The Crystal Moon Curse: Book 1: CLAIMED

Chapter 31

GENESIS

"When I was five my father took me up Coburn Hill and showed me the view of our pack lands. He carried me on his shoulders and pointed out all the features that mark our territory. I was astounded at how big it was. To my five-year-old eyes, it was the whole world. Then he told me, one day I would be Alpha. My mom said I had big shoes to fill, so for a month I wore my dad's shoes everywhere, hoping my feet would grow suddenly. It wasn't until I fell and broke my arm that mom made me stop."

A light chuckle fills the open air where the pack is gathered for my father's funeral. It was the last one of the day. The end of one of the longest and most painful days of my life.

I look at the three rows of chairs in front of me filled with my mother, sisters, their mates, and all my sixteen beautiful nieces.

Sebastian stands behind me as I give my father's eulogy, and I draw strength from his presence.

"Growing up it never once occurred to me that the world would look at me differently for being a female Alpha because my father saw me as nothing less than what I was. Strong and capable.

He believed in me and made me believe in myself. He never once thought that our pack was cursed. Every daughter he and mom had was a blessing, every grand-pup was a treasure and his pack was the pride of his eye.

It was my father, Alpha Quill, that taught me our differences are our strengths. He taught me that the blessings we have must always be used to help others and to strengthen the pack. To his last breath, he defended us all when many of us, myself included, were unable to.

I am Alpha today because my father believed in me, he believed that the Moon Goddess had blessed him with a child that would be the first female Alpha of the were world and that this blessing would only strengthen Crystal Moon.

I am guilty of not believing him, but today I'm reminded of another man who believes as he did.

My mate, Alpha Sebastian Kane, once said to me that perhaps the Goddess was in fact blessing us so that Crystal Moon could change the tide, change the were-world for all she-wolves. He reminds me so much of my father, and my biggest regret is that my father will not be here to one day meet my pups."

I hear Sebastian breathe loudly behind me and feel him step closer to me, the heat from his body engulfing me. I gulp back tears that choke me and continue.

"Today I choose to believe this. That we are blessed. As I look at all of you before me. She-wolves who are strong, powerful, proud, and loyal, who defended the pack fearlessly, defeating those who would bring us to our knees - we are indeed blessed.

I know my father, Alpha Quill Highwater, is with the Moon Goddess, standing beside our fallen, taking care of them as he has always done. I know he looks down on us with pride, urging us to rise, stronger than ever, to honor the blessing and legacy that he has left us."

I turn and walk toward the funeral pyre where my father lay naked as the day he entered this world, as is our tradition. His horrific wounds, cleaned and sewn together, a bearskin fur, one of his own kills, covers him modestly and his face is a picture of pale peace.

With a trembling hand, I take the flaming torch from Kiara and bow my head to my Alpha one last time before setting the pyre ablaze.

A chorus of howls fills the air from the pack with pain, sorrow, grief, and pride. The howls grow and grow, hundreds of voices shaking the evening air giving honor to my father.

I cannot stop the tears from running freely as my heart gives in. Sebastian steps behind me, holding my back against his chest, sharing with me his strength.