Mourning mother

"What do you think of the Ultimate Alpha's son?" Skoll asked her immediately she asked about their mother. It's a shocking question. She knew that since it came to the fact that she had to stay here in the Ultimate Pack, her brothers would know all about it. And now, her father must have heard about her love life. She won't be surprised if Fenris knew before now.

"Brother! He is a good man," she replied.

"You want to marry him?" he said. Her pupils dilated.

"How did you know about him?" She asked. He scoffed. She knew she already irritated him by not giving him a direct reply. But there is a limit to what he can do. He can't hurt her. Not while they are under the Ultimate Alpha's room. If all in her life, she never felt safe. It has always been that she is under her parent's roof.

"So how long have you hated Aaron?" He asked.

"Since the very beginning,"

"And why didn't you say so?" His question came to him as a surprise. She wondered if this was one of the messages their father had sent Skoll.

"No one would listen to me," she said. The scent of the candle smuggled its way into her nostril one more time. She wanted to inhale it. To savor the scent just like she did when she was with The ultimate Luna and Lord Elvis.

"If there is anyone I don't want you to be with in this world, first is Aaron. His pride is just nothing you should suffer from," he said looking away.

"And the second person is?"

"Leowulf," he said silently.

"But he is the man I love. I want him,"

"Listen, love does not exist here. No one loves their enemies," he lectured her.

"He is not my enemy. The Ultimate Pack isn't my enemy. They are father's enemies. They are probably your enemies because you have grown to hate them. Brother, you have no reason to want to hate them,"

"That father hates them, is enough reason to want to destroy them," Skoll said.

"Brother, things don't work that way–" Mara is bent on convincing her brother in an environment where she has more power than him. If it had been back at Volde Pack, she might not have been able to even look at him. He could just walk past her.

A sharp wail interrupted Mara's speech to her brother. Both of them looked in the direction of the door immediately. Mara didn't bother standing up. Lord Elvis already warned her not to stand up.

"You are safe here," he whispered to her before he left the room.

Skoll went outside and returned minutes later. She didn't see what he saw, but she heard everything he heard. A woman was crying and screaming that her daughter was missing. And the last person she was with is Leowulf.

"You heard all that?" He asked. Her face is a bit dull.

"That's just who he is. He is a kind person. You can go to the market and ask about him. There is nothing special about how he treats people," she defended him.

"Listen, these people are criminals. They aren't to be trusted. Why do you think father broke relations with them?"

"Leowulf is nothing like that. He doesn't flirt with everyone,"

"How do you know? How can you be so sure?" He walked closer to her.

"Because he asked me out. He proposed to me. He said he wants me to be his woman," she shouted at him. For the first time since the last five days that she met Leowulf, she cried. She wanted to keep on defending him. She wanted her war of words to keep on. But she lost. She couldn't.

Her brother's presence didn't give her assurance of comfort. Ever since she saw him, she knew there was going to be trouble of some sort. She cursed the moment she saw that it was Skoll that came instead of Fenris.

Another reason she couldn't continue is past experiences or the last discussion she had with Farkas, the market leader rushed back to her memory. He had said that Leowulf is interested in his daughter. That Leowulf will soon ask his daughter out. She felt cheap. She wondered why he had to come to spend those times with her last night and asked her out. Maybe it's because she is the easiest one he could get.

She loves him. She could convince herself that she would be happy once he gives her time and attention. But she knows if he doesn't love her, later on, those would fade too. And she will become trash once again.

"Don't be fooled by word of mouth," Skoll warned her. He went close to her. He knelt before her.

"He is just putting on a farce character. Also, you didn't see what I saw outside there. The ultimate Luna and the doctor were disappointed in him. They gave him a look. There must be something that has been going on between him and the deceased girl. This Leowulf is not who you have taken him to be," Skoll said.

She hung her head on her palm. Tears dropped on the cloth before her. Her thoughts are a bit blurry. This is the man she loves wholeheartedly. The man who had managed to capture her heart. His presence alone gives her joy.

She remembered when her mother told her love isn't what she expects it to be. She would have to make some sacrifices and accept some insults. She didn't know if it was something like this. Being with a man she loves but with chances of him being a cheat. She wondered if that was enough sacrifice.


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With recent activity, the Ultimate Alpha's palace is jumbled together. Guards are working to get the corpse to a good burial ground. A royal one where members of the ultimate Alpha's family are buried. The other man might have been buried on a commoner's burial ground, but one of the maids around had screamed when she identified who he was. They must be having some romantic relationship. Another woman who claimed to be his mother also cried. The three women -Sassaba's mother, the servant's mother, and lover- were taken to a room for consoling.

While walking around, Skoll heard the Ultimate Luna had gone to see them. She had consoled them. He also heard that Sassaba's mother was taken to a special room. He wanted to know what room she would be in. But he couldn't ask the maids he heard it from. The palace has a mourning atmosphere. It's different from what it was in the morning when he came in.

