Chapter 21

LUNA POV

After one hour and the 20-minutes trip from Astoria, we finally arrived at St. Helen's town. The place gives a sparse suburban feel and most houses are beautiful. We passed by some bars, coffee shops, and parks. I remember this place. This was the place Elli mentioned before. She told me that this place celebrates Halloween for the entire month of October. I planned to go with her before but I wasn't able to do that because my brother don't want me to.

I've been crying the whole time while going here. My heart is in pain after Hector told me that we would go to a funeral. We will attend Matilda's funeral. Stefan called Hector and said that after fighting in the hospital for days, Matilda's body finally gave up. She sustained four gunshot wounds on her body that cost a lot of her blood. Hector's men came into the mansion to see Matilda on the floor bath in her blood. They rushed her to the hospital but in the end, she still died.

"Luna, we are almost there. Please compose yourself," Hector said.

"No, Hector. It was my fault. I left her alone in the mansion. This would never happen if not because of me. The men are after me. I am the one who should be dead by this time," I sobbed while talking to him.

"Please don't say that Luna. It was not your fault. Matilda just tried to protect you." he replied.

"Matilda is so good Hector. I will forever be thankful to her," I said as my tears continue to drop.

"You are right Luna. She's a mother to me. People involved with her death shall pay. I will make them pay for it." I saw his jaw clenched and her eyes turned red. I know he wants to cry and he is trying to control himself.

"We are here Luna. This is Matilda's home." Hector told me as he parks the car in front of a house.

Matilda's home is very simple and it looks peaceful. Its architectural style was Italianate. It is a white house with stairs in front. It has emphatic eaves supported by corbels, low-pitched roofs barely discernible from the ground, and flat roofs with a wide projection.

There are some people inside. I saw Stefan and Francis come out to welcome us. Francis still has a bandage on his left arm and another bandage on his forehead. I approached the two men as my tears rolled down my eyes.

"Francis, Stefan, I am so happy to see you two safe," I told them.

"Yes, Luna. We are still lucky to escape from the angry bad Alpha," Stefan said with a slight smile on his face.

"I want to see Matilda's coffin," I said as my voice cracked.

"Please come in, Luna. Matilda's family is waiting for you and Hector." Francis invited us.

As the front door swung open, I saw some people wearing black and they are all crying. I tried to walk as Hector holds my hand tight. I know he is feeling the pain that I am feeling now. It has been a while since I've known Matilda, but she means a lot to me. She took care of me and always comforts me.

As we approached the white coffin, I started to burst into tears and Hector hugged me tightly. We saw Matilda's face sleeping peacefully in her death. She is helpless when those heartless people killed her. Is that how desperate they want to have me, that they could even kill innocent people?

I can't stop myself from crying, she doesn't deserve this kind of death.

As we stayed in the house hours before we will lay her to her eternal peace, I got to talk to her relatives. Matilda spent the rest of her life serving Hector's family. She only has one little sister and two cousins. Her few friends also visit her. I saw Hector sitting in one corner of the house. I can sense that he is broken. He has teary eyes.

"Hector, are you OK?" I sat beside him.

"Yes, I am trying to be OK. Another person died because of the enemies. I remember how they took the life of my mother. And now, it is Matilda. Her death deserved revenge." he said in a firm voice.

I felt the need to hug and comfort him. He is broken and in pain.

I was about to hug him when I heard voices coming into the house.

A woman in a black dress with wavy hair approached us. It was Jasmine her finance. Hector stands up and approached her.

Jasmine shared a worried look as she reached for Hector and hugged him tightly.

I saw Hector hug her back and I felt a pain in my chest.

Oh, Luna, this is not the time for your jealousy. I told myself.

Hector brought Jasmine to the other side of the room as they talked. Jasmine is with three men and two women. They went to a corner to talk.

I am alone now and I just remained where I am sitting as I burst into tears again.

It's getting late now, I can see the sunset slowly turning the sky into the red. We are in the cemetery to put Matilda into her final rest.

I remember the same feeling and pain when my parents and my brother died. Stefan and Francis comforted me as I kept on crying.

Hector and Jasmine were on the other side. They are comforting each other too.

After the funeral, Francis and Stefan invited me again to ride in their car. Hector and Jasmine were together. She never left Hector's side the entire time. She was a bitch. But I should not feel this way towards her. She is Hector's fiancé in the first place.

As I made my way to the car, my sight caught someone from afar. He is sitting in his Lexus sports car. He is wearing a simple V-neck shirt and blue pants. I recognized him, it was Lucas the man I met in Astoria early this morning. What is he doing here?

I turned to see Hector and Jasmine as they enter the car. I heard Stefan calling me to come in.

I gaze at Lucas one more time, he is inside the car now. As if trying to look in our direction.

We left the place. I looked at the side mirror to see if he will follow us, but he didn't. I wonder if he knew Matilda or Hector's family. Or maybe, it was just by accident to meet him at the cemetery.

We arrived at Matilda's home again. Stefan said we would spend a night here. They gave me a separate room. Next to my room was Hector's and Jasmine's room. I can't take this, thinking they will stay in a room for the whole night. I can imagine the things they will do the rest of the night.

Stefan and Francis will sleep in the other room.

Before we went to sleep, Francis invited us for dinner. There were rice, meat, and some vegetables. I can also see pasta on the plate. We ate silently until Jasmine spoke.

"How I wish Hector, these things would be over," she said.

I raised my head to see her looking straight at me.

"After all of these Hector, I think we can start planning for our wedding," she glanced at Hector who is now drinking a glass of water.

"Let me finish the mission first Jasmine. This is an important thing to my father," he said in a calming voice.

"When will you go to bring Luna to your father? She asked.

Hector turned to me and said,

"Tomorrow night. It will be the April's Full moon tomorrow night,"