Ch.2: THE DEATH

Lyn could only pace around her aunt's hut, unable to stop worrying. She was not allowed to see Lycia's condition and there was nothing she could do but pray. She only treated her bruises and wounds soberly. It wasn't Lyn's priority at the moment anyway; Aunt Lycia is.

The sounds of hurried footsteps and hustling outside alerted Lyn. She immediately came out of the hut and saw the pack members flocking to the Alpha's house. Lyn's heart was beating wildly. She closed and locked the hut when it seemed that no one was left behind. Lyn followed them to the Alpha's house, keeping her distance to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Lyn waited from behind the shadow of a tree which was a bit far from the crowd of pack members. The light of the full moon couldn't penetrate and the sky was overcast, providing more protection for Lyn. The girl still felt cold. Various bad possibilities crossed her mind.

“Oh no. This is horrible.”

Lyn's breath caught. What's horrible? What happened?

Lyn is very frustrated. She wanted to get closer, if necessary, push into the Alpha's house. Her worries had peaked to the top of the head making her dizzy and want to vomit. Something seems to be happening and Lyn fears it's not a good thing.

Beta Jude came out of the Alpha's house and called out in a booming voice. “Call that damned child over here!”

The people were taken aback by the order, but they had no trouble figuring out who Beta Jude was referring to. Some immediately ran to call Lyn, but they stopped in sudden when the girl came out from behind a tree. People gave way too wide for Lyn, treating her like a walking, contagious plague.

“Beta, did Auntie—”

“Enter!” Beta Jude cut in sharply, then went back into the Alpha's house.

Lyn was stunned for a moment before finally entering the Alpha's house, ignoring the sneers and humiliating whispers from the pack members behind her back.

It was the first time Lyn had stepped into the big wooden house since she was a baby. The interior was beautiful, but Lyn didn't have time to admire it all. Aunt Lycia need her.

As soon as Lyn entered the room where Lycia was being treated, the atmosphere suddenly became very claustrophobic and unbearable. Everyone in the room—Alpha Ordovic, Luna Lisha, Beta Jude and his wife Cybil, Lucas and Ruth, Etienne the healer—all stared at Lyn with suppressed hatred. Lyn tried to ignore them all and focused on Aunt Lycia who was lying weakly on the bed, smiling at her in a very motherly way.

“Aunt Lycia,” Lyn said softly, approached the woman and knelt beside the bed. Lyn held Lycia's hand with one hand and caressed her head with the other. “How do you feel?”

“How dare you ask how she feels!” snapped Luna Lisha.

“Lisha,” Lycia reprimanded weakly. She then looked at Lyn with affection. “I'm fine, Lyn. A little sleepy, but that's it.”

Lynexia started to cry. “I've never seen you sick before,” she whispered.

Lycia smiled weakly. “Because I deliberately did not want to show it to you. I—akh!”

Lycia's breath faltered suddenly, making her head half jerk upwards.

“Auntie!” Lyn panicked.

Luna Lisha immediately approached her sister. Her tears dripped. She half lifted Lycia's body and embraced her. Her gaze shifted to Etienne. Her voice was hoarse and full of rage. “Why are you just hanging there? Heal her!”

Etienne looked down apologetically. “The cold poison had already reached Miss Lycia's heart, Luna.” The middle-aged woman lowered her head even further. “I'm afraid there's nothing more we can do to prevent it.”

“Idiot!” Lisha roared. “You—!”

“Li—Lisha….”

“Lycia?” Lisha held her sister's face with one hand. Her tears flowed. “How come you never told me about this cold poison? What have you been thinking all this time?”

Lycia chuckled softly between her labored breaths. “I know there’s no cure for this poison, Lisha. There's no point worrying you all.”

Lisha's expression turned hazy. Her eyes glanced at Lyn with hatred before looking back at Lycia. “You don't want to be honest for her fucking sake, I know. And what will you get? Why do you care so much about her? If you told me from the start, we could still try to find the cure!”

“There is no cure,” Lycia repeated it again. “I've been taking medicine to slow down the effects of this poison, otherwise I would have died since many years ago.”

“Shut up!” Lisha sobbed.

Lycia's breath hitched again. She held her sister's hand, trying to speak as clearly as possible. “Don't kill Lynexia, Lisha.”

Lisha's face contorted in anger. “Ly—!”

“This is my last request.”

The room became silent. Lisha slowly looked at the crying Lyn. Lyn didn't dare to meet her gaze for long.

“Lyn… your daughter….”

Lycia took a sharp breath. Her face contorted in pain. Het lips started to turn blue and her body temperature rapidly turned cold. Dew came out of her mouth as she tried to inhale oxygen.

In the third sharp breath, Lycia's heart stopped beating

“Auntie…!”

“Lycia? Lycia!” Lisha shook her sister's body. She was screaming and shrieking as if she had lost her mind, calling her sister's name repeatedly while sobbing.

Alpha Ordovic hugged his Luna who was embracing Lycia tightly. His gaze then arrived at Lyn who was still kneeling beside the bed, looking down and sobbing just like Luna Lisha. The Alpha stood up and approached Lyn who didn't notice his movements. He grabbed his daughter's arm hard, startling Lyn. Alpha Ordovic dragged Lyn out of the house into the yard and threw Lyn's body until she fell to the ground.

“I won't kill you as a courtesy to me for Lycia,” Alpha Ordovic said in a low but dangerous way. His eyes gleamed viciously as he watched Lyn trying to get up. His alpha's aura of anger flared sharply and made everyone present tremble in fear. “But you're not allowed to live here anymore. I don't care where you go after this. All you need to do is get away from the Moonstone Pack and never show even a strand of your hair, or I'll lick my own spit and kill you with my hands on the spot.”

Lyn's back felt cold. She had no problem being forced to leave the pack, but there was one thing she wanted to do before she left.

“Alpha.” Lyn ventured. “Please allow me to attend Aunt Lycia's funeral.” Lyn's tears fell again. “I beg.”

Alpha Ordovic came down from the terrace and approached Lyn. His expression was so attached with hatred and anger. “Don't test my patience, you damned kid. You've burdened your aunt enough for your entire life.”

Alpha Ordovic roughly pushed Lyn's body until she fell again. “Pack your things and get out of here.”