# CHAPTER 26: THE FUNERAL
Three days pass.
Three days of preparation. Ritual. Mourning.
The Blackwood Pack comes together. From across the country. From Canada. From Europe. Wolves who knew Elena. Respected her. Loved her.
They gather at the mansion. Filling every room. Every corridor. Sleeping on floors. On couches. In the forest. Under the stars.
A sea of golden eyes. A chorus of grief.
Alana watches from a distance. Still uncertain of her place. Still learning who she is.
*They look at me differently now,* she thinks. *Since I howled. Since I claimed my name.*
*Some with hope. Some with suspicion. Some with fear.*
*I don't know what they see. A Luna? A stranger? A threat?*
Alexander moves among them. Greeting each arrival. Accepting condolences. Playing the Alpha. Even as his heart breaks.
*He hasn't slept. Has barely eaten. Throws himself into the preparations. Anything to avoid the silence. The emptiness.*
Alana wants to reach for him. To hold him. To whisper that she understands.
But the words won't come.
*We're both broken. Both grieving. Both lost.*
*How do you heal together when you're both bleeding?*
---
The funeral is held at dusk.
The pack gathers in a clearing. Deep in the forest. Ancient stones mark the circle. Moss-covered. Weathered by centuries.
This is sacred ground. Where pack members have been laid to rest for generations. Where the earth remembers every soul.
Elena's body lies on a stone platform. Wrapped in white silk. Flowers covering her. White roses. Lilies. Baby's breath.
Beautiful. Peaceful. Like she's sleeping.
Alana stands in the crowd. Near the back. Close enough to see. Far enough to observe.
*This is their world. Their traditions. Their way.*
*I'm still learning. Still watching. Still... new.*
Alexander stands at the front. Beside the platform. His face is pale. His jaw tight. His golden eyes are dry. But his hands tremble.
Derek stands beside him. Support. Steadfast. A hand on his brother's shoulder.
The crowd falls silent.
An elder steps forward. Grey hair. Weathered face. Eyes that have seen too much.
"We gather," he intones, "to bid farewell to Elena Pierce. Luna of the Blackwood Pack. Mother. Protector. Keeper of secrets and traditions." He pauses. Looks at Alexander. "She lived a life of sacrifice. Of love. Of quiet strength."
*Quiet strength. Yes. That was Elena.*
*Carrying the truth for thirty-two years. Protecting me. Protecting her son. Even from the grave.*
The elder continues.
"She joins now those who came before. Her parents. Her ancestors. The first wolves who roamed these mountains." He raises his hands to the sky. "May the moon guide her. May the earth embrace her. May her spirit run free in the eternal forest."
The pack responds. A low hum. A prayer. A farewell.
*This is what family looks like. Not just blood. But shared grief. Shared history. Shared love.*
Alana feels tears slip down her cheeks.
*I didn't know her well. But she knew me. Protected me. Told me the truth when no one else would.*
*I owe her. More than I can ever repay.*
---
The ceremony continues.
Wolves come forward. Place flowers on Elena's body. Speak words of remembrance. Of gratitude. Of love.
Alana watches. Waits.
*Should I go forward? Do I have the right?*
*I'm not pack. Not really. Not yet.*
But then Alexander's eyes find hers. Across the crowd. A silent invitation. A plea.
*Come. Be with me.*
She moves. Through the throng. Past faces she doesn't recognize. To the front.
She climbs the platform. Stands beside Alexander. Takes his hand.
He grips it like a lifeline. His fingers cold. Trembling.
*He's falling apart. And trying so hard to hold together.*
*For the pack. For his mother. For everyone but himself.*
Alana picks up a white rose. Places it on Elena's chest. Leans close. Whispers.
"Thank you. For everything. I won't forget."
A sound escapes Alexander. A sob. Barely suppressed.
Alana turns. Wraps her arms around him. Holds him.
*Let go. Just for a moment. Let someone else carry the weight.*
He buries his face in her shoulder. His body shakes.
"I can't do this," he whispers. "Not without her."
"Yes, you can." Alana's voice is soft. Steady. "You're not alone. Not anymore."
*We're both broken. But maybe... together... we can be whole.*
---
The ceremony ends.
Elena's body is lowered into the earth. The pack howls. A chorus of grief that echoes through the mountains. Rising. Falling. Rising again.
Alana joins them. Her voice blending with the others. A howl of sorrow. Of rage. Of promise.
*I will avenge you. I will avenge my mother. My father. My baby.*
*I will end him.*
When it's over, the crowd disperses. Returns to the mansion. To food. To drink. To the sharing of stories.
