Chapter 3
Luke
It was yet another empty dinner with my Alpha family.
Dinners used to be the best part of my day when I was younger. It was when my family, led by my parents who were in charge of the powerful Crimson Moon Pack, would come together.
Even though they were busy, my older brother Lyle was always there for me. He made me feel less lonely and taught me about the weight of our family’s duties. I didn’t resent my parents for being busy, thanks to him. Instead, I promised myself to share the burden with them, by being a responsible member of the Alpha family who would prioritize the welfare of our pack.
But ever since Lyle passed away three years ago, everything changed.
My parents, Beta James, and his daughter, Jane, sat quietly at the dinner table, feeling the weight of Lyle’s absence. We had been looking forward to our pack’s accession ceremony, but things didn’t turn out as expected. We thought Lyle would be the center of attention as he was the Alpha heir, but now it’s up to me.
It made things even harder because the ceremony was scheduled for my 18th birthday, the day when I was supposed to find my mate. It was supposed to be my best day ever, but it only reminded me of my brother’s passing.
“I’m sure Lyle would be happy knowing we’re carrying on for the sake of Crimson Moon. He loved this pack dearly,” My father, Alpha Lander, uttered. My mom choked up at the mention of my brother’s name.
“Indeed,” Beta James acknowledged silently. “And I wouldn’t be tired of apologizing for what Ella did to the mighty Alpha.”
The mention of Ella Fisher made us all growl softly. To say we hated her for what she did was an understatement. Ella and I used to be best friends, and I even had a crush on her at one point. But she wanted Lyle, and when he turned her down, she made the terrible choice to take his life, causing great suffering for all of us.
“We have to keep going. Our pack needs us. We can’t abandon them just because we lost Lyle” Dad said, trying to encourage us. As he spoke, the room was filled with tension again, reminding us of the loss we still felt deeply even after three years.
I looked at my mom, seeing tears in her eyes as Dad talked about Lyle. His absence still hurt, and it felt like the wound reopened every time we mentioned him.
“I miss him,” Jane said quietly. Her words were barely heard over the room’s murmur, sounding like she had to say something about Lyle because they were mates.
I could never understand how she could talk about him without crying like Mom did. It seemed like she was totally over his death, something that I wished my family and I had.
Meanwhile, Beta James seemed nervous whenever we talked about Lyle, probably worried about his role as the pack’s Beta because Ella is his daughter. My dad hadn’t blamed him for Ella’s mistakes though, but I felt like he had been standing on thin ice ever since.
Then, Jane’s eyes turned golden yellow, indicating her rage, as she had spoken her next words. “Ella would suffer every single day of her life for what she did to my mate.”
It hurt to watch Jane and her friends bully Ella, especially when she looked at me for help. Truth is, I almost gave in. But thinking of my dear brother, whom she killed without a second thought, stopped me. I should have hated Ella for taking my brother’s life, but I still found myself caring for her.
Damm it! I was sure my parents would be horrified if they knew I still cared for my brother’s kiler.
After dinner, I went to my room, still thinking about Lyle. I noticed the door was slightly open, and furrowed my brow in concern. Inside, I found the last she-wolf I expected to invade my privacy, which made me clench my fists at my sides.
It was Ella, holding a photo of me and my brother, crying as if she mourned his death.
My blood boiled at the sight of her, feeling the anger surging up within me as I clenched my fists tightly at my sides.
“You didn’t deserve to even stand in front of his photo. If you are feeling guilty for kiling him, why don’t you just knel? Your victim act would be a little convincing that way.”
Ella was startled and quickly put the frame down. Nervously, she looked at me. It was impossible not to notice how she was breathing fast, her chest moving up and down quickly. Was it guilt from what I said to her?
And yet, my mind was on something else. I grew up with Ella, so I was familiar with the petite and plain girl she was before. But now, her body looked different. She looked more like a woman now, with fuller breasts and a curved figure. I was stunned by how beautiful she still looked despite wearing a maid’s uniform without makeup and with her hair tied simply.
Shet! Am I still attracted to her?
“Alpha Luke, I…” she stuttered. My eyes fell to her injured hand, the one that Jane had stepped on earlier. Surprisingly, it was completely healed. I smirked, realizing how foolish I had been to the way I think of her earlier.
“Your wound from earlier has healed, while the wound you inflicted when you kiled Lyle is still fresh. How ironic.”
Upon hearing that, she looked at me defiantly. “Lyle was like a brother to me. How many times do I have to tell you I am innocent? I didn’t kil your brother, Luke. When will you ever believe me?”
But no, Ella maintained her false innocence despite all the evidence pointing to her as Lyle’s kiler. Jane’s explanation made sense and matched the evidence. She also told everyone that Lyle had mentioned how Ella had made inappropriate advances towards him, disrespecting his relationship with Jane.
Although I still didn’t understand how she kiled Lyle, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that Ella had taken my brother’s life, and I could never forgive her for not showing any remorse.
So I said harsh words making her leave with tears. I was so terrible when I saw her crying.
Ella ran away, hurt by the words I uttered. Well, good. At least she had an idea of the pain we are carrying because of what she did.
I walked over to the photo she had been holding earlier and let out a deep sigh.
“Tomorrow, I’ll be 18,” I whispered to the picture, feeling unsure. “Becoming Alpha… I’m not sure if I can fill the void you left behind.”
At that moment, sadness overwhelmed me. Memories of my brother flooded my mind. He never loved power, all he wanted was to be with his mate. Tears streamed down my face. I worried I would never fully recover from his death, another thing I blamed Ella for.
Tomorrow, I will turn 18 and possibly meet my mate. In the quiet corners of my heart, I quietly prayed to the Moon Goddess, asking for my destined mate to help me heal from losing my dear brother.
