Twice Rejected
Chapter 12

BETA CHESTER POV

If anyone could describe the pain that Alpha Niyol was passing through, I would be the right person. I knew how much Luna Erika meant to him.

We grew up together and I watched as their friendship blossomed into an undying love after they discovered they were fated to be mates.

They loved each other selflessly. There was no day they won’t be seen cuddling or strolling together with their hands wrapped tightly. The alpha lived for his Luna. Every second of his life, he always included a thought for her.

I am not just his Beta but I am also his friend and confidant. I listened to how he talked about Luna Erika’s grief and how he wished he could replace a solution. The insults were becoming increasingly unbearable.

I could also see the reason why the Luna Queen decided to end her own life. The anger and whispers were long overdue in her chest. The depression was eating her up gradually until it swallowed her sanity.

Maybe she was tired of the whispers and curses. She must be thinking she had failed her duty as his wife and her duty as a Luna to the pack.

Nothing kills faster than a heart that keeps depression hidden. A face that says all Is well when it isn’t. A smile that lightens up the world of others yet can’t illuminate its own world.

How sad! It was indeed tragic!

These last few weeks, I have watched as she laughed and played with everyone in the Pack. She tried to distract those who cared about her from seeing her inner turmoil.

She ignored the biting comments with smiles. She always threw a banquet every now and then. She tried her best to look cheerful and accommodating.

We saw her as the Erika of old in her recent actions, but only she knew how much pain she had to bear.

Luna Erika had always been a vibrant person right from the start. But I had to watch how she hid herself into an enclosed shell over the years. I watched as she carried a weary expression all the time and there was nothing we could do about it.

Alpha Niyol tried all he could and he always had to battle with the Elders and his people over the issue of Luna Erika’s childlessness.

She must have had enough. She must have had the last thread of patience snapped out.

Turning to wipe the tears away from my face, I heard my Alpha’s broken tone which also represented his broken heart.

“Make preparations for the last rites of the Luna. I want Erika to be put to rest as the Luna she was.”

I knew it would come to this, but I also knew that it would be an Herculean task for the Elders to approve. According to the tradition of the Pack, a person that takes his or her life is thrown into the Moon forest without burial rites.

And she was Luna. It was already a bad omen and now, he was asking for a befitting burial?

“Your Grace. What about the Elders? They won’t approve of it”

“I don’t care what the Elders or anyone else say. Do what I just ask you!” Alpha Niyol’s voice was sounding aggressive.

“My Alpha…”

“You call me your Alpha and you don’t want to obey my word? If you don’t want to obey my word as the Beta, then do as I say if you truly are my friend.” He cuts me off.

I grew weak at his word. My duty as a Beta was to follow his orders, but also guiding him through the Pack’s tradition and customs.

“I will do as you say, your grace.” I responded with a bow.

As I turned to leave, I heard his faint voice behind me.” Is it that I have been a bad mate, Chester? Was that why Erika left me?”

I turned to look at him and with long strides I walk up to him.” How could you think so lowly of yourself? To be honest, I haven’t seen couples so much in love as the two of you.”

“Then why? Why would she do this to me!”

I watched as his tears threatened to fall. I signaled to all the guards to leave the room. Then I walked up to him and patted his back.

“You need to let it out…so you can be free. Let the tears flow so it can wash away all the dirty memories.”

“Why Chester! I love her so much! Why would the goddess take the only thing that gives me joy?”

“You just have to remain calm. We still need to tell her farewell. She still needs to cross over to the spirit world peacefully, but she wouldn’t if you keep lamenting like this.”

“I can’t help it, Chester. I am really hurting. Not even the piercing pain of the silver dagger can ever be as painful as what I’m passing through.” Alpha Niyol said in-between sobs.

I watched as he broke down in tears. I didn’t make a sound, I just stood by as he continued shedding his tears.

I left after a while to make the funeral preparations. I was going to be his friend… not his Beta… just this once.

After making the announcement to the Elders, they were so displeased but had no choice but to agree. According to the constitution of the pack, the alpha has the final say.

Performing the rites took up to three days and I watched my friend deteriorating with each passing day. He drank heavily to forget his sorrows, but once he became sober, the pain came in ten folds.

Sometimes I wished the Moon goddess could just smile on him once more. But that would be wishful thinking, right? But then sometimes wishes could be granted.

I watched him gritting in pain and self pity. In anger and loneliness that was eating him up slowly.

Until he became a shadow of his former self.

That was the fate of losing a mate to the cruel hands of death.