Two Ceremonies and a Funeral

My best friend Sophia was completely shocked by my decision, but her tone was also laced with excitement.

"Emma, are you finally ditching Luke? You've grown up with him, we all thought you'd never bond with anyone else but him!"

I stared out the window, the howls of wolves echoing from deep within the forest.

"I can't bond with Luke anymore. He's going to bond with Alina. He can't have two Lunas at the same time."

"What!? He and Alina broke up ages ago! His mother would never allow it."

"His mother just passed away. Now the biggest obstacle between him and Alina is gone."

"I'm so sorry, Emma. My condolences. His mother loved you—we all knew that."

Yes, everyone knew. My parents had died fighting for Luke's pack—the Wildfire Pack—and I had been raised there as an orphan, growing up alongside him.

Luke's mother, Monica, adored me. She knew I'd loved Luke since we were kids and had always wanted to push us together.

Sophia’s voice came through again from the phone.

"But what about Luke himself? When he heard my brother wanted you, he held a press conference with the alliance and shouted to the reporters, 'I love Emma, I’ll only love her in this lifetime!'"

"Emma Klein, no other werewolf man can have you! Any pack that dares to take you will face war with the Wildfire Pack!"

Sophia exaggeratedly mimicked Luke's voice and tone, and I could only laugh bitterly on the other end of the line. But I knew those were Luke's exact words back then.

"That was his love for me in this lifetime. But with his mother's passing today, it's over."

"Anyway, Emma, I’m so happy for you! Luke’s an idiot. He doesn’t know that his pack’s combat strength is only 10% of my brother’s. My brother never proposed to you because he respected your choice to be with Luke. But now, he finally has his chance. Do you want me to come get you? Whatever you want, I’m on your side."

Before I could respond, Luke suddenly pushed open the door, his amber eyes flashing with a wild light.

"What plan? Emma Klein, stay out of my business with Alina. Don't arrange anything disgusting for me."

"I promised my mother that I’d bond with you. I will keep my word. Just wait patiently," he said.

I thought he'd come back because of his mother's passing, but it seemed he didn't even know.

"Luke, the focus isn’t on who you’re bonding with right now. The focus is that your mother, Monica, just passed away at home."

Luke’s expression froze for a moment before he said seriously, "Emma, sit down. We need to talk."

After I sat, he extended a clawed finger and held up a single digit.

"All I need you to do is one thing: be patient and wait a little longer."

"I promise you, once Alina and I finish the ceremony, I'll leave her and come to you that same day."

"It’s only a few days. Can’t you wait?"

"Emma, show a little sympathy. Alina’s mother did a lot for me, I’m just helping her fulfill her last wish."

As he spoke, he pressed a kiss to my forehead, then grabbed my hand, his voice soft but his words cold and warning.

"But I won't tolerate you cursing my mother's death just to stop me from being with Alina."

"My father passed away early. My mother raised us both alone. She loved you deeply, and you owe her a great deal."

"You lost your mother when you were young, so I can forgive you for not understanding a child's love for their parent. But I can't accept your cold-heartedness. Cursing her like that is unforgivable. If anyone else had been there, I would've punished you."

" But I cannot accept your cold-heartedness. Cursing her like that is unforgivable. If there had been a third person here, I would've punished you."

"I hope you can understand mine and Alina's situation. We're just trying to repay an elder's kindness."

"I don’t want to hear you mention my mother again. That’s all I have to say. Don’t disappoint me, okay?"

I stared into Luke's familiar amber eyes, but they felt more foreign than ever. It didn’t matter though. Monica couldn’t come back, no matter whether he saw her or not.

"Fine, go ahead. Have your ceremony with Alina."

Seeing me give in so easily, a faint smile tugged at Luke's lips. He thought I was scared, afraid he'd really leave me if he got serious. "After the ceremony, I'll be all yours. I promise you, I won't sleep with her."

"Mm, if that makes you happy."

Luke looked relaxed and cheerful, almost whistling as he turned to leave. He was about to say something else when the sound of a car horn outside interrupted him.

I wondered if the people I had scheduled from the funeral home had come to pick up Monica’s body. My wolf, Shadow, however, told me it wasn’t them—it was Alina coming to pick up Luke.