Funeral

Alpha Zander’s POV.
I was busy handling the last few meetings on my schedule, trying to wrap up all my work as quickly as possible. At the same time, I was mentally preparing myself for the trip back to the pack. I needed to be there before the end of the week so I could attend my brother’s wedding. It was supposed to be a big event, one that the entire pack was looking forward to.
Even so, I couldn’t understand why everything was happening so quickly. Why the rush? He had only met her a week ago! It felt strange, almost unnatural, for things to move so fast. But then, a thought crossed my mind, one that made everything start to make sense. Maybe she had given herself to him, and that’s why they were rushing to get married. That would explain why they were speeding through all the usual formalities. I also remembered that she had been in his suite recently. No, I didn’t see her there myself, but he told me she was in the shower when I came by.
Still, even after thinking it over, the whole situation felt odd to me. It was all happening too fast, but I decided to push those thoughts aside. I assumed it wasn’t my place to question his decisions.
But all of that changed in an instant. I couldn’t have imagined getting a phone call from my father that would completely turn my world upside down. Instead of hearing about the wedding preparations or some last-minute details, I was told something I never expected to hear. My father’s voice was heavy, serious, and full of grief as he told me to return home-not for my brother’s wedding, but for his funeral. The words hit me like a blow, and I could barely process what he was saying. My brother was dead. It was shocking news, the kind that didn’t feel real even as I heard it.
Without a second thought, I dropped everything I was doing. Nothing else mattered anymore. I rushed to my private jet, making arrangements to leave immediately, and flew back to the pack as quickly as I could. My mind was spinning the entire time, trying to make sense of what had happened. I couldn’t believe this was real. Just a few days ago, I had been preparing for his wedding, and now I was on my way to say goodbye to him forever.
The carriage came to a stop outside the Silverfang castle. Everything about the day felt heavy, from the weather to the silence, and even the atmosphere seemed to echo a shared sadness among everyone around.
Kael, my brother, was gone. He was dead.
I climbed out of the carriage, my boots making a crunching sound on the gravel path beneath me. The noise seemed too loud in the otherwise quiet air. As I walked, servants and guards stood still, lowering their heads in a show of respect. They bowed slightly as I passed, their eyes briefly meeting mine before darting away. Some of them lingered just long enough to get a good look at me, the son who had finally returned-the eldest and the heir to the Silverfang name. Even though their gazes were full of curiosity, none of it meant anything to me. Not today. Nothing did.
The castle itself seemed colder and emptier than I remembered. Its grand halls, once full of life and noise, now felt eerily quiet, as though the walls themselves were mourning. The air was thick and heavy, carrying the weight of unspoken grief that no one dared put into words. Everywhere I looked, I felt Kael’s absence. It clung to the castle like a shadow, filling every corner, every crack in the stone.
Kael and I had never been the same. Our personalities were so different that it often felt like we were opposites in every way. We argued, we disagreed, and we went our separate ways more often than not. But despite all of that, he was still my brother. His death was like a deep wound that I couldn’t figure out how to heal. I didn’t know how to process the loss, and it hurt more than I thought it would. It reminded me how fragile even the strongest relationships could be, and how quickly they could be ripped away.
I had come back to the castle to mourn him. But that wasn’t the only reason I returned. I wanted answers. I needed them.
The funeral was as somber as everyone expected it to be. The entire pack had gathered in the great hall, their heads lowered in shared grief as the elders spoke. They talked about Kael’s life, his potential, and his strength. They spoke of all the things he accomplished and all the things he could have done if he had lived longer.
I tried to focus on their words, but my mind kept wandering. I couldn’t stop thinking about how little I actually knew about what had happened to Kael. The details of his death-or rather, the lack of details-kept gnawing at me, making it impossible to sit still.
Kael wasn’t the type to make careless mistakes. He had always been reckless, yes-I couldn’t deny that-but he wasn’t stupid. He didn’t take risks without thinking them through. So for him to be killed by something as simple as a car accident felt strange. It felt wrong. It didn’t make sense, and I couldn’t accept it as the truth.
And then there was *her.*
Aria sat at the front of the hall, close to where the elders stood. Her face was pale, and her eyes were red from crying. She looked exactly like you’d expect someone to look after losing their fiance, like a grieving bride-to-be who was crushed by her sorrow. But as I watched her, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more behind her tears. Something deeper. Something she wasn’t saying.
After the ceremony, I made my way to my father’s study, knowing that if I wanted answers, this was the place to start.
My father stood silently near the window, his broad shoulders stiff, his posture rigid. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back, making it clear he was deep in thought.
“You’ve returned,” he said, his voice breaking the heavy silence. He didn’t bother to turn around, and his tone was as cold and commanding as it had always been. There was no warmth, no welcome, just a statement of fact.
“I came as soon as I heard,” I replied, stepping further into the room and closing the door behind me. My voice was quiet but firm. “I’m sorry for your loss, Father.”
“Our loss,” he corrected, finally turning to face me. His piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, and for the briefest moment, I saw something in them-pain, grief, perhaps even regret. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by the same guarded, unyielding expression he always wore. “Kael was your brother,” he added, his voice steady but heavy with unspoken emotion.
“I know,” I said softly, my eyes briefly dropping to the floor before meeting his again. “And that’s why I need to understand what happened to him. None of this makes sense, Father. I need answers.”
My father’s jaw tightened, his expression hardening like stone. “He died in an accident,” he said flatly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “That’s all you need to know.”
