Evaporate

chapter twenty-six.

Thalia's POV

The funeral is today. Joint, of course, but I've never dreaded something so much. To see everyone around me pulled into the same depression as myself just makes it that much harder.

Sean and Cameron were amazing people who protected Theo, Lisa, the baby and I for something that they barely had anything to do with. They died with honor.

Grayson still hasn't seen the end to the blame, and I still can't understand why. I've been hearing suggestions that he become the omega of the pack, and oddly enough, Lisa objects, even though she blamed the whole ordeal on him.

I comb Theo's dark curls to the side and mindlessly fix his button up.

"Mumma?" He asks softly.

"Yes?" I smile softly for him.

"Why did this happen?" He asks. I sigh as my smile falters and stop fiddling with his clothes. I hold his cheeks and stare into his hazel eyes.

"I don't know, bug." I finally answer. How do you explain death to a 4 year old?

"Oh." He says and sighs, pulling away to look down.

Soon enough, we're driving over to the funeral. Grayson hasn't spoken more than 10 words to me in the past week. He doesn't even sleep some nights, and when he does, it's violent. I never told him, but the night after the incident, he woke up thrashing and accidentally hit me. The hit was hard enough to bruise, but I can easily cover it with darker eye shadows.

Ever since then, when he does sleep, I'll go sleep in Theo's room with him.

It really put a strain on out relationship, but now that everything's improving, I'm hoping I don't have to sleep in Theo's room anymore.

Upon arrival, I notice the entire pack is already there. We're all in mourning. Some members throw murderous glares at Grayson, Theo and I while others look at us with sympathy.

"Just ignore them." Grayson whispers. 13 words.

"Okay." I whisper. He pulls me closer and holds Theo's hand. The affection he shows right now is more than he's given us in the past week. It's calming and wonderful yet bittersweet.

Grayson's POV

I finally allow myself to emotionally collapse onto Theo and Lia. After all, what is family for?

I've been ignoring everyone and trying to set things right, but it's a lot harder than I thought it would be, especially becoming so distant to Theodore and Thalia.

We get to the burial sight and my heart clenches at the scene in front of me.

My entire pack, standing together in varying shades of black. Most are wiping tears while others can't even look up. There's freshly dug dirt in two piles for each casket.

I can't even focus on the words the people are saying about them and their memories that were left behind. And then my mom taps my shoulder, pulling me out of my depressing daze. I'm the last one to go up and it's my turn to speak. I step forward and sniffle.

"The only place I can start is I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I wipe my eyes, trying not to let the tears reach the full way down my cheeks. "Cameron, you were the best sister I could've asked for. You were always there helping me and you even gave me tips on how to get Thalia to like me." I smile over at Thalia before looking back down. "You had such a bright future... It was stolen from you, and I'm so so sorry..." I look at my dad's casket and nearly break down all over again.

"And dad... I can't even begin to thank you for everything you've put me through, and I definitely can't express how desperately and pathetically I'm sorry." I fight more tears, "But you toughened me up and helped me become the man I am today... Even if I'm not the best man. From the second I was born, to the second you stopped breathing," I choke up, "You never failed to protect me... And I was always such a pain in the ass... I promise I'll make you proud, and I promise you'll never be forgotten... Neither of you will be."

I stop before I break down in front of the entire pack. It takes everything in me not to sob and destroy everything in sight. I hold Thalia's hand to help calm me and then Theo's.

We all head back to the pack village, as Lia calls it, and the celebration of their lives begins.

I'm not really in the mood for it so I sit to the side. Theo is playing with my cousin Tommy when Lia comes up to me.

"Can we talk?" She asks. I nod and stand up.

"Of course." I angle my body to face her and she bites her lip.

"In private please." I nod and lead her to the pack headquarter rooms (that's sound proof) so no one else hears.

I mind link Tommy's father, Timothy, to keep an eye on Theo.

We head into a private room and Thalia sighs as soon as the door shuts.

"We need to distance ourselves from the pack for now." She sighs. "It's too dangerous for Theo and our daughter."

My anger flares up. She has no idea what she's talking about.

"No we don't, I have things to do and things to make right." I attempt to stay calm but it isn't working. Too many emotions are bottled up and I can only hope Thalia is using all of her intelligenceto stop pissing me off.

I can tell she's getting frustrated by the blush spreading across her cheeks and nose. It is also a clear indicator that she has no intention on dropping the subject.

"Grayson! Look at what's going on! They're trying to demote you to an omega, which Silver Lake Pack hasn't had for over a century!" She starts using wild hand motions. I take a deep breath to calm myself.

"Thalia, no." I reply sternly, but calmly while crossing my arms.

"I'm not going to let you break your back trying to fix things for people who want you out of your own pack!" She begins to yell, clenching her fists.

"I need to fix this!" I explode. So much for being calm. "I fucked it all up and now I need to fix it!" I yell back, getting closer to her.

She yells so loud I fear that these walls won't keep our argument in.

"I won't let you end up like your sister and father!" I'm in complete shock and stare at her with my jaw practically on the floor.

"Don't talk about them!" I growl when I finally process the fact that she actually said it. "How disrespectful can you be?! We just finished their funerals!"

Her voice lowers to just under her normal volume. "I won't lose you just because you think you need to make this up to a stupid pack." Her arms are crossed and she's staring at the table beside her with tears threatening to spill. Her sudden shift in emotions kicks mine into the same way as hers.

I sigh and rub my face. "You won't."

A tear tracks down her cheek as she stares at her shoes. "Your mom didn't think she would, did she?" She whispers.

I would've been angry if I hadn't put myself in her shoes at that moment. She is so desperately trying not to lose me because she understands the danger of what happened and what could happen.

She probably understands it better than I do, and here I am. Being a piece of shit to her. Stressing her out while she's pregnant and also basically calling her stupid. I'm such a fucked up man right now.

I pull her into a hug and kiss her hair. "I promise, you won't." I whisper softly, not letting her see the tears slowly trickling down my face.

Whether I can keep that promise, I truly don't know, but I sure as hell will try.