Half Faced Alpha
Chapter 42

Alpha Axton sat, propped up on the bed's headboard by Beta Scott, with a feather pillow to support him. Back then, the first time, he had been able to stand and balance the dead weight of his left on his right, now it seemed like the right was way too weak too. Beta Scott returned much later, with some food for Axton and boiled herbs to help him with his strength and to ease the pain a little. Axton, however was mostly nonchalant. He didn't care about his condition, and didn't see the prospect of becoming better any time soon. The only thing that helped him get by was Natalia.

Her visit earlier that afternoon had confirmed to him that she still loved him, even though he had hurt her. And it would take time for her to forgive him, but she eventually would. He knew her that much, and he was sorry she was such a beautiful soul when he had long given his soul to the devil.

"Before I forget, Alpha. You asked me to prepare a funeral for the healer's husband. You mean, because he was just buried without the normal ceremony for wolves, you want to redo it, Right?" Alpha Axton nodded, then raised his right hand to push the food gently away. Beta Scott kept the spoon back, then sat on his normal seat, and kept the food tray beside him on the floor. "Are you done organizing it?"

"No, just halfway. I will be done by tonight, and hand out a message to the messenger. But..why do you want to do it?"

"Because I did not do it back then. It was my fault, and I evaded that responsibility. Also, I have a few words to say, and I want to pay my respects."

Beta Scott looked at him. "Are you saying you are going to the funeral?"

"You will hold me up, will you not?" He said and snickered. "I just have so much to be sorry for."

"I know you do, but do not be so hard on yourself. The most important thing is your realization."

Axton nodded and let Beta Scott arrange the blanket over him.

"Natalia came by today," he told him, and immediately felt his eyes moisten. He tried to laugh to wave it off, but the tears in his eyes were there to stay. It was probably his way of saying all the things he should have said. "What did she say? Did she yell?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. Natalia would not come over here just to yell at me. I guess she just came to see me."

"Has she...thought of forgiving you yet?"

Alpha Axton looked at him, then forced a smile as the tear fell off the side of his eye. "I will give her all the time in the world to." He answered, and Beta Scott heard the deep emotion laced between his words. "Maybe we should," He said and leaned back on the chair.

Natalia watched the long line of shifted wolves carrying a long flag on their back as they matched in two lines. She wondered what was going on, as she had been woken up that morning by the loud howls of wolves.

It was her first time seeing any of them this way, all shifted into their wolves. Axton had been the only one to shift in front of her.

The procession followed a howl that sounded like a dirge on its own, and right beside them were crying people. Come to think of it, most of the wolves there were black wolves, and they seemed to be doing a funeral procession.

She looked down at her mother's necklace, and then wore it back on her neck. Whatever she has found out now did not quite change the fact that Selina was her mother.

She turned back to the funeral, and there she saw the old woman who had come in to check om Axton the other day, silently crying. She walked behind the wolves as her body trembled slightly, with the omegas, Michael and Olsen walking behind her.

She almost let herself entertain the thought that something could have happened to Axton, but then, a knock came on the door, jolting her out of her thoughts. Natalia immediately went to open it, expecting Axton. Beta Scott gave a small smile instead, and she gave a small disappointed huff.

"You must have been woken by the howls. It is a funeral procession." She nodded, then looked over this shoulder.

"The healer's husband?"

Beta Scott nodded. "Alpha Axton wanted to set things right with the family, especially since he is the first person from the pack to undergo such fate. Anyway, I am telling you that I and Alpha Axton will be out for the funeral." "Will he be able to go there?"

Beta Scott nodded. "I will help him, you do not have to worry. It is you I am worried about." "What do you mean?"

"I mean...we are all leaving. I do not want to lock you like a prisoner because Alpha Axton would hate me for it, and I also do not want to completely rely on the mixed feelings you have for Axton right now. I do hope you understand." She watched him quietly, then nodded.

"Please...just stay here." He added, then without waiting for her answer, he turned away towards alpha Axton's room.

