everyone you care for."

The girl's jaw trembled, but she said nothing.

Scarlett sat at the foot of the bed, Asher staying close to her side. "What's your name?"

"Aurora," she answered. She wiped a tear from her face angrily as she stared at Asher. "You killed my Alpha."

"He killed mine," he snapped back. "Now, we're even."

Scarlett put an arm on Asher and jerked her head to leave the room. She didn't want him to lose his temper, no matter how justified it was. Asher stared at Aurora for a long moment before he spun on his heel and left Scarlett alone with her.

"You said Brennan deserved a loyal daughter," Scarlett said, trying to keep her voice even. "Why?"

Aurora wiped another tear away. "He took me in. Trained me. He was ready to train me to be his successor of the pack, to be Alpha, finally giving up on finding his mate and daughter. But then Hunter sent that stupid picture and here we are."

Scarlett, despite herself, felt bad for her. To be loyal to someone so fiercely, only to be discarded so quickly. "I didn't want this. Any of it and I know you didn't too."

She stood up from the bed. "I meant what I said. You can leave or you can stay. If you stay, I have a room ready for you, but if you choose to go, I understand."

Without waiting for Aurora's response, Scarlett left the room, hoping she wasn't making a mistake.

###

Later that evening, the pack gathered in the backyard for Alpha Argent's funeral.

Asher stood in the center right in front of the unlit pyre, while Carter held a torch. Asher opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. Scarlett could feel his sadness, his anger, and his guilt. She stepped away from the rest of the pack and took Asher's hand. He gripped it tight and tried again. "My father was an intense man. But it was that intensity, that loyalty, that made him the Alpha he was. He loved this pack and each of its members with every inch of his being."

He paused, his gaze drifted to the pack rather than the ground. "It is my hope that I can live up to his intensity, loyalty, and memory and be just a fraction of the Alpha he was."

He turned and took the torch from Carter and held it high. "Hail Alpha Argent."

The rest of the pack, Scarlett included, echoed Asher's farewell as the torch engulfed the pyre. Although she and the Alpha had gotten off on the wrong foot, thanks to the full moon and Scarlett's first shift, they had reached somewhat of an understanding. She could see that he had his own way of loving Asher and she never would had wished death on him.

Asher and Scarlett took a step back and watched the flames. She looked to Ash, he had no tears, but she could see he was close to them. She squeezed his hand. He looked down at her, the faintest of smiles danced on his lips at the contact of her skin against his.

Scarlett looked up at Asher. "We'll get through this, Ash. We always do."