Chapter 32 (Listen to the cover of this song for the full effect of the chapter)
Owen took a deep breath before he took a step into the room. His eyes immediately found Alec. He sat on the chair, just as Owen had left him, without blinking.
"Alec," Owen called to him.
There was no response.
"Alec?" Owen tried again.
Still no response.
Owen walked farther into the room. He stopped behind his little brother and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Alec?"
"Uh?" Alec finally looked up, slightly startled.
"The nurses are waiting," Owen motioned to the two woman standing in the room. "You have to move back now."
Owen spoke as gently as he could. Almost as if he was comforting one of his children. His heart broke as Alec's glazed eyes found their way back to reality. Owen watched with sorrow as his brother looked at the hand he was holding.
Eden's body laid still as a wax statue. Her hair was neatly combed and tucked under her head. Her rosy cheeks had vanished with the wind just as the sound of her laughter.
Alec sat holding her hand and gazing at her face. No matter how many times they had urged him, he wouldn't leave. The nurses waited for him to move back so they could transport the body to the morgue, but Alec didn't respond to their requests. After trying for almost an hour, they were forced to call in the Beta.
"They have to move Eden," Owen carefully pulled Alec back.
"Where?" Alec looked up in confusion. "Where are they taking her?"
Owen hesitated, "To...to the morgue. The funeral is in the morning."
Like lightning, the pain flashed in Alec's eyes. Owen could tell from the way he flinched that Alec's mind was trying to shield him from reality. He watched as Alec looked down at his hand again and stood up slowly.
Alec carefully placed Eden's hand over her chest and pushed back the few pieces of flyaway hairs by her eyes. He rubbed her cheek with his thumb before placing a kiss upon it.
"What are they going to do at the morgue?" He asked one of the nurses.
"They will clean the body," The woman said. "And dress her for tomorrow."
Alec nodded, taking a step back.
"She doesn't like cold water," he said as he tried to tuck her hair back again. "You have to tell them to use warm water only."
"I'll let them know," the nurse said.
Owen guided Alec back as the two women lifted the breaks of the hospital bed and began to wheel it out the door.
"Her skin bruises really easily," Alec said, turning to his brother. "They can't grab her hands or something, her skin will bruise."
Owen bit down on his jaw to keep himself from flinching from the pain. He patted Alec's shoulder and told him everything would be okay.
"I need to stay with her," Alec suddenly said. "I don't trust the people. I don't even know them."
"Alec," Owen stopped him. "You do know them. It's Mrs. Fern, remember?"
"I have to go with Eden," Alec tried to go after the nurses.
"No, Alec," Owen pulled him back.
"Let go of me!" Alec pushed Owen but he didn't let go.
"You need to get some sleep," Owen said as he restrained his brother with his arms.
"She needs warm water," Alec started to sink to the floor. "She's cold. You can't use cold water. She's always so cold."
Gemma suddenly rushed into the room and found Alec on the floor as Owen held him down. She started to cry as she heard Alec's pleas.
"Please," he cried. "She's going to be cold. She doesn't like the cold."
Owen looked up as Gemma walked into the room and kneeled beside them. She sobbed heavily as she placed her hand over Alec's forehead and started to chant in Roopcian.
Alec's words started to slur as his eyes fluttered.
"Eden," he called out. "Are you cold? Where is the sweater? I...I need to....sweater....I"
Owen moved away from Alec as his eyes closed. He looked up at Gemma as she wiped her eyes.
"It's a sleeping spell," she sniffled. "I can't stand to see him awake through this."
"Thank you," Owen nodded.
"It's the least I can do."
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Mavi ran her hand through Clare's head as the little girl laid her head on her mother's lap. The head shaman at the temple recited the prayers as Gemma did the burial rituals along with Jackson.
Clare slowly began to sit up, moving her mother's hand away from her.
"What is it, baby?" Mavi whispered.
The little girl looked over her mother's shoulders just as the temple doors opened. Everyone turned as Alec slowly walked through the doors. His clothes were slept in and his eyes red. His eyes moved over the small crowd before they landed on the altar.