She stood there, watching the room till the door slowly opened, and Beta Scott came out, with alpha Axton leaning on him.

He was wearing a black cloak that covered everything in his body, including his face.

"Is this fine?" Beta Scott asked.

"Yes."

She could hardly recognize his voice. His voice had been a beautiful musical note all by itself, now it was more raised. Like grazing iron on a stone.

She went back into the room as they passed by her door slowly, and for a second, he stood outside her door, letting his right hand's palm feel it.

It reminded him of the times he could just walk in there without waiting, and she would accept him without questions. It reminded him of the times she asked him to come to her and he would, not really because she had asked, but because more than anything, he wanted it too.

"Can we go?" Beta Scott asked, and alpha Axton nodded his head.

He guided him through the long hall way and then down the stairs, then slowly out the house too.

The funeral went on peacefully, and alpha Axton dropped the last flower. He paid his respects as they finished, and then the wolves waited for his address, like it should be.

"Ten years ago...I made an unfortunate choice. One that brings us all here, ten years later. I do not have a justification, neither am I going to ask to be understood, all I want is to be forgiven. That night, I did not realize, that rather than a child and a mother, I was harming two children and their mother. I hope each one can forgive me. For ten years, this pack regained most of it's peace while I was locked away, and I believe no one here is ready to lose that. Including I." Natalia watched rom the window, her lower lip between her teeth.

"For some time, I will hand over the pack's sovereignty to Beta Scott who will...I promise, not instill terror like I did. After my recovery, when I come back, I will make sure I do not too. I apologize for the reign of terror. I know it does not take away all those years, but I how it will birth a new era."

For a while there was silence. Alpha Axton knew they would need time, just like Natalia, but he hoped by doing this, he would be a proud mate to her. Even if he stayed bedridden for life.

"We hope so too, alpha." The healer said, and as if it was the push they needed, everyone nodded their agreement.

Alpha Axton made it back home with Beta Scott, feeling a little light. He sat on the stairs and leaned backwards, and Beta Scott sat next to him.

"You are quite the orator, but you should have, at least told me before hand."

Axton smiled. "I did. Take care of the pack."

Beta Scott nodded. “Be fast and be well. I have a love story to witness, and wedding bells to ring."

It made alpha Axton laugh and he laid down fully on the stairs, then sighed up to the now white ceilings. "I never got to thank her for the new paint." "You will have a lot of time to," Beta Scott replied and it caused alpha Axton to snicker

"You think so?"

"I know so. she loves you. And you love her too."

Axton laughed, watching the ceiling. "Who would have thought?"

Comfortable silence enveloped them, until they heard a meek, unsure voice.

"Alpha?" Beta Scott rose to a seating position immediately, then turned to help Axton sit up too.

The brothers, Michael and Olsen were standing a little far away from the foot of the stairs, and Olsen was in front of Michael, rubbing his hands.

Axton struggled to keep his face calm. He was so used to attack, to not being at peace, he knew it would take some time for him to adjust to the person he has decided to become.

"Is something...wrong?" He asked in his lowest possible voice.

"We came to apologize...for what happened the other say. We were wrong, and we should have asked you first. Mother told us about how you asked her for forgiveness too, and we should have been easy." Alpha Axton nodded. 'Yes, you should have,' he thought to himself. 'but I was not too.

"It is all in the past."

Olsen nodded and Michael muttered a small thank you.

"Can we...ask Miss too? She must have been so scared."

"You do not have to. She understands. She knows how you feel." He hated how true that was.

They nodded and bowed again, then turned to leave.

"Alpha?" Michael turned to him.

Alpha Axton raised a brow. "Yes?"

"I wish you quick recovery."

Alpha Axton smiled, the first expression he wasn't forcing. "Thank you."

It felt even better that it had come from Michael, the one who had witnessed his father's death, and the one who hated the alpha the most.

They nodded and walked out of the house.

"Really. Who would have thought?" Beta Scott said, then turned to him.

"I know." he let his body freely lay back down on the stairs, and he stared up again.

"Who would have thought?"