Alana stays. At the graveside. Watching the fresh earth.
*So many dead. So much loss.*
*When does it end?*
A hand touches her shoulder.
She turns.
Derek stands behind her. His face is grave. His amber eyes are wet.
"She loved you," he says quietly. "Even before she met you. Because you were Serena's daughter. Because you were the hope she clung to."
Alana's throat tightens.
"I wish I'd known her better."
"We all wish many things." Derek sighs. "But wishes don't change the past. Only actions change the future." He meets her eyes. "What will you do now?"
Alana considers the question.
*What will I do?*
*The retrieval is tomorrow. The egg harvest. The beginning of the plan.*
*But Elena's words echo in my mind.*
*Choose love. Not vengeance. Not fear.*
"I'll do what needs to be done," she says finally. "For Elena. For my mother. For my baby." She pauses. "And for Alexander."
Derek nods slowly.
"He needs you. More than he'll ever admit." He looks toward the mansion. "He's been fighting alone for so long. Pushing everyone away. Believing he doesn't deserve comfort. Or love." His voice drops. "Prove him wrong."
Alana watches Derek walk away. His figure disappearing into the trees.
*Prove him wrong.*
*How?*
*By staying. By fighting. By refusing to leave.*
*Even when it's hard. Even when it hurts. Even when everything in me wants to run.*
---
The mansion is crowded.
Alana enters through the back. Avoiding the main rooms. Seeking quiet. Space to breathe.
She finds a small library. Hidden in a corner of the house. Empty. Dark.
She sits on a couch. Closes her eyes. Exhaustion washes over her.
*Three days. Three days of mourning. Of rituals. Of grief.*
*Tomorrow, the retrieval. The next step. The war continues.*
*When do I get to rest?*
The door opens.
Alana's eyes snap open. Her body tenses.
A figure stands in the doorway. Tall. Broad. Silver hair. Cold blue eyes.
Marcus.
---
The air leaves the room.
Alana stands. Her heart races. Her hands tremble.
*No. Not here. Not now.*
"What are you doing here?" Her voice comes out steady. Cold.
Marcus steps inside. Closes the door behind him.
"I'm mourning my wife." He gestures to his black suit. "The same as everyone else."
"You're not mourning." Alana's hands curl into fists. "You're plotting. Planning. Looking for your next opportunity."
Marcus smiles. Thin. Cruel.
"You wound me, Alana. I loved Elena. In my own way." He approaches. Slow. Predatory. "We were married for thirty-five years. A long time. Longer than most marriages last."
"You killed her."
"Did I?" He tilts his head. "Cancer is a terrible disease. It takes without discrimination. Without mercy." His eyes gleam. "Or perhaps... it was encouraged. By years of stress. Of fear. Of knowing what her son was planning."
Alana's blood runs cold.
*He knows. He knows about Alexander's investigation. About the evidence.*
*Or maybe he's bluffing. Trying to rattle me.*
"You're a monster," she says.
"I'm a survivor." Marcus steps closer. Too close. His breath is warm on her face. "The same as you. The same as Alexander. We all do what we must to protect what's ours."
"I don't protect through murder."
"No?" He raises an eyebrow. "You agreed to a plan. To trap me. To destroy me. How is that different?"
Alana freezes.
*How does he know? How much does he know?*
*Is there a spy? A leak? Someone close to us?*
Marcus laughs. Soft. Low.
"Don't look so surprised, my dear. I've been watching Alexander for years. Monitoring his movements. His communications. His alliances." His eyes bore into hers. "I know about the surrogate plan. The fake IVF. The baby that's supposed to be Derek's." He pauses. "But is it?"
Alana doesn't respond. Doesn't breathe.
*He knows. He knows everything.*
*The trap. The deception. The truth.*
Marcus reaches out. Touches her face. His fingers are cold. Like death.
"It doesn't matter," he says softly. "Derek's child or Alexander's. Either way, it carries Pierce blood. Either way, it's mine." He leans closer. His lips brush her ear. "And so are you."
Alana jerks back. Her hand flies to her chest. To the pendant.
"Stay away from me."
Marcus smiles.
"I admire your spirit. Your fire. Your mother had the same." His voice drops. "It makes breaking you so much more satisfying."
He turns. Walks to the door. Pauses. Looks back.
"The retrieval is tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you." His eyes gleam. "Carry well, Alana. My grandchild needs a strong vessel."
The door closes behind him.
Alana stands frozen. Her body trembles. Her heart pounds.
