Chapter 34

I tried to not scrunch my nose as the smoke from the pyres tickled my nostrils. My eyes stung from the tears that began to trickle from them and my fingers pulled nervously at the hem of my black skirt.

Grayson stood a few feet ahead of me, he was emotionless and though he had attempted to keep me out, I could feel his guilt eating away at him. 

I have been to funerals before, but none could compare to this. 

Grayson turned to me and took my hand in his. Together we walked through the crowd and back towards the packhouse as the flames began to lick away hungrily at the wooden pyres. 

It was werewolf tradition to burn the bodies in the event of a death, so that our wolves may be set free from our bodies to roam the afterlife. Our ashes are then scattered in the forest, where we belong. A buffet had been set up in one of the packhouse's giant living rooms for the entire pack to attend, but upon returning home Grayson retreated to his office.&