Mavi followed his gaze to Eden's body. The open casket was dripping with white lilies and roses as the beautiful girl laid inside. Her hands were placed on top of each other on her belly. She was dressed in a white lace dress with little moon shaped diamond studs on her ears. They sparkled under the candle lights beneath her golden hair.
Alec slowly walked up to the altar as everyone watched him. Manya pressed a hand to her mouth to muffle her sob as her son passed her. Rye pulled her into her arms and comforted the women.
Owen stepped around Maksim and followed his brother to the casket.
Alec spent a long time looking down at Eden. He reached out and pulled out a fallen rose petal from her hair. Owen watched as he reached into his pocket and pulled out two butterfly clips. Alec took a section of Eden's hair and clipped it back with one of the butterflies. Once he was satisfied with how her hair laid, he brushed the back of his fingers over her cheek.
"I'm going to hold on to the other one," he whispered to her as he pocketed the other clip.
Gemma and Jackson looked up from the ritual as Alec walked over to them. He lifted his gaze to Jackson with an ocean of guilt in his eyes.
"I want to do this," Alec said quietly. "I know....I don't have any right to bu-"
Before Alec could finish, Jackson moved aside and handed him one of the gold coins. Alec couldn't fight the tears in his eyes anymore. He let them fall freely as he took in a deep breath and looked up at Gemma. The gold coins were cold against his palm as he closed his fingers around them.
Once Owen was sure his brother would be able to bear the ritual, he took a step back. Gemma, Alec, and Jackson continued their preparation as the shaman said his prayers.
After the coins had been washed and cleaned in holy water, Alec placed them over Eden's closed eyes. He made sure they were warm and not cold as ice. As he took a step back, Jackson lifted Eden's hand and placed a golden compass in her right palm.
"To guide her soul," he said to Alec.
Alec nodded as Gemma stepped forward. He watched her soak her thumb in holy water before she ran it across Eden's forehead. She leaned forward and whispered the words for a witch's burial.
"Maybe you forever be blessed,"
Alec felt his insides begin to turn once more with the dark hollow feeling as Jackson told the family it was time to say the last goodbye. He couldn't move away from the casket as one by one the family walked by and took one last look at Eden.
When Mavi walked up with Clare in her arms, the little girl buried her face in her mother's neck.
"Clare," Mavi said gently. "Do you want to give Eden what you have?"
Alec looked up at the little girl as she slowly picked up her head. She held out her hand to him and opened her palm to reveal a little clay sunflower.
Alec reached out with trembling fingers and took the flower as tears ran down his face.
"Did you make this?" He asked Clare.
She nodded before she hid in her mother's neck again. Alec turned to the casket and placed the little sunflower in Eden's left hand.
One by one, everyone said their last goodbyes. Everyone, except Alec.
"I don't know what to say," Alec said when Owen came to stand by him again.
"You don't have to say it," Owen said quietly. "She already knows."
Alec took a deep breath. He had no control over his body as Owen peeled his fingers off the rim of the casket and moved him back so the shaman could close the casket. His eyes watered as the wooden panel slowly closed and he saw his mate for one last time.
Outside the temple, the sunlight was blinding. For a winter day, the air was too warm. Alec began to sweat as Jackson dropped a handful of dirt into the grave. The haunting sound of the frozen dirt hitting the casket would torture Alec forever and forever. When it was his turn to fill the grave, he simply couldn't do it.
Alec shook his head and took a step back as Jack held out his hand for him.
"I'm sorry," Alec said. "I can't."
Jackson didn't push as his own eyes began to water. His shoulders started to shake with sobs as Rose comforted him.
Alec's chest began to tighten as the dirt was pushed into the grave. He gasped for air as dark spots started to appear in his vision. The family had their back turned to him as they watched the grave be filled. Alec began to cry as he tugged at his hair. He felt like a fish out of water.
Suddenly, over Mavi's shoulder, Clare turned her head. Her eyes immediately locked with Alec's.
Alec couldn't explain what happened next. He felt his heart stop completely and then stumble before his legs gave out from under him and he hit the ground.
May she forever be blessed.....have faith.