Intertwined Destinies: Blood Moon Series 1

24. DECLARATION OF WAR

Candice clasped a hand over her lips as she sobbed weakly at the sight of Jared's coffin being lowered into a hole in the ground. For the first time since they met, Candice witnessed her mate completely fall apart. As he fell to his knees, crying out in pain, she rushed to his side and hugged him.

Everyone from the pack dropped to one knee, heads hung as the flowers on the coffins shimmered, transforming into pearl white birds that took flight. When Mason pulled away from her, he easily masked the turmoil within. As he rose to his feet, they lowered the coffins to the ground.

Candice took Mason's quivering hand in hers. Once the graves were covered up, he stepped closer and placed a white rose on each one. Then, he made a minor cut with his blade across his palm and held it over Jared's grave. Four scarlet drops splattered onto the soil.

Everyone else from his pack did the same, then left. Candice stood in front of Jared's grave with her friends behind her. She knelt and flattened her hand against the soil. She wanted to scream and cry until she felt nothing. When she lurched to her feet, Mason pulled her into an embrace that eased some of the agony. Clenching his shirt under her fist, she tried to calm down her insane heartbeat, but it was futile. When would all the madness end?

When they returned to the house, Candice spent most of the day in the study, where she had many memories of Dominic. She walked around his desk, running her fingertips over the book he loved to read. Her heart throbbed with pain as she picked up the picture he kept on his desk beside the pile of papers: a picture of Mason laughing with his parents.

The door opened without a sound. Picture in hand, Candice lifted her gaze to find Mason entering the office. "Where were you?"

"I needed a run... a long one." His voice trembled with profound sorrow.

"Do you know who did this?" she asked.

"Right now, I need to focus on my pack. On helping them get through this."

It was as if he hadn't even heard the question. "Mason, was it the same group that killed your friend? The ones after me?"

He hesitated before nodding.

A knot formed in her chest. Dominic lost his life because of his decision to help her. Everyone around her was in danger because of her, and she couldn't protect them.

"What are you planning to do?"

He stepped closer to her and hugged her. "Please drop it. I don't wish to discuss this at this moment."

"Okay."

In complete silence, they held each other. Struggling to hold back her cries, Candice buried her face in his chest, hoping that this wasn't real, that Dominic was working and would return home soon as he always did, but... it was reality. No matter how much it pained her, she had to accept that he wasn't coming back.

For the next few weeks, Mason was busy with the company. Without Dominic, he was forced to take his role as Alpha. To their surprise, the rest of the alphas didn't seem shocked, as if they knew all along that Mason was the real alpha, not Dominic.

In the morning, Candice trained with her pack, then headed to her room to rest for a couple of minutes before Mason finally came home. While bathing, Abigail and Yvonne watched Mikaela, who became more alert to her surroundings.

When Candice walked out of the bathroom with only a towel, Yvonne and Abigail were gone. Mason was in the room with Mikaela instead. He kissed her cheeks as she giggled softly and whispered something to her in French. Holding her in his arms, he stepped closer to peck Candice's lips.