#Chapter 8 The Cold, Hard Truth

Olivia’s POV
Herold was still staring at me, waiting for me to reply. I fear I have exposed my identity, seeing him step forward, almost sizing me up, and at last he broke eye contact, seeing Gabriel cross the room toward us. The entire wake had been watching and seeing the Alpha King march over now only caused the interest in the room to spike more.
“Who are you?” Herold whispers, his tone harsh and taut.
“I am the Queen Luna,” I say, sure of my words.
Gabriel charges between us, snaking an arm around my hips and pulling me into his side charmingly. I find myself sinking into his grasp, comfortable with my mate; a feeling unfamiliar to me. He brushes his hand under my chin, sneaking a glare toward Herold in doing so, as though to mark his possessiveness over me in front of this falsely grieving Alpha.
“Is everything okay, my dear?” Gabriel asks, his eyes soft and kind in this moment. “What’s going on with the Alpha? Why has he upset you?”
I shake my head, trying to compose myself. I have to admit that being in the room with my old, failing body and my horrid excuse of a mate, I’ve let my anger get the best of me. I want to unleash it all now, to let every frustration free and finally break loose of this hold Herold has had on my heart but it’s impossible right now.
I shake my head, composing myself as a Queen Luna would. “I’m sorry, mate. I let my personal affairs get the better of me. I failed to mention before, I was actually friends with Luna Olivia. We texted back and forth for a long time and hearing how Herold treated her before her death and seeing him act like he is remorseful now; it pains me.”
“You should have told me, my dear,” Gabriel hums, shooting Herold a poorly look.
The Alpha of my old pack is back to his dilapidated state, slouching slightly and lost in his own head again. I hope he drowns in false grief. This is all his fault, anyways.
“I can’t help it, Gabriel. He treated his mate so poorly. He left her in her time of need for his mistress and let her rot in jail. I can’t stand seeing an Alpha act so helpless when he did this to himself. He got that girl killed.”
Gabriel must read my sadness, pulling me lovingly into his chest. I can’t help but enjoy the feeling of being held, of being so sympathetic to my emotions. It’s all I ever wanted as Olivia Opal. It’s the only thing that would have made Herold’s love for me real. At least then, when I was to die from liver failure, it would have been with a true lover at my side.
Gabriel brushes my cheek, keeping me secure in his arms. “It’s okay, my dear. Just breathe. We will handle this one way or another. I promise you. He will pay for his misdeeds in the end. The moon goddess is a fair soul.”
He has no idea.
Herold seems to have caught a look between Gabriel and I, his wolf humming gently in the base of his throat. He doesn’t like seeing me be held, part of me sure he has found out the truth by now by who I am and what has occurred. It’s impossible, though.
“Alpha Herold, I am going to request that you apologize for upsetting my mate.”
Herold seems shocked, his eyes tainted red on the rims. “Wh—What? Why?”
Gabriel holds me to his side, staring down the bridge of his nose at the poor excuse of my old mate. “It’s clear that you’ve mislead your grief in this funeral. If you have truly done what my mate claims, then you’re lying to everyone here about your sorrow. It has upset my mate who claims she was close to Olivia. I suggest you apologize now, Herold.”
Herold can’t help but seethe in his rage. He glances over at me in angst, shaking his head in defeat. “I didn’t intend to upset anyone. I’m sorry if I have, Queen Luna.”
Gabriel kisses my temple, his lips warm and tinder. “Better now, my dear?”
I open my mouth to speak, someone else catching my attention. Reese is leaning over the casket, fresh tears strolling down his cheeks. He tries to wipe them free but he can’t keep up, sobbing shamelessly at the sight of my old body in the casket.
My brother shakes his head, cursing under his breath, still in his hospital attire.
He should be at treatment right now, not here mourning over me.
“My Luna, Are you okay?” Gabriel hums a noise into my cheek. Herold has walked off at last, leaving us together, alone. “I’ve never seen you get so upset over something like this before. Last time you were so passionate about an argument, it was over my phone records.”
I furrow my brow. “I guess I don’t have it in me for any petty squabbles,” I sigh, watching my brother break at my casket. “There are more horrible problems in the world.”
“That makes me happy to hear.”
The breath catches in my lungs at once, seeing my brother start to heave uncontrollably. His breathing problems have worsened through the years and his asthma has made him poorly. It does so now, forcing him to turn, as though to leave, his hand clutching for his jean pockets under the gown.
He falls to his knees before he can leave and I rip myself from Gabriel, pulling free of his grasp on my hand that begs for me to stay at his side. The entire funeral watches now as Reese heaves for air, his eyes pale and colorless.
I reach into his front pocket, finding his inhaler. He grabs my hand, placing his palm over mind as I bring the device to his blue lips, watching my brother struggle until he finally gasps a breath inward, breathing fully within a few minutes.
He looks toward me with such compassion, I can’t help but weep at the ailing state of my brother. He hasn’t gotten any better since I’ve died and I’ll be damned if I allow him to grow worse in the mourning of my death.
That doesn’t seem to be my only issue now.
I sit back onto the floor, brushing my hair aside while I catch my own breath. if I hadn’t been here, my brother would have likely passed out, or worse. I can’t stand the thought of my brother meeting my fate. Worse than that, when I look up toward the crowded room, I notice every set of eyes have fallen onto me now.
Trying to collect myself, I stand, helping Reese do so as well. Even my own brother is perplexed by my actions and I realize now what my mistake has been. I shouldn’t have known exactly what to do, what medication he has and where to find it, and when I gave it to him so consciously, I reviled a little too much.
Herold stares at me now, standing beside the woman he chose over me, his eyes a bright crimson hue of his wolf’s making.