Chapter 568: Henry’s Wake keep
Tonight was the wake-keep ceremony for the late Alpha Henry.
Aside from the earlier commotion caused by Griffin and Violet’s escape, nothing monumental had happened since. For now, things had settled into an uneasy calm.
Tonight, they would mourn, and honor the fallen hero, Alpha Henry with proper respect. Then tomorrow, he will finally be laid to rest.
The ceremony was open to all members of the West Pack. Men, women, and even children were permitted to attend, and they had arrived in full force.
Rows of chairs stretched across the wide ceremonial grounds, perfectly aligned, creating neat pathways down the center. At the very front, an exclusive row of high-backed, cushioned chairs was set aside for the high-ranking wolves.
The entire place glowed with the soft light of torches and candles. The electricity had been deliberately turned off to honor tradition and give the night a sacred feel. The moment was heavy with grief, the scent of burning wax and incense saturating the air.
Members of the West pack sat in complete silence, their gazes lowered. Women clutched handkerchiefs or the hems of their dark mourning shawls, while men sat stiff-backed, their hands clasped tightly, and their jaws clenched. Even the usually restless children were subdued, their wide and innocent eyes reflecting the torchlight.
Asher, draped in black from head to toe, was the first to enter, and every head lifted. His expression was so stoic and unreadable, it looked like he was made from stone.
As soon as they saw him, the women began to wail. Their cries were piercing, rising in a haunting chorus that sent chills down people’s spines. Some dropped to their knees, clutching their heads, while others reached out desperately to touch Asher as he passed.
It was customary for the women of the West pack to mourn loudly, and express their grief in raw, unfiltered waves of sound. Tugging on Asher’s clothes was their way of showing deep condolence, a physical gesture that they shared in his pain.
As expected of him, Asher didn’t waver. He moved forward with unflinching resolve, letting their hands fall away as he passed through them. For once, the West Pack’s traditions suited him because he wasn’t burdened by grief at all.
Roman was right beside Asher. He stole a glance at his friend, relaxing when he realized he was good. Then he kept moving, falling into step with the other Alphas.
When they reached the front, Asher took his reserved seat. Roman sat just beside him, and the others filled in the row. Just like that, a heavy, expectant silence fell again.
Then the atmosphere shifted as Alpha King Elijah entered with all the authority of his title. His presence radiated power that had all spines straightening and heads bowing without being told. The remaining Alphas and his guests trailed right behind him.
Unlike Asher, no one dared to touch Elijah, their earlier wailing ceasing. The crowd parted for him instinctively, leaving a clear path down the center aisle.
Elijah’s stride was regal and unhurried, his gaze sweeping over his subjects with a predator’s calm detachment.
At the front, a chair had been prepared for him. Though not as ornate as his throne back home, it was still luxurious, the cushions draped in deep crimson fabric.
Elijah reached his seat and settled beside Asher, his presence dominating the space without a single word spoken. The two figures sat side by side, one the heir of the West, the other the King of all wolves, as the wake-keep began.
Then a sudden commotion rippled through the gathered crowd, breaking the heavy silence. From the far end of the ceremonial grounds, Luna Patricia appeared, draped head to toe in mourning apparel. Her black gown flowed around her, a dark veil covering her face.
She was not alone.
Surrounding her was a circle of women from the pack, all dressed in similar dark colors. Their movements were perfectly in sync, as though the ritual had been rehearsed countless times. This was their tradition, and even Alpha King Elijah watched with rapt attention.
Patricia staggered slightly, as if she wanted to flee, but no matter which direction she turned, the women closed ranks, herding her forward. They forced her back into the ceremonial path until she reached the raised stage at the heart of the grounds, where a massive framed portrait of Alpha Henry stood tall. Before it lay the sealed coffin draped with the West Pack’s sigil, a lone torch burning at either side.
The women’s grip loosened as Patricia fell to her knees before the coffin, clutching at it desperately, and wailing. Her cries were infectious that women in the crowd began to weep openly, their voices joining hers in a mournful chorus.
Even children, too young to understand the ritual, began to sob too. It was only the men who held back, trained not to show weakness. They would cry in secret as tradition demanded.
The leader of the women stepped forward, carrying a thin black thread. She tied one end around Patricia’s wrist and the other to a carved nook in the coffin. The thread symbolized the spiritual bond between husband and wife—the one final tether to be severed.
Another woman emerged, this time holding a pair of ceremonial scissors. At the sight of them, Patricia’s wailing intensified into raw hysteria.
She shook her head wildly, clutching at the thread as if her very life depended on it. "No! I don’t want to leave my husband yet!" she screamed, her voice breaking with grief.
From his seat, Elijah let out a derisive snort, loud enough to be heard by Asher. Their gazes met briefly, before they looked away. They could fool the pack, but not each other. Elijah knew Patricia’s grief was an act. She had never truly wanted to stay married to Henry. This was all performance, albeit a very convincing one at that.
Patricia tried to run as the women advanced, but they seized her firmly. The leader raised the scissors high and cut the thread.
The instant the severed thread fell to the floor, Patricia collapsed, her body wracked with bitter, gut-deep sobs.
Her performance was so convincing that many in the crowd fell into deeper mourning, their own tears streaming freely. She must have loved their Alpha dearly to be so undone by his passing, they thought.
Asher let out a troubled sigh. To think this was only the beginning of what promised to be a long, miserable night.