The Shadow Alpha

Chapter 18: New Purpose

Chapter 18: New Purpose

River

            I am seated beside Holly and my dad as one of our elders, Vivian, goes about the funeral service speech that has been crafted over the years.

Dressed in my formal getup of a black dress shirt and slacks, I'm too warm, even with having rolled up the sleeves.

           There's a general script Vivian works from before she speaks about the individual specifically. She'll ask the family to come up to say a few words, and afterwards, it's my turn to stand up and speak as Alpha.

This is the way all of our funerals commence, but it is tradition. It is the final resting place of our brother, and we must ensure his honor in death.

            "Losing a member of our pack, our family, is a loss felt by all." Vivian begins her tribute with a shaky breath and silvery sadness in her eyes. "Lucas was a fixture in our community, someone we all could rely on at a moment's notice.Although his time was too short, we trust his soul will find its way back to where it came. Despite how unfair and unjust it feels to lose a young soul, take comfort in knowing that tonight, he will rest."

            Vivian looks to the Peterson family who are all gathered to the left of us, in the front row. Kathleen, Daniel, and Erica all rise up.

Kathleen leans into her husband who is seemingly supporting her whole weight with his arm wrapped around her. Not that Dan himself looks much more stable than his wife. The large man has a subtle tremble to his movements. It's like a strong ocean breeze could knock him over.

Erica and Kathleen hold hands, and looking at Erica now—her young features painted in a sadness that you can tangibly feel—she seems to have aged.

Losing her brother has aged her already.

            They turn to face the crowd that has congregated here, looking at us with different mixtures of emotion in their gazes: heartache, above all.

            "W-we want to thank you for showing up today, and thank those who have stepped in personally to help us while we grieve the loss of our son." Kathleen speaks, gripping a wrinkled Kleenex for dear life. I watch as her gaze lands on Holly, and they share a silent look of understanding.

            I squeeze Holly's hand, thinking of the many days she's been leaving the house early to open the pre-school for Kathleen, and staying late to clean it all up, just to do it all again the next day. It has given Kathleen precious time to herself and her family to be together, offloading the stress that would otherwise have been piled on top of everything else.

It's exactly the kind of thing a real Luna would do in the wake of a pack's loss.

            "Lucas was the glue for our family. He made us parents for the first time, and he was so proud to be a big brother." Kathleen goes on as a quiet sob shakes through Erica. "His death was unexpected. A horrible and tragic case of wrong place and wrong time." A collective growl sounds from the pack, low and unforgiving. "We know we can't change the past, as much as we'd like to." Kathleen sniffles and wipes her nose with her Kleenex. "That being said, our only hope now is that whatever future awaits Lucas, and the rest of us, it's a peaceful one."

            Nods and hums of agreement circulate around us as Lucas's family goes about resting the white roses Holly acquired down on top of his casket. They pause there, giving a silent farewell to their son.

          It's hard to tell if anyone is even breathing while the Petersons have their moment. They then turn back around, finding their seats once again, sinking down and against each other with tangible exhaustion.