The group from the Frost Moon Pack transported Ethan’s body back over hills and through valleys to his homeland.
By the time they rushed back to the Frost Moon Pack from the Moonlit Forest, it was already late. The old woman was a bit worried. They had left secretly, precisely avoiding the martial law period. Now, with the sky darkening, no one could escape the scrutiny of the guards, but revealing the news of the Crown Prince and Luna’s deaths to the alpha seemed excessively cruel.
Everyone exchanged glances, sensing a shared feeling of helplessness.
The squad leader of the security team made a decision, “Let’s enter through the main gate. Keeping it a secret and delaying won’t change the fact that the alpha will find out. It’s better to tell him directly; it’s a more straightforward solution to the problem.”
As expected, the guards at the palace gate stopped them, “Who goes there? Why would you enter the Frost Moon Pack’s gate during martial law?”
The squad leader presented his badge to the guard, who, while less vigilant, still hesitated, “Why are you coming back at this hour? Where’s your exit permit?”
The squad leader, somewhat helpless, said, “We had urgent matters to attend to when we left, so we didn’t have time to report the unauthorized departure properly. I’m willing to accept the punishment. But please let us in immediately; we have very important news.”
The guard, unmoved, stated, “Until you explain why you left and it’s confirmed, I can’t let you in.”
Sometimes, having subordinates adhere too strictly to the rules isn’t a good thing.
The squad leader could only step back. The person behind him put down a seemingly weighty bag, untied the rope, revealing the contents – a body.
“This is what we went out for.”
The guard approached to inspect. Upon seeing the face of the corpse, he was visibly shocked, “This is…”
“The Elder Council’s apprentice came to inform us that the Crown Prince had an accident in the Moonlit Forest, so we were urgently asked to send someone to retrieve him. By the time we arrived, he was already dead. We’ve gone through a lot to bring back his body. Several times on the way, his body almost slipped from our hands. We rushed as fast as we could, missing the daytime window, and that’s why we encountered martial law.”
The guard seemed incredulous. He reached out to touch Ethan’s hand but stopped mid-air, “Who killed him?”
“He did it himself.”
Hearing this, the guard looked up, “Himself?”
“Yes. Please convey this matter to the alpha. There’s more he needs to know.”
Soon, another guard came, “Go in; the alpha wants you to meet him directly.”
Alexander rushed down from the throne in disbelief, “Ethan!”
The other people stood emotionlessly on the side, showing no sympathy for him at this moment. After all, it was this grieving man who had caused all of this. If he had taken on the responsibility of being an alpha, a father, and a partner, perhaps Luna and the prince wouldn’t have died, and Frost Moon Pack wouldn’t have withered into its current state.
“Please accept our condolences.” The squad leader’s voice remained calm, without a hint of emotion, “This was the prince’s own choice.”
“Choice?” Alexander glared at him angrily, “You are the captain of his palace guard; protecting him is your duty! Yet now, you bring back his body to show me!”
The old woman trembled as she spoke, “I’m sorry, alpha. Perhaps I shouldn’t have spoken. But, do you remember me? I’ve been taking care of him since the Crown Prince was born. Before his birth, I also looked after Luna.”
Alexander looked at her; he did remember this woman. For so many years, she had been by Ethan’s side, caring for him without asking for more opportunities and never complaining about spending her entire life looking after one person.
“I remember you,” he said slowly. “What do you want to say?”
“I always felt that, for the Crown Prince, I am the person with the most say. I watched him grow up little by little. Since his birth, he lost his mother, and no one has loved him as his mother did. We thought that as his father, the alpha, you could give him enough love to fill the void left by Luna in his life, but you never came here to see him.”
“I…” Alexander had nothing to refute. At that time, he had done wrong by banishing Peirene to the Moonlit Forest. He didn’t have the courage to visit their child; he was afraid the child would resemble Peirene too much, afraid he would have a pair of eyes identical to Peirene’s, and being stared at by those pure eyes would make him collapse. It was an excuse, an excuse for his cowardice, but at the time, that’s what he thought.
“Why did you treat Luna and the Crown Prince like this? After banishing Luna, you confined the Crown Prince to despair. You made the Crown Prince live a life of self-loathing and internal struggles, and the culprit of all this refuses to give him a single word of affirmative care!”
Every word from the old woman felt like a knife stabbing into Alexander’s heart.
“Peirene?” He suddenly remembered the crucial word, the Moonlit Forest. “You brought Ethan back from the Moonlit Forest, but where is Peirene? Why haven’t I seen her?”
The squad leader respectfully nodded, “I’m sorry, alpha. She had already died long before we entered that forest.”
“…” Alexander collapsed to the ground, hands covering his face.
He thought Peirene would surely leave that place. Last time, he only stopped near the forest, not approaching, thinking that soon she would come out to see him and Ethan. At that time, no matter how she wanted to punish him, kick him out of the Frost Moon Pack, or cut him into pieces, as long as she came out, he was willing to trade everything for her safety.
But that turned out to be the closest he and Peirene ever got.
If time could be rewound, he would rather not have this damn alpha position. He would surely persuade Peirene, convince her not to have ambitions for other tribes but to sincerely develop the Frost Moon Pack, create a better living environment for the members, instead of constant warfare.
Or maybe, from the beginning, he shouldn’t have acknowledged himself as the child of the father.
What kind of feelings did Peirene have towards him? Was he an upper-class step for her, someone without any background but useful because he was the alpha’s illegitimate child, or just a silly child who handed her a rose?
The first time they met, Alexander had never seen such a noble and beautiful girl. Despite the vast difference in their status, he secretly picked the most dazzling rose from the garden and quietly handed it to her.
Peirene finally noticed him, took the rose, and gave him a smiling glance.
Little did they know, that was the beginning of a tragic fate.