Alpha Ricardo’s POV
I woke up the next morning with a strong ache buzzing in my head. Grunting tiredly, I stood to my feet and realized it was almost sunset, which made me marvel at how I was able to sleep this long.
”Eric?” I called out to my wolf as I got up from the bed, but he ignored me with a groan. ”Suit yourself.” I groaned and walked straight to the bathroom. I went to the dressing mirror, took a look at myself in the mirror, and shook my head at the tiredness of my eyes. ” You have to be strong.” I said and began taking off my clothes. I took a quick bath, went back to the room and took out fitted black jeans and a long black sleeve shirt.
Just when I was about to dress up, Jayson spoke to me through telepathy. ”Hey Rick, are you ready?” He asked, while I replied with a sigh. ”I will take that as a yes. Meanwhile, I’m already in the hall. Everyone is waiting for you, and father asked me to inform you.”
”I’m on my way.” I responded and ended the mind Link.
”Are you okay?” Eric, my Wolf, asked, while I just ignored him and began dressing up. ”It’s okay if you want to cry, then do it, after all he was your father.” He kept blabbering words I didn’t pay attention to until I was all dressed up.
Inhaling deeply, I stood before mother’s portrait on the wall and slowly closed my eyes. ”Give me strength, Mother.” I whispered those words of prayer before leaving my room.
I took the stairs down to the sitting room, walked out of the sitting room and went to the other side of the mansion where the hall was located.
As I got closer to the hall, a strong familiar scent of nutmeg mixed with fresh honey hit my nose and without being told, I knew she was in the hall with others. I expect her to be discharged today, but not so early to attend dad’s funeral service.
When I got to the door, I met the beta of our pack standing before the door. ”Are you ready?” He asked, while I responded with a nod.
With a weak smile, he opened the door and stood aside for me to walk in.
”This is it.” I mumbled to myself and stepped into the hall.
The minute they noticed my presence, they all stood on their feet and lowered their heads in respect, but I could see the sad and pitiful looks on their faces.
I walked to the seat reserved for me in front of the hall and noticed the twelve Gammas of the clan and Mia sitting at my right-hand side.
”Let the ceremony begin.” I muttered out in a firm voice which held no atom of pain, despite the agonies I was feeling in me.
The door of the hall came wide open, and four men carried Dad’s body on a decorated stretcher.
I gulped as I watched them walk into the hall and place him on the large wooden table in the center of the hall.
Everyone knelt and lowered their heads to the ground as he was laid, paying their final respects to their alpha.
A priestess of the goddess did some rituals for a peaceful return to the moon goddess and for his soul to rest in perfect peace. After the rituals, I was the first to pay my last respects to him, so he could be buried.
I took a deep breath and stood on my feet with pain in my heart, but I made sure no one took notice of it.
With heavy feet, I walked to his body and fixed my gaze on him.
Just staring at him, one would think he was asleep, so I wished, but I knew it was never possible.
I drew back the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes and placed a kiss on his forehead.
I took a deep breath to inhale his scent, but it was gone. All I could smell was the perfumes he was wearing.
I gulped in discomfort and stared at him one more time, making sure I was able to register this moment in my head, and walked back to my seat.
I tried communicating with my wolf, but he had shut himself away from me, and I couldn’t have access to him.
Mia was the next to pay her respects. When she got to where father was lying, she cried out and hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go of him. Sighing heavily, I closed my eyes and shut myself away from everyone just to clear my head for a bit.
After a while, I opened my eyes and noticed that members of the pack were going to pay their last respects to him.
After more than an hour, everyone was settled, and it was time to lay dad to rest.
I slowly stood on my feet and swallowed in pain before leading the way out of the hall.
The body of my father was carried behind me, while the twelve gammas and Mia followed behind.
We got to a spot in the mansion where he was to be buried, and I stood there, staring at the already-cemented tomb.
Father’s body was lifted off the stretcher and laid on the cemented tomb.
The priestess made another incantation, and it was time for ashes to become ashes.
With shaking hands, I picked a mole of sand from the ground and threw it in the tomb, followed by his favorite flower.
Mia did the same, followed by the beta and the gamma of the twelve tribes.
Some of his clothes were placed in the tomb because it was believed that every alpha of a pack is like a king in the heavens and must be accompanied by attire and jewelry to the great beyond.
After every ritual was done, I stared at his body one more time and did not know when a tear had dropped on my cheek.
Quickly, I took a deep breath and asked for his tomb to be covered.
Seven male servants covered him with the big tomb cover, while we stood there and watched them cement it. After he was covered, I asked everyone to leave, and I was left alone standing before his grave.
“It’s ridiculous how I can’t tell how I feel.” I murmured in pain as tears dropped on my cheeks.
”You are my father and nothing on earth will change that. Hopefully, a day comes when I will have a heart to forgive you.” I gulped and turned to leave, only to see Mia standing before me with eyes clouded with tears.
Holding her gaze, I felt a tiny bit of pity for her, but I shook the feeling off and took a step closer.
”What do you want?” I asked with a hateful glare and saw her gulp nervously before speaking. ”Mother needs to be buried, so I was wondering…”
”There is a graveyard in the forest where you can lay her to rest, although I know she will never be at rest.” I said and was about to walk away when she hurriedly grabbed me by my left wrist with her two hands.
”Please, mother can’t be buried there.” She pleaded while I scoffed and forcefully took her grip off my wrist. ”Don’t you dare touch me again.” I warned her and took a step closer, while she took a step away. ”Who do you think your mother is, that she should be buried in the mansion graveyard.” I asked Angrily.
”But…” She wanted to speak, but I cut her off, ” Your mother is not worthy to be buried in the mansion’s graveyard. That woman was nothing but a whore and a slut.” I yelled with gritted teeth. ” She seductively lured my father into her bed and gave birth to you, who is a product of sin and mistake.” I yelled, ”Stop it, Rick, don’t say that about mom.” She yelled, hurt by my words.
”You don’t dare shut me up.” I yelled angrily. ”Your mother is a slut, a whore and a prostitute who deserves nothing but…” Those words did not leave my mouth when she unexpectedly landed a slap on my cheek,
”You can say anything you want to say to me, but not to my dead mother.” She cried out in tears and took steps away from me in fear.