The Year of the Tiger (Book 3 of The Almair Series) (Completed)

Chapter 73

I sat in a chair at my window, lost and numb, while I mourned the loss of my father.

I hadn't been able to do anything, to go visit Shardul to make sure that Bethany was safe, to check in on the clans and do my duty as the Almair, nor to bury my father.

The clans were silent while I mourned the loss of my father. They weren't thriving, but nothing happened to them, which I was grateful for, for I had been like this for about three days.

No one bothered me, not even my mate nor brother, even though I knew that they were near, waiting for me to let them back in again.

My mother was even doing better than me, even after she lost her mate. She still worked with the pack, ensuring they had everything they needed and what not, something I had stopped doing.

She mourned in private, and I had no idea if she had mourned at all. If she did, then she was better at hiding it than me.

I had failed her, and that hurt me the most, for I knew how much she relied on him and what he did for the family.

There was a knock on my door like there was every day to check on me. However, no one spike, which in itself was odd.

I stared at the door with a blank look. I had no idea who it was and didn't care. I didn't move from my spot to see the person, and that led them to knock again.

"Martha?" a voice from the past asked. His voice was gentle, soothing, not like the hard, sarcastic tone. "It's me. Can I come in?"

I didn't respond nor move; I voylrn'6. I could barely breathe while I stared at the door, not knowing what to do nor what to think.

He couldn't be alive... could he be?

It couldn't have worked. It couldn't have.

"It worked, Martha," he said. "I am alive and well. I am in control of my own self again."

My bottom lip trembled as a wave of emotion hit me. Tears sprung and blurred my vision while I stumbled off the chair and practically ran toward the door.

Master Yin stood at the door when I flung it open, and he caught me when I fell into his arms with a strangled sob. "Shhh," he soothed and rubbed the back of my hair. "I'm alive. I'm safe."

"He's dead," I sobbed, even though I knew he knew. "My dad's dead."

"I know; I know." He gently pushed me into my bedroom and closed the door behind him. He did not say another word while he sat down and pulled me onto his lap, letting me cry out the pain and frustration that I felt for the past couple of days.

"It's my fault," I said, my voice barely above a whisper after my cries had died down. "It's my fault that he is dead."

Master Yin scoffed, and I knew that he rolled his eyes. "Nonsense," he scolded as if I was still the child he had known all of those years ago. "It isn't your fault, Almair. If it is anyone's fault, then it is mine."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "It's not your fault," I said. "You didn't pull the trigger."

"Neither did you," he said, and I stayed silent. He sighed and tapped my arm. "Come, come, let's sit and get comfortable. We have a lot to discuss, and then you need to finish your training."

"What for?" I asked and pulled away. I wiped my eyes and cleared my throat. "These past few days showed that I was not fit to be the Almair. They would be safer if I wa-" I yelped in shock when Master Yin slapped across the back of my head. "Did you slap me?" I asked, rubbing the back of my head.