Papa is gone

                          ~ELARA~

~~

I sat on the porch steps, chin resting in my hands, watching the other pups shift into wolves under the silver moon. Their laughter echoed through the trees, sharp as knives.

My chest ached. “Why don’t I have a wolf, Papa?” I asked, my small voice trembling.

My father knelt beside me, his large hand cupping my cheek. His golden eyes softened with warmth and grief.

 “You’re different, little moon. That doesn’t make you less. It makes you rare,” he said softly.

“But they say I’m broken.” I protested.

His jaw clenched, but he pulled me into his arms, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head.

 “Listen to me. You are not broken. You are my greatest gift. And one day, they’ll see what I see.”

~~

A childhood memory resurfaced as I ran back home.

My papa, my protector.

My papa, my world.

Moon goddess, no. It shouldn't be what I was thinking.

My tears kept rolling freely as I continued running.

My papa had promised to be back tomorrow. He had promised to bring back all the goodies I liked.

What did Lyra mean when she said something happened to my Papa??

I increased my pace, and stopped on my tracks when I got to the front of my house.

The night air was heavy with the metallic stench of blood and smoke. Shadows clung to the walls. Most of the pack members were gathered outside, their faces pale and drawn. 

The usual chatter of the village was replaced with whispers, sobs, and the sound of someone praying under their breath. A sorrowful aura hung like a suffocating fog.

What was happening??

Why were there so many people gathered at my house? I thought.

They turned to look at me, their gazes heavy with pity, like knives piercing through my chest.

I pushed myself through the crowd, desperate, breath ragged, until I stumbled inside.

Then I saw him.

My papa.

Lying lifeless on the floor, body battered, bruised and bloodied, while the alpha stood solemnly beside him. The scent of iron and earth filled my nose until I almost gagged.

“No!” I screamed as I crouched down beside his body immediately.

He wasn't breathing. He wasn't moving. Just laid like a corpse.

I shook my head, refusing to believe that he's dead. Because how can my papa be dead?? Who did he leave me behind for??

I touched his wounds softly with my fingertips, scared that my touch might cause him pain and I didn't want him to be in pains.

“Papa, your little moon is here. Can you open your eyes now?” I whispered softly.

There's no reply from him. Absolutely no movement from him.

“Papa, I have a lot to tell you. Something happened to me today. Open your eyes, Papa. Are you sleeping? Are you weak? Do you need enough time to rest?” I asked, sobbing bitterly as my tears dropped on my father's body.

He still didn't move.

“Papa, your little moon is crying. Remember, you hate to see me cry, right??”

Just then, my maid dropped on her knees to the ground beside me, crying bitterly. I didn't notice her presence before now.

“Why are you crying, Amara?” I asked her, still sobbing loudly. “What's happening?? Why are people gathered outside? Why is my father lying lifeless on the floor and not welcoming me home?”

Amara's cry intensified, but before she could speak, the alpha stepped forward. His tall figure cast a shadow across us. His usually unshakable expression was grim, and for a moment, I thought I saw guilt flicker in his eyes.

“Miss Elara,” she started, hiccuping as she tried to steady her voice. Then she continued to speak. “Beta Darius is dead. Your father is dead.”

“No!” I screamed loudly. “That can't be!”

“He's dead, Elara. He died while fighting off the rogues.” It was the alpha that spoke this time.

“Liars. You both are lying. My papa can't be dead. My papa can't leave me. He promised to never leave me. Right, Papa??” I screamed as I shook my father's body vigorously on the floor.

Despite the rough and vigorous shaking, my father didn't move, didn't even open his eyes to tell me that it was a prank and they're just lying.

So I wouldn't get to hear my papa's voice again??

I wouldn't get to hear him call me little moon, carry me up and twirl me around??

I wouldn't get to see him smile?? Or hear his laughter??

I wouldn't get to hear him taunt him after winning me in a fight with him? I wouldn't get to complete my martial arts training with him??

No, that couldn't be possible.

I increased the intensity of how I shook him.

“Wake up, Papa. You need to wake up please. You can't leave me all alone. Mother is gone. You can't leave me too” I cried out in tears.

Amara tried to free my grip from his body and drag me away but I shoved her hard and clawed back to my father's side.

“Moon goddess, please! Please save my papa. Save my papa! I beg you, moon goddess.” I yelled in tears, my voice hoarse.

But nothing happened. The room stayed silent. 

 My desperate pleas to the moon goddess fell on deaf ears. Instead, a white cloth was brought to cover up my father's body by one of the alpha's men.

“Stop covering him” I yelled at them, trying to snatch the fabric away from their hands. “My father is not dead. He's not dead!”

The alpha's men ignored my cries, their faces tight with grief as they gently draped the cloth over him. 

“No, no, no” I screamed, clawing at the shroud, still crying bitterly until Amara held me down and embraced me tightly.

“My papa can't be dead. My papa can't be dead. There's no way my papa is gone” I kept whispering in her arms, until I could feel myself losing consciousness.

Her sobs shook against me as I struggled in her arms. The room swayed, my vision blurred, and the world began to darken.

The last thing I heard was, “Miss Elara!” before losing consciousness completely and sealing my eyes shut.