Chapter 33: Chapter 33

KEVIN’S POV

It was as if the world had stopped moving on its axis. My father was dead. The person who was my idol… who was supposed to guide me was gone… just like that.

My heart had shattered into a million pieces and each of those shards was tearing me apart piece by piece. The intensity of the pain that I felt kept rising until it was too much for me to handle.

A painful howl escaped my throat and I shifted to my wolf form running wildly into the forest. Once deep inside the forest, I let out a deep, long howl; a howl laced in grief; the call for mourning.

Leaves crunched and bushes swayed as all the members of the mystical pack filed in from all directions. A large white wolf with golden eyes emerged from the bushes and let out a heart-rending howl.

I bounded towards her and rubbed my nose against her trying to console her but she fell to the ground and started whimpering. I licked her face and tried to mind link with her but she was blocking me.

I know what mother was trying to do. She was trying to hold up the barriers so that she didn’t project the grief at me. But, if she continued to so it would break her. I wasn’t ready to lose another member of my family.

I looked at the smaller brown wolf and the black one helplessly. My sister and brother joined me and we sat in a close circle around mother, trying to comfort her in whatever way we could.

*You are now the alpha of this pack, Kevin. If you want your mother to survive this you must force her to lower her guards and share her grief.* My beta Collins mind linked.

*How the hell am I supposed to do that?*

*Try mind linking with her.*

I tried projecting my thoughts at her but all of them were deflected by her shield. It was as if she had used every ounce of her strength to harden her mental barrier.

I closed my eyes and focused on getting inside her head. The intensity of grief I felt was so harsh that I was thrown back. A painful howl escaped my throat and soon all the wolves started howling.

The members of the pack closed in on us and formed a tight circle around us. The grief was too much for a single person but as a pack, we could share the grief and comfort each other.

At the thought of comfort, my mind veered to my Kiara. Why was she not here? A different kind of ache developed in my heart at that thought but I forced myself to shake it off.

Today was not about me, it was about consoling my mother and siblings and I had to focus on that. We spend the whole day lying together and comforting each other in our wolf forms.

When the sun set, we had to return to our human forms for the funeral. I took Mother, Risha, and Sandy home while Collins went to make preparations for the funeral.

The pit in my stomach widened as I entered the packhouse. Every corner of this house held his memories. No matter which way I looked, I could see glimpses of him.

“Oh…Kevin… I am so sorry… I wish I could do something…,” Cami said as she pulled me into a tight hug. It didn’t provide me any comfort but at least she was there for me as for my mate… God knew where she was. I had never thought she would leave me alone to deal with everything…

“Don’t worry about Mom and Risha. I will take care of them. You should go and bath…” Cami said pulling away.

Then, she hugged Mom and Risha before leading them to their bedroom. Kiara should have been there to take care of them…

I decided not to waste any more energy on my insensitive mate and rushed to take a shower. The cold water cascaded down my body but it did nothing to cool down my burning flesh. It was as if every inch of my body was on fire…

I forced myself to trudge out of the bathroom and dressed up in black clothes. Hardening my heart I went to the hall to find Risha, Cami, Mom, and Sandy dressed similarly.

When the moon reached above our heads we placed our beloved alpha on a raft and floated him on the lake before setting fire to it.

I sat numbly by the lake watching the blazing raft float further and further away. We talked about my father’s achievements and failures. We talked about our love and hatred for him but all this while my so-called mate remained absent.

I felt like spending my entire life by this lake wallowing in my grief but I was the Alpha of this pack now and I had responsibilities.

With the first rays of the sun, I commanded everyone to go back to their work. I sent mom and Risha home with Cami and Valence while Sandy and Nivaan stayed back with me.

I chewed my lower lips as I gazed at Sandy. He was five years younger than me and had not even found his wolf yet. My heart ached when I thought about the huge responsibility I was about to place on his shoulders. I wish I had a choice…

Drawing in a deep breath, I said, “I can’t do this alone, Sandy. I need you to help me…”

He licked his lips and said in a choked voice, “I will do whatever I can to help…”

I cupped his face in my hands and said, “I want you to listen to me very carefully. Dad didn’t die because he was ill, he was murdered…”

His eyes turned red with fury and the veins on his head popped, “Tell me who did this, brother. I will kill him with my own hands…”

“That is exactly what I DON’T want you to do.”

He shrugged off my hands and snapped, “I don’t care what you want Sandy. I am going to find that person who killed my father and tear him piece by piece…”

He started walking away but I grabbed his hand and said in a stern voice, “Do you think Mom can bear it if she loses her son too? You will take Mom and Risha to the mansion in the city and stay put…”

“I can’t just sit like that while my father’s killer is on the loose…”

“He was my father too, Sandy. I promise that I will find the one who killed Dad and make him pay… We both want the same things…”

“Then let me stay and help…”

I let out a long deep sigh. I couldn’t solve this mystery and keep my family safe at the same time.

I looked him in the eye and said in a cold voice, “You will take Risha and Mom to the mansion in the city and keep them safe. This is your Alpha’s order!”

Hurt flashed through his eyes which was replaced by anger. He kept glaring at me for a few moments before spitting out, “Whatever you command Alpha.”

Then, he turned sharply and stomped away. Sandy could hate me all he wanted. If that meant my family would stay safe, I was willing to pay the price…