The man sat forward at the table and excused himself from the meeting to step out into the hallway. He glanced at the caller screen before answering his phone.
"Cedric?" His younger sister asked and he instantly went on alert at the tearfulness in her voice.
"Caroline?" He asked and sat up stood straighter.
"Cedric? Its bad." She sobbed and he heard the tissue going to her face.
"What happened?" He demanded and stilled, bracing himself for the bad news.
* * *
3 days later
Caroline paused when she heard the soft footsteps outside her front door.
She heard the knock and whipped her hands on the kitchen down and set the dish in the drying rack before opening the door. "Cedric?" She whisper when she saw the tall hulking figure on her doorstep. Caroline flung open the screen door before she propelled he tall curvy figure into his strong arms. She smelt the woodsy sent on him and began to cry again as she pulled back sensing that her older brother was unhappy.
"Don't cry Caro." Cedric said uncomfortably.
"I cant help it." Caro whimpered and pressed her now tear stained face into the sleeve of her peasant shirt. "Theres just so much tragedy. I knew them, Cedric. Goddess, I helped change their children's diapers and grew up with them." She wailed slightly hysteric and pulled slightly at the straight honey colored strands of her hair in a comforting method.
"Shh, I know." Cedric tried to unsuccessfully calm his distraught sister.
"They were only patrolling, Cedric. Now 5 are dead." She cried. "I know that we have casualty in war and this is common but I just cant."
"Caroline, I promise I will handle this." He said his voice rough but it seemed to work as he saw her breathing began to even out except the occasional hiccup.
"Look at me. Goddess, I am such a mess. Listen to me blubber on." Caro laughed as she whipped the remaining tears from her face. Knowing fully that if her brother promised he was going to damn well do it. Cedric was never a man for doing things half assed.
"Whens the funeral?" He asked as he stepped into the light of the dinning room. Caroline let her eyes travel over the hard planes of his tanned skin and she lifted a hand to feel the stubble at his hard jaw. Reassuring herself that he was there and safe.
"Tomorrow." She said quietly before leading hims into the kitchen for a glass of lemonade.
Cedric ran a large hand through his blonde hair and watched with hard eyes that softened at the sight of his sister who now was trying to wipe the evidence of her earlier break down from her tanned face.
"I'm sorry, Caroline." He sighed as he closed his eyes knowing that no words were going to soothe the pain that she felt. Opening his eyes to meet the blue eyes that they shared when Caroline had set a warm hand on his forearm.
"I am too, Ced." She whispered before handing him his lemonade.
The next morning when everyone got up to put on their black dresses and men their black suits despite the heat but this was a southern town. You had to abide by what was deemed right. Everyone of the pack members were silent as they filed into the white church in their nicest clothes. Smoothing out the wrinkles in their skirts as they sat in the pews and waited for the reverend to start but that wasn't going to happen for another twenty minutes. People are suppose to be early to funerals.
Cedric adjusted his tie before entering the church. Offering his hand to his sister before they walked into the large open room of murmuring people but Cedric froze when he smelt the most heavenly sent he had ever had the fortune of smelling.
His eyes zeroing on the women sitting in the middle pew in a white dress with long curling maine of white blonde hair that he knew would be soft to the touch.
"Caroline," Cedric asked as he willed himself to not react "Who is that?" He asked not looking away from the back of her head. He didn't want to explain afraid he would to say more but the beast inside of himself was straining to look into her eyes.
"Her?" Caroline asked not needing him to elaborate. Knowing that he was talking about the strange human. "Thats Amelia Todd." Caroline said frowning. "Strange girl." She muttered before leading him to the front row. Never once did he catch a glimpse of those eyes that he knew were going to capture his soul.
"What is a human doing here?" The sultry voice snapped behind them. Both Caroline and Cedric turned in there seats to look at the leggy blonde with a sneer marring her pretty features. "And what in the goddesses' name is she wearing? Who the hell wears white to a funeral?" Tiffany snarled in what she thought was going to impress Cedric. No one spoke about the human.
"She is showing respect. As should you." Cedric snapped, bristling at the tone of voice she used. Carline gave him a measured look before turning to her best friend at her side.
"Sorry, Alpha." Tiffany said in what was an attempt at alluring but all the Cedric could think about was the woman in white. "Maybe you could help with something at my place after this?" She offered in a sultry voice placing a manicured hand on his shoulder.
Cedric ignored her attempt but he heard the growl that came from his sister.
"This is a funeral for goddess sakes, Tiffany. Get your mind out of the gutter." Caroline growled and her eyes flashed before Sarah placed a calming hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I know this is hard enough for you already without me freaking out." She apologized and placed and arm around her shaking shoulders.
All conversation stopped when the reverend stood and made his way to the podium. He had to look back one more time and the world came to a stand still when he saw her gun metal grey eyes that were filling with tears that stubbornly didn't fall. Cedric wanted nothing more than to stride over there and take the Angel in his arms and comfort her but it was as if he was glued to his chair and he was just forced to watch the otherworldly beautiful woman.
When the sermon had finished he was shocked to see the heavenly Amelia approach them but for all of his balls he was speechless. It gave him an immense sense of pride at the ethereal beauty that she held. Amelia never raised her eyes to meet his as she shyly walked past him but he was satisfied that he saw her aware of him as she tensed.
Everyone was stunned as they saw the small girl walk up to Sarah who hadn't stopped crying since the news of her twin brothers death and they all watched as she stilled in front of the sobbing woman who was wrapped in Caroline's long arms.
"I'm sorry for your loss." She said and the whole room went silent at the soft angelic voice. "I know how hard it is to lose a sibling but I can promise you that it does get better." Amelia took one of Sarah's' hands in her small ones and everyone saw the serene look that passed over her Sarah's face as she stopped crying to nod.
Amelia gave a heartbreakingly beautiful smile before she released her hand ad stepped away.
"Thank you." Sarah whispered.
"He was a good man."Amelia said consolingly before leaving everyone in a stunned silence.
