WE WERE GATHERED IN A CLEARING.
It was night, and the light of the moon shone down on us, as West started to speak.
"Thank you, everyone." His gaze fell on the people gathered in the clearing. "We have gathered, on this night, to have a Ceremony for Beta William Moonstone; to talk about him, to remember him, to honour his memory, to send him off... And to make our promises to him..."
I frowned.
Promises? It was true that promises were important to a Gray Wolf. But... What use was there in promises when a Gray Wolf was dead?
"I promise I will be better."
Better.
I looked over at West as he continued to talk.
"I was an Alpha that did not deserve his respect. So, on this night, I make the promise that I will be a better West Grayson and leader - one that will deserve his respect... I will be better for Liam and our Pack."
A better West Greyson. A better leader. A better Alpha.
It was not only a promise to Liam and the pack but also to himself.
"Does anyone else want to speak?"
My brother made eye contact with me and made me realise that the question was for me.
No... My throat tightened and my chest clenched. I couldn't speak...
I averted my eyes.
"Anyone?" he repeated.
"I would like to speak."
I could not help but feel relieved, as I heard Bryan's voice and sensed my brother's attention shift to him.
"I promise to be a good Beta." I watched, as he smiled softly at Martyn, who stood beside him. "It was Liam, who trained me as Beta and so, I promise to be a good Beta, for him."
"And I promise to live my life for him as well as for myself," Martyn continued. "Liam was my best friend. I promise to honour his memory. And I promise to live my life to its best."
He was followed by other members of the Pack, who spoke with respect, as they made their promises to their deceased Beta.
But my mind was distracted.
"Weslyn."
A softened voice. A hand on my shoulder. A concerned face.
Blayze.
"Do you want to talk about Liam?"
I stared up at him.
He silently took in my expression and then, nodded. "I understand, Weslyn."
He moved his hand from my shoulder and stepped in front of the Pack.
"Thank you, everyone, for your words." He turned to Bryan and nodded his head. Blayze, then, returned his attention to the Pack and continued. "I would like to say a few words about Liam. Liam was a soulmate, a friend, a leader and... A brother... To those of us who are here. He wasn't perfect but..." He hesitated. "Actually, as a few of you may know, he was my brother... Half-brother. I only found out when it was too late." He closed his eyes. "He hated me. He was hostile and angry. He was consumed by jealousy. And because of that, I guess I hated him, too. But... That was not Liam. That was the darkness that I brought out of him." Blayze opened his eyes and looked at me with a sad smile on his lips. "Liam was actually beautiful. He loved. He had a desire to protect... And help. His had this warmth in him. And... Light. He wasn't perfect but he knew that and he tried to be perfect. And, because of that, he was actually beautiful." He took a deep breath. "Vale, mi frater."
Goodbye, my brother.
I felt Blayze's pain seep into me, through the bond, as he returned to my side.
It hurt. It really hurt.
Blayze...
I hadn't realised the extent of his pain.
I fought back the tears as I glanced at him.
"Blayze..."
But he only shook his head.
He seemed strong.
I could not see his pain from the outside.
But I felt it on the inside.
I bit my lip and turned to the forest.
I knew what was next.
But it was still difficult for me.
It was difficult for me, as Bryan returned, with a him in his arms.
I tensed up.
Blayze must have noticed because I felt him lean into me and drape his arm across my back to reassure me.
We watched, as Bryan brought him, into the clearing, and tentatively lowered him onto the grass.
I could see him.
And it was not what I had expected. His body had been preserved. It was as though time had been suspended at his death and his body had been preserved. I mean, Anna had told me that he would be preserved, because he was a Gray Wolf and his Soul was still intact, but this was not what I had expected.
I had not expected him to be the same.
And I had not expected him to he emanate that same warmth that he always did.
Warmth. His warmth.
I felt pain in me. And - this time - it was my own pain.
I dropped onto the ground beside him.
"Liam," I whispered.
My fingers touched him and his familiar warmth coursed throughout me.
It was no doubt, his attempt to comfort me, even though he was dead.
It made me realise that it was time.
The tears I had fought back started to fall and with it, the words that I had needed to say, also began to fall.
It was time.
I looked up at the Pack.
"We are here, tonight, a month after his death, because of me... I knew Liam would want me to send him off... But I couldn't. I couldn't send him off, because I was too afraid."
It was time to say goodbye.
"I am still afraid. But we are here, tonight, to send him off and that is what I will do, even if I am still afraid."
I returned my gaze to him and moved my hand to caress his hair.
"Liam..." I drew on what remained of our bond and mind link. "I love you. Forever..."
And then, I spoke the words, to send him off.
"Anima vestra oportet relicuum in perpetuum."
A beam of light emanated from his body and filled the clearing.
And with the light came the love and warmth.
It was his warmth. It was the same warmth that was in his smile. It was the warmth of his voice. It was the same warmth I sensed when we touched.
I closed my eyes.
And in that moment there was...
Nothing.
I could see nothing. I could hear nothing. I could smell nothing. I could taste nothing.
The only sensation I had was that familiar warmth that he seemes to emanate.
And then... The sound of his voice.
"Lyn."
My eyes snapped open.
And there he was, in front of me, as handsome and full of life as I remembered him.
"Liam...?"
I got up from the grass.
The light had filled the area and I could not see the forest or members of the Pack around us.
But I didn't think about that.
I tried to hug him.
Tried.
My arms slipped through his body and I felt myself tremble when I realise I couldn't hug him.
No. I could not touch him.
"I'm a Soul," he explained.
I couldn't touch a Soul.
I took a breath and stepped back to look at him.
"Forever isn't a lie, Lyn."
"What?"
"I made a promise that I will be with you, forever, Lyn, and I will keep that promise."
"But you're..."
"Dead?" His lips twitched into a smile. "I may be dead but I will always be with you, Lyn."
"I don't understand."
He moved his hand so that it hovered over my heart.
"Here," he said. "I made a promise to you, Lyn. And because of that promise, the Ceremony and those words that you spoke, will not send me off. My heart will be with your heart. My Soul will be with your Soul. Because... We are Gray Wolves bound by the Promise Code."
I lifted my hand to my heart.
"So, you will be here, in my heart?"
He nodded.
"Will I get to see you? Will I get to talk to you?"
"No... Lyn. But you will feel me. Forever..."
I hoped I had imagined it when the light had started to fade around us.
But, when I looked at his sad expression, I knew I hadn't imagined it .
"This is goodbye," he whispered.
"Liam..."
I was afraid.
It wasn't that I didn't believe him.
I did believe that he would be with me.
But I was still afraid.
And he noticed.
"Don't be afraid, Lyn."
I stared up at him, again, as he started to fade, too.
"I love you, forever, Lyn."
When I opened my eyes, again, I was back in the forest.
And his light, love and warmth that had embraced me, now, radiated from within me.
And I realised that it was true.
Forever was not a lie45Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWkOGqGJ3x