"Hello, please excuse me," he stopped a maid he saw. She carried a big bowl. It contains food and herbs. It has a cloth in it too. Looking by the content of the bowl, Skoll guessed it must be one that she intends to take to Sassaba's mother.

"Good blessings of the goddess be with you," she greeted him. She saw the mark on his face and knew he wasn't from around. At that moment, she doesn't know who he is. But she knew he must be of royalty.

"May it be with you too," he replied. She couldn't hide her shyness. She tried to pass by him.

"Are you taking this to the woman who lost her daughter?"

"Yes sir. The Ultimate Luna asked me to serve her,"

"Is she okay?" He asked, showing concern.

"She is only as okay as a woman who heard that her only daughter is dead will be," she replied. Skoll felt insulted, but he didn't take it out on her.

"My bad. Can I see her?"

"Yes! If she is interested in seeing guests," she replied.

"Oh! She must still be mourning. Just take me to the room she is in, I will come back to check on her," Skoll said. She bowed and asked him to follow her. In this story, a palace built in a U-shape, it's easy for everyone to come out and see what's happening. From where he is standing, he could see the medical room where Mara is, across the field. What he is doing here is different from what his father asked him to do. He knows. But he would give it a try.

"Here is her room sir," she informed him as they arrived at the room where Sassaba's mother was. He could hear murmurings coming from it.

"Thank you," he appreciated her and turned. He returned to his sister's room.

"I need to see that woman. Then, maybe I will see the Ultimate Alpha," he convinced himself.


Hours after the maid directed him to Sassaba's mother's room. He left Mara alone. This time, they didn't say anything concerning Leowulf. They barely spoke. He felt the pain in her voice when she answered his greetings.

He believed what he did was needed. If not, Leowulf and Mara's marriage will only threaten the plans they have had all this while. He wondered why his father didn't think this through. But at least now that he is here, he has a chance of doing something good.

He knocked on Sassaba's mother's door.

"Come in," a frail voice answered him. It's a weak version of Sassaba's mother's initial voice.

"Goodness of the goddess be upon you," he greeted and stood at the door. Just in case she didn't want to talk to him, he would turn away immediately.

"Oh! It has already forsaken me," she replied with her voice trailing off.

"I am sorry for your loss. It's not a good thing for someone to ever lose their child," he said, throwing his head down in mourning.

"Thank you," she thanked him.

"You might wonder who I am. I am Skoll of the Hudun pack," he introduced himself. He walked closer to her bed.

"I know you are not from around here, but that's the last thing on my mind," she replied, not looking at him. The only time she raised her face to look at him was when he entered.

"I know. And I truly mourn the loss of your child with you. Which is why I have come to offer you my service,"

"Service? What service? Burying my daughter? Or to help me get out of this depression? The only help I need now is if you can resurrect my daughter. If you can't do any of that, please leave!" She shouted the last sentence at him. Her eyes shot at him. He couldn't relate to the pain of losing someone. The closest person he ever lost was his grandma. She wasn't his best friend. She had hated the fact that he wasn't interested in learning and boosting his cognitive ability.

"There is a difference between being smart and being intelligent," he had always replied to her whenever she complained about his lack of interest in reading.

"I can't do any of that for you. But I can help you get revenge for your daughter. I can help you fish out the killer of your daughter," he said.

That sparked her attention. She sat upright.

"What did you say again?" She asked looking with dilation to her pupils.

"Just exactly what you heard?"

"The last time I checked. Our pack and your pack conflicts," she said. Her voice no longer mourns but is argumentative.

"But here I am about to negotiate marriage terms with the Ultimate Alpha,"

"Who wants to marry who?"

"My sister and Lord Leowulf,"

She scorned the mention of Leowulf. She retreated a bit. Her excitement reduced.

"I will bring whoever it is to justice,"

"Even if it's supposed to be Lord Leowulf?"

"Even if it's him,"

"What's in it for you? What will you gain from it?"

"Oh! Nothing. I will just get justice for a pained mother," Skoll said.

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"Why not accept his proposal?" Dun thought. The very moment this Skoll of the Hudun pack had offered her a chance of getting revenge for her daughter, she had been interested.

If Leowulf hadn't been who he was, she might not have accepted. She hated him for leaving her daughter twice in the past. And the way that he gets away with things as the son of the Ultimate Alpha annoys her. He is one of the rude princes. Even though she had been at places where people were ready to lay down their lives, well not literally, she still hates him. She hated his gut. And forever she had been interested in getting back at him for hurting her daughter.

The moment she arrived at the palace and saw her daughter this morning. She suspected Leowulf. And when she began mourning, she was sure he knew about what happened to her daughter.

She had not been initially happy with the fact that her daughter went out with Leowulf. But her husband had been happy and she had been hopeful.

Even though Skoll isn't going to get revenge for her daughter because he loves her. It's mostly because he wants to gain something from her too. She doesn't mind. The fact that Leowulf might get away with what he has done, irks her. He told her he wanted her to keep a tab on Leowulf, Ultimate Luna, and his sister.