*He knows. He knows everything.*
*The plan. The baby. The trap.*
*And he's not afraid.*
---
Minutes pass.
Alana can't move. Can't think. Can't breathe.
*He's been watching. Monitoring. Gathering intelligence.*
*We thought we were the hunters. But we're the prey.*
The door opens again.
Alana flinches. Backs away.
But it's Alexander.
His face is pale. His eyes wide.
"I saw him." His voice is rough. "Leaving this room. What did he say to you?"
Alana's throat is tight. She can't speak.
Alexander crosses the room. Grabs her shoulders. His grip is tight. Desperate.
"Alana. Talk to me. What did he say?"
"He knows." The words come out as a whisper. "About the plan. The IVF. The baby. Everything."
Alexander freezes.
"What?"
"He knows." Alana's voice breaks. "He's been watching you. Monitoring your communications. Your movements." She looks into his eyes. "He said... he said it doesn't matter. Derek's child or yours. Either way, it's Pierce blood. Either way, it's his."
Alexander's face twists. Rage. Fear. Devastation.
"No." He releases her. Steps back. Runs his hands through his hair. "This can't be happening. We were so careful. So..."
"He's been doing this for forty years." Alana's voice is hollow. "Killing. Manipulating. Surviving. He knows every trick. Every strategy. Every move."
Alexander paces. His jaw tight. His fists clenched.
"Then we change tactics. We adapt. We..." He trails off. His face crumbles. "I don't know. I don't know what to do."
Alana watches him. The Alpha. The warrior. The man who has fought alone for five years.
*Now he's lost. Just like me.*
*We're both lost.*
She approaches him. Places her hand on his arm.
"We figure it out together." Her voice is steady. Clear. "That's what mates do. That's what partners do."
Alexander looks at her. His golden eyes are wet.
"I don't deserve you."
"No." Alana's voice is soft. "You don't. Not yet." She pauses. "But you might. If we survive this."
A sound escapes him. Almost a laugh. Almost a sob.
"Is that a promise?"
"It's a possibility." Alana takes his hand. "And right now, that's all we have."
---
They stand in the library.
Two broken people. Facing an enemy who knows their every move.
*The retrieval is tomorrow. The baby. The trap.*
*And Marcus is waiting. Watching. Planning.*
*What do we do?*
Alana closes her eyes. Thinks.
*Elena's words. Choose love. Not vengeance. Not fear.*
*What does that mean? How do I apply it?*
She opens her eyes. Looks at Alexander.
"We proceed as planned."
Alexander frowns.
"But he knows—"
"He knows our strategy. Not our hearts." Alana's voice is firm. "The prophecy says the child must be born of love. A true bond. Marcus can't fake that. Can't steal that. No matter how much he watches." She meets Alexander's eyes. "If we conceive this child in truth. In hope. In connection. Then it's ours. Not his. And no amount of surveillance can change that."
Alexander is silent for a moment.
"You're saying we don't change the plan?"
"I'm saying we change the intention." Alana's voice drops. "Not revenge. Not justice. But love. For each other. For the baby. For the future we might have."
Alexander's face shifts. Understanding. Hope. Fear.
"That's... a big ask."
"I know." Alana nods. "But it might be the only way to win."
---
The night deepens.
Alexander and Alana sit in the library. Talking. Planning. Adjusting.
*The retrieval will proceed tomorrow. But with a different focus. Not just a trap. But a beginning.*
*Not just a weapon. But a child.*
*Not just vengeance. But hope.*
At midnight, Alexander stands.
"You should rest. Tomorrow will be... difficult."
Alana nods. Her body is exhausted. Her mind is racing.
"Where will you go?"
"To check on security. See how Marcus got his information. Find the leak." Alexander's jaw tightens. "And plug it."
"Be careful."
"Always." He reaches out. Touches her face. Gentle. Warm. "Thank you. For staying. For fighting. For... everything."
Alana doesn't respond. Just leans into his touch.
*I'm not staying for him. Not entirely. I'm staying for myself. For my mother. For my baby.*
*But maybe... a little bit for him too.*
He leaves. The door closes behind him.
Alana sits in the dark. Alone with her thoughts.
*Tomorrow. The retrieval. The next step.*
*Marcus knows. But he can't stop us. Not if we do this right.*
*Not if we choose love.*
She closes her eyes. Breathes.
*Elena. Watch over us. Guide us. Help us find the way.*
And in the darkness, she could almost swear she feels a hand on her shoulder. Warm. Gentle. Familiar.
*The Luna. Watching from beyond.*
*Protecting her pack. Even now.*
---
**END OF CHAPTER 26**
---