My One and Only Alpha

Chapter 21

Chehalis in its entirety was gathered at Ianalfto's house to have the ceremony nobody wanted. Itwas of course the passing ritual of Keanu and Khanra who had been senselessly murdered undertheir very noses and emotions ran high. Even more gut wrenching was the previously unknownloss of Khanra's mate Isomer who had been found in their home an hour ago, having taken herown life when she felt her Alpha's spirit leave this plane of existence.Anger was the most prominent emotion among most of the wolves because it was such anunnecessary pain of loss they were plagued with. Nobody should have to lose fellow members of their tribe in their own territory. Needless to say anywhere else either, but the world is animperfect place and tragedies always strike the serenity of nature.Three innocent lives had been futily stolen in vain today, and Harry was at his breaking point. Heknew this is exactly what Roman wanted. A full fledged panic, and Harry consequently crackingunder the pressure. The Alpha hadn't let his tears flow all day and his sadness was reaching alevel that would soon overflow as a result of its repression.Outside in the back, the warriors were gathered preparing the pyres that the three Chehalis wolves would be laid on. Louis was crying into Harry's neck and the Alpha was doing his best to comfort him, but it was hard when all he wanted to do was the exact same. He had to be strong, though.Not only for his mate, but for his scared and uneasy pack.They were notified the proper steps had been taken, and the tribe shuffled their way around andoutside to make a large circle around their fallen pack members. A lament was chanted as Ianalfto and Harry traveled to the center of the circle, the Pack Alpha rapidly blinking his looming tears away before speaking to his tribe.

"Today, I... We ... lost three incredible members of our pack. Words cannot even begin toexpress my regret at this unjustifiable violence. I feel that I have let down every single one of youbecause my job as your Alpha is to keep you happy and safe, and I failed. I...," he paused, hisgrief finally pouring out and wetting his face with tears."Keanu was my friend... as he was to a lot of you, but I went to school with him. Grew up withhim. I remember getting into a lot of trouble with him and causing some unsavory wreckage.Which I'm sure Ian can recall pretty easily. He never treated me differently for being the Chaska.He never talked me up, in fact, he talked down to me frequently. It was hard for me to garnish hisfriendship, he didn't like my superior attitude as a cub. But I finally grew on him and I was proudof myself when I did. His opinion was one that mattered to me. He helped ground me in a lot ofways, but when he turned down my offer to join my council, I understood. He was never a wolfof many words, preferring to be on the front lines protecting the people he loved."The Pack Alpha's voice wavered and cracked and he wiped his face to try and finish what heneeded to say."Samuan, Péona, your son will be missed by me every day in this life, and I am so sorry. This is aburden I can never ease or make up for. He was an honorable and dedicated warrior, and he will always be remembered as such," he pledged to the wallowing parents of Keanu, somehow smiling through their tears at the Alpha's heartfelt confession."I'll admit I didn't know Khanra or Isomer as well as I should have. Every encounter was apositive one, but they were not a part of my everyday life. However, they were in my warriorNorman's. Will you please say all you have within yourself to say?" Harry asked of Louis' father,who took in a sharp breath but nodded, kissing Joéna on the cheek and joining Harry in the center of the tribe."Yeah uh... ," Norman's voice cracked as well and he cleared it to get the volume he needed to beheard. "Yeah, Khanra was...," he was still having some trouble getting it out but he steeledhimself and huffed loudly, saddling up and just going for it. "Khanra was a really good friend ofmine. As some of you remember, I came here around twenty years ago, well almost twenty onenow, and Khanra was one the first friends I made."He and I clicked, I guess. We lived right next to each other, and Desmond put us on patroltogether. At the time, it was an uneven number while the young warriors were still completingtheir training, so it was just me and him, and... he was incredible, I mean we had some of the best times. I can easily say that he was the best Alpha to Isomer, even though she couldn't conceive he never once let her hear any bad words from it. The best part is he wasn't even holding back, he truly accepted her for exactly who she was.