Aiyana
Damien never held a funeral for Henry's family or mine so when Henry tells me that they're going to hold funeral rights, I'm curious what they will be like.
The rights are traditionally held within 48 hours of the death so I have been learning from the Elders and helping them with the set up while Henry and Jeremy work with some of the packs to set up the pyre.
That evening, everyone gathers on the fields where the pyre has been built. The bodies have already been wrapped in cloth and laid amongst the wood creating a very eerie image.
The Elders read out the names and ages of the dead, starting at the oldest and working their way backward. The younger they get, the more my heart breaks.
There is a drumbeat that signals with every name read and it doesn't take long for the tears to slide down my cheeks. I keep hoping that the list will end and will save us from this heartbreak, but with every new name, my hope disappears.
I feel Henry take my hand when he realizes I am crying. It helps, but it doesn't stop the ache in my chest.
We finally reach the 16-year-olds. I hear mothers wail at the loss of their sons, barely men. I hear a name I recognize. He turned 16 less than a week ago.
This wasn't supposed to happen. He shouldn't have died. He should be having fun with his friends and instead we're burying him.
I know everything happens for a reason, but sometimes I wonder why the Moon Goddess has to be so cruel as to take a child from their mother.
There is a pause and my hope starts to come back that the list is finally done. A couple of men come out carrying what looks like sheets wrapped together to look like a body.
"We mourn all those who were lost or taken by Damien and his ruthlessness. To the mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters who died at his hands. They will live on in our memories and with our Ancestors."
I grip Henry's hand, willing myself not to completely break down. It's hard not to imagine the what-ifs. Liam would be Henry's Beta. He would likely be married and having kids.
My parents would have watched me grow up. They would have been there for my first date with Henry. My dad would have given him a hard time but would have ultimately known that in Henry's arms is where I'm destined to be.
"We mourn Thomas and Liam Miller, who gave their lives to protect the family of our Alpha. We mourn Amelia Miller."
Any shred of hope I had of me holding it together is gone as I bury my face in Henry's chest. I realize now I never really got to mourn their deaths.
"Finally, we mourn Robert and Delia Weylyn, our Alpha and Luna who brought us many years of peace and prosperity before being struck down before their time."
I cry into Henry's chest harder, no longer able to control the pain I feel in my chest. We've all lost so much. I can only hope that whatever lies down the path we are on includes peace.
—————
Henry
I hold onto Aiyana, knowing this is what she needs right now. I nod to Jeremy and, along with the other Alphas, they set torches around the pyre. We watch as it catches and spreads, sending our loved ones to the Ancestors.
I have asked all the men to come back early in the morning. When my father reigned, he told me about a family tradition that spanned back generations.
Whenever a new Alpha had been named, the men would go on a hunt together and bring back game for a feast to be held that night. It symbolized that the Alpha would always be able to provide not just for his own family but also for the entire pack.
The next morning when I'm about to leave, I kiss Aiyana's forehead. She was inspirational last night. She made sure to go to each of the widows and made sure they knew that their husbands would be remembered as brave warriors who fought valiantly.
As soon as she started talking to the mothers she had a much harder time keeping it together. They didn't look down on her for it though, they saw her tears and knew that she somehow understood their pain.
I have a feeling it's because she has fully embraced her role as Luna and my mother always said she could tell someone else's feelings before they showed.
I make my way down to the fields, happy to see so many men down there. There are even some younger than 16 who just wanted to be included.
"Thank you all for coming. The Elders and I have decided to hold a special ceremony and to also bring back an old tradition. Even though you were fighting against us, you were fighting for the pack and that makes you all brave warriors in our eyes. This is especially true of those of you who experienced your first battle on these fields.
"While it is incredibly saddening that so many of our family died protecting the pack, we are here to celebrate life and commend those who fought and survived while remembering those who didn't."
I use the same kind of paint the Elders used on me in my Beta Ceremony to mark each of the men, a symbol of their dedication and bravery.
When I have finished marking them, we shift and head for the woods to hunt. The lives we lost will be mourned and celebrated.