CHAPTER FOUR – The funeral

　　Mike’s POV

　　I was holding Janet’s hand in a tight grip.

　　I needed her support. I would see my daughter for the first time in 15 years. I would see my true mate’s body being burned. I would need to talk to my daughter and ask her to come with me.

　　To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. I was freaking out.

　　“Mike?” I heard my name being called.

　　I turned around and saw my old best friend.

　　“Jack,” I mumbled his name.

　　He sighed and approached me and Janet. He continued walking toward the funeral site along with us.

　　“It’s Alpha Jack to you, but I will let it go this time,” he said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

　　He was still angry at me. He never used to insist I call him Alpha.

　　“This is my mate, Janet,” I said, looking at her and giving her a small smile.

　　“It’s nice to meet you, Alpha Jack,” Janet said politely.

　　Jack looked at her and gave her a small nod. He looked back at me and narrowed his eyes.

　　“Why are you here?” he asked.

　　I gulped and took a deep breath.

　　“Leah called me,” I said. “She asked me to take care of Madeline. I am here to take her home with me.”

　　Jack tightened his jaw and looked away from me.

　　“Maddie won’t be happy,” he mumbled. “She will refuse to go with you.”

　　I could tell that he wanted to say something else. He started fidgeting with his fingers. I knew that he did that when he was nervous. He was my best friend for years. I knew him.

　　“But?” I asked, making him glance at me again.

　　“But she will have to go,” he mumbled. “Her financial situation isn’t good and there isn’t much I can do to help.”

　　Shit. The cancer treatment probably cost a fortune.

　　“She is poor?” Janet asked, making Jack look at her wide-eyed.

　　That wasn’t very nice, Janet. I mind-linked her.

　　I just want to know what we are dealing with. She answered. We need to know how much it will cost us to take care of her.

　　“She is in a little bit of trouble,” Jack mumbled, narrowing his eyes at my mate.

　　I could tell that Jack was pissed at my mate for asking that.

　　I sighed and looked around.

　　So many people were going to the funeral. Most of them were crying and comforting each other. It was obvious that Leah was very loved.

　　I could see the burial site up ahead. I could already see Leah’s body. It was completely wrapped in a white sheet. It was tradition. Her body was laid on a structure made of wood. It would soon be burned. The tradition was for the funeral to be held at night. The bodies were burned because it was believed that the fire in the night will show the deceased the way to the Moon Goddess.

　　My heart clenched. I loved Leah. I loved her so much. I just wished that my love for her had been enough to keep me here.

　　My wolf retreated completely. He wasn’t able to witness his fated mate’s funeral.

　　He never completely forgave me for leaving. He understood why I left, but he always missed his pup. I knew that he would come back when I approached Madeline. He would want to see her.

　　I could feel people’s eyes on me. I could hear them whispering. I didn’t even need to hear what they were saying. I knew exactly what they thought of me. The warriors at the border almost didn’t let me in. One of them recognized me and I was sure that he was going to attack me. Thankfully, the other warrior mind-linked Jack, who allowed me to enter the pack.

　　Their opinions of me didn’t matter. I was here for my daughter. I was here to take her home with me.

　　Everything around me disappeared when my eyes landed on her.

　　Goddess, she was beautiful.

　　She looked just like Leah, but she had my eyes. Her hair was long and wavy, and the color was the same as mine. She was a perfect mixture of Leah and me, and she was beautiful.

　　She was staring at her mom’s body without blinking. She wasn’t crying though. Her face was expressionless.

　　“Is that her?” Janet asked.

　　I nodded, not moving my eyes away from my daughter. I wished that she would look up at me. I wished that she would smile at me as she did when she was a baby.

　　Jack approached her and pulled her into a hug. He whispered something to her, and she nodded.

　　She still didn’t look at me.

　　“Thank you all for coming,” Jack said as he let Madeline go.

　　He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and looked at Leah’s body. Luna Maria approached Madeline and Jack. She cupped Madeline’s cheeks and kissed her forehead. I saw a tear fall down Madeline’s cheek. Maria took Madeline’s hand in hers and looked at Leah.

　　“Leah was an amazing woman,” Jack said. “She was a wonderful mother and a great friend to us all. Everyone who knew Leah knows how much she loved her daughter. Everyone who knew Leah knows how devoted she was to our pack. We lost a great she-wolf, but we are all better people because we knew her.”

　　Jack turned to Madeline and asked her something quietly. She shook her head. Jack nodded and kissed the top of her head.

　　He looked at someone in the crowd and nodded.

　　A man approached the wooden structure and lit the wood on fire.

　　I looked at my daughter. She closed her eyes and bent her head down. A girl around her age approached her and pulled her into a hug.

　　“Let the fire lead her way,” Jack said.

　　“Let the fire lead her way,” I mumbled quietly.

　　I heard people around me mumbling the traditional proverb. Janet stayed silent. I sighed. It was disrespectful not to say it at a funeral.

　　Janet. I mind-linked her. Say it.

　　She glanced at me but kept quiet.

　　I tightened my jaw. I knew that I would have to talk to her about it later. I knew that Janet wasn’t too happy about my daughter coming home with us, but she could have at least said the damn proverb.

　　I looked at Leah’s body. It was almost completely gone.

　　My heart clenched. I wished that I could have seen her one more time before she died.

　　I sighed and looked back at my daughter.

　　Her wide eyes were fixed on me. She knew who I was. She had to know who I was. She recognized me. My pup recognized me.

　　I gave her a small smile.

　　Anger flashed in her eyes and she looked away from me.

　　Fear washed over me. Would my daughter even want to talk to me?