“An accident?” I repeated, stepping closer to him, my disbelief evident in my voice. “Kael wasn’t careless. He wasn’t the type of man to just wander into the road and get himself killed. You know that as well as I do. There’s more to this, isn’t there?”
My father didn’t respond. His silence was heavier than any words he could have spoken, and it only fueled my frustration.
“I spoke to one of the guards,” I said, my voice firm as I pressed him further. “He told me Aria was there when it happened.”
At the mention of her name, my father’s expression shifted. His eyes darkened, and his lips pressed into a thin line. It was a subtle reaction, but I caught it.
“Aria was in Kael’s *suite* two nights before his death,” I continued, lowering my voice but not my intensity. Now Kael is dead? You expect me to believe that’s just a coincidence?”
“Watch your tone, Zander,” my father warned, his voice as sharp as a blade cutting through the air.
“What aren’t you telling me?” I demanded, my frustration boiling over. “Did Kael change his mind about marrying her? Did he call off the wedding? Did she… did she kill him because of it?”
My father’s eyes narrowed, and I could see his hands tightening into fists at his sides. “Enough,” he snapped, his voice filled with the authority I had grown up fearing.
I stared at him, my chest rising and falling with restrained anger. “You know something, don’t you?” I said, refusing to back down. “What is it, Father? What really happened that night?”
He exhaled slowly, his gaze never leaving mine. The silence stretched between us until he finally spoke. “Kael made mistakes,” he said, his voice low and measured. “Mistakes that cost him his life. But the alliance between our packs cannot falter because of his recklessness.”
“That’s not an answer,” I said, my voice rising as my patience wore thin. “If Aria had anything to do with Kael’s death, she should be held accountable. We can’t just let her-”
“You will do nothing,” my father interrupted sharply, his tone colder and more commanding than ever. “Do you hear me, Zander? You will not speak of this again.”
I clenched my jaw, my fists tightening at my sides as anger and disbelief surged through me. “Why?” I demanded, my voice trembling with frustration. “Are you protecting her?”
“I am protecting this pack,” he said sharply, his words cutting through the air like a whip. “And you will do the same.”
I stared at him, my mind racing with disbelief, anger, and confusion. “You’re willing to let Kael’s death go unanswered,” I said, my voice low but filled with accusation, “Just to secure an alliance?”
“This isn’t about Kael,” my father said, his voice sharp and unwavering as he stepped closer to me. His movements were deliberate, his presence commanding. “This is about something far bigger than you or me. This is about the survival of our pack. The alliance with the Nightshade pack is the only thing keeping us from the brink of war. If you jeopardize that alliance, you risk everything. Everything Kael gave his life for.”
His words hit me hard, but they didn’t sit right. My chest tightened, my breath coming shallow as I shook my head in disbelief. “You’re asking me to ignore the truth,” I said, my voice low and filled with frustration. “You’re asking me to let her walk away from this-free, without punishment.”
“No,” my father said sharply, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. His piercing gaze locked onto mine, and I could feel the weight of his authority pressing down on me. “I’m asking you to fix this.”
I frowned, confusion clouding my thoughts. “Fix it? What do you mean by that?”
His expression didn’t waver, his eyes cold and unyielding. “After the funeral,” he began, his voice calm but carrying an edge of finality, “you will take Kael’s place. You will mate with Aria, and you will secure the alliance with the Nightshade pack.”
The words struck me like a blow to the chest, knocking the air out of me. For a moment, I could do nothing but stare at him, trying to process what he had just said.
“What?” I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.
“You heard me,” he replied, his tone steady and devoid of any sympathy. “The wedding will proceed exactly as planned. The only difference is that you will take Kael’s place as the groom. This is the only way to guarantee the alliance remains intact. There is no other option.”
“You can’t be serious,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief. My voice rose as anger surged through me. “You want me to marry the woman who might have killed my brother? To stand at that altar and pretend none of this happened?”
“You have no choice,” he said firmly, his tone final and unrelenting. “If you refuse, there will be consequences. You will not inherit the Silverfang throne. Do you understand me, Zander?”
I stared at him, my mind spinning with anger, disbelief, and a growing sense of helplessness. This wasn’t a suggestion. This wasn’t a discussion. It was an order-a command from the alpha of the pack, and it left no room for argument.
“You’re asking me to mate with a murderer,” I said, my voice trembling with barely controlled rage. Every word felt like it was being dragged out of me, heavy with the weight of my emotions.
“We don’t know that she killed him,” my father replied coldly, his tone as sharp as the edge of a blade. “And even if she did, it doesn’t matter. What matters is the alliance. The survival of this pack is more important than your feelings or your suspicions. You will do as you’re told.”
I turned away from him, my hands trembling as I gripped the edge of the desk for support. My mind was a storm of thoughts and emotions I couldn’t control. Kael’s death was still fresh, the pain of losing him still raw in my chest. And now, on top of that, I was being forced to step into his place-to marry the woman who might have been responsible for his downfall, maybe even his death. It was too much, but my father didn’t care. He had made up his mind, and to him, nothing else mattered.
“Do you understand me, Zander?” my father asked again, his tone colder, harder, like ice cutting through the air.
“Yes,” I said through gritted teeth, my words heavy with the weight of my rage and resentment. My throat felt tight, my chest burning with emotions I couldn’t express. “I understand.”
But as I left his study, my mind was already racing. My father might have thought he could force me into this, but I wasn’t going to just let things go. My heart burned with a single, unyielding thought: *I would find out the truth. No matter what it took, I would uncover what really happened to Kael. And if Aria had anything to do with his death, I would make her pay for it.*