Chapter 234-234

Chapter 233: A Wolf's Final Farewell

(Celeste's POV)

The Winter Pack house mourning hall was draped in silver-white cloth. Moon- blessed incense

filled the air as pack members came to honor Eleanor Winters.

I stood near my grandmother's ceremonial pyre, completely numb inside. The severing of pack ties had left me empty, but nothing compared to the void of her absence.

A commotion at the entrance broke my trance. Scarlett's voice, perfectly pitched to sound

grief-stricken, cut through the murmurs.

"Please! I just want to pay my respects to my grandmother!"

She knelt dramatically at the threshold, her bandaged arms visible beneath her mourning

clothes. The whispers started instantly.

"Poor thing, look how weak she is."

"Is Celeste preventing her from entering? How could she?"

A beta wolf approached me, his face stern. "Miss Celeste, you can't keep Miss Scarlett from

paying her respects."

"You've always been difficult," an older female wolf added, "but this is too far, especially with

the Former Luna's spirit still present."

The injustice burned through me. They thought I was blocking Scarlett? When I hadn't even

moved toward her?

stared directly at Scarlett, seeing the calculation behind her tears. She was making herself

the victim, turning the pack against me at my grandmother's funeral.

"Did you hear?" I said coldly. "Grandmother is watching!"

Scarlett paled, understanding my meaning perfectly. If Eleanor's spirit was present, she would

know who was responsible for hastening her death.

(Scarlett's POV)

I knelt at the entrance despite the searing pain in my chest where Celeste had clawed me. Dr. Pierce had warned me to rest, but I had to be here. I was the true Winters Pack heir.

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"Please,” I called out loudly, "I just want to pay my respects to my grandmother!"

+8 Points?

I emphasized “grandmother," reminding everyone of my rightful place. I shifted slightly to show my bandages, wincing genuinely at the pain.

"Look at her," someone whispered. "She can barely move, yet she came anyway."

I lowered my eyes, letting tears flow. The perfect picture of a grieving granddaughter.

When I looked up, Celeste was staring at me with such hatred I almost lost my composure.

"Did you hear?" she called out icily. "Grandmother is watching!"

My blood ran cold. She knew what I'd done-sending my beta to tell Eleanor about

Celeste's plans to leave, knowing it would devastate the old wolf.

But no one could prove anything unless my parents or Lucas confirmed it.

"I just want to say goodbye," I whispered loudly enough to be heard. "I'm her real

granddaughter. Why won't you let me see her?"

The murmurs grew louder, more indignant on my behalf. The pack was on my side, as they should be. I was the true Winters heir, after all.

(Celeste's POV)

The pack's hostility was overwhelming. They saw only what Scarlett wanted them to see-the frail, injured daughter cruelly kept from mourning her grandmother.

"Scarlett, you angered Grandmother to death!" I declared loudly.

The hall went silent. Scarlett's eyes widened with shock. She hadn't expected me to accuse her so openly.

After a moment, confused whispers erupted.

"What is she talking about?"

"How could Scarlett have angered Former Luna Eleanor to death?"

Scarlett's panic was replaced by calculation. Without confirmation from Alpha James or

Lucas, my accusation would be dismissed as jealous lies.

Lucas appeared at the entrance. His golden wolf rippled beneath his skin as he assessed the

situation.

"What's happening here?" he demanded.

A beta quickly explained, "Miss Celeste is preventing Miss Scarlett from paying respects and

2/5

He knew the truth-he had witnessed Scarlett's interference accelerate Grandmother's decline. But admitting it publicly would destroy Scarlett's reputation.

The pack members quickly rallied behind Scarlett.

"How dare she make such accusations!"

"The nerve-at Former Luna Eleanor's funeral!"

I didn't care anymore. Their opinions meant nothing now. The severing ritual had freed me from pack bonds.

"Grandmother doesn't want to see her," I said simply, turning away and walking into the inner chamber.

Behind me, I heard surprised gasps. No one expected me to walk away so easily. They didn't understand that my grief consumed everything else.

In the quieter inner chamber, I knelt beside my grandmother, finally letting my tears flow freely. "I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from her."

(Lucas's POV)

I felt sick watching Celeste walk away. The raw grief on her face struck something deep inside me. I remembered her as a child, violet eyes bright with laughter during our full moon hunts.

When had that joyful girl become this broken woman?

Scarlett clung to my arm. "Lucas, please, I want to pay my respects to Grandmother."

I looked down at her bandages. Fresh blood had seeped through the one on her

chest.

Celeste's accusation echoed in my mind: "Scarlett, you angered Grandmother to death!"

It wasn't entirely false. Grandmother's condition had worsened rapidly after learning about Celeste's mistreatment from Scarlett's beta.

But revealing that would destroy Scarlett's position in the pack. They might even

call for her punishment under ancient laws.

"You need to go back and rest," I said firmly. "Your wounds are bleeding again."

Scarlett's dramatic entrance and Celeste's sharp accusation-“Scarlett, you

angered

Grandmother to death!"-intrigued me. It wasn't a wild accusation but a statement delivered

with certainty.

As Lucas sent Scarlett away, I approached him.

"She's injured,” I noted neutrally.

Lucas turned, startled. "Alexander. I didn't realize you were here."

"I came to pay my respects," I said. "What happened to Scarlett?"

I raised an eyebrow, connecting this with Celeste's accusation. "And why would

Celeste do

that?"

"Who knows?" Lucas replied too quickly. "She's been volatile since returning from Moon Shadow Prison. Unpredictable."

I had known Celeste since childhood. She was stubborn and proud, but never

unpredictable or

violent without cause.

"Celeste seems to believe Scarlett had something to do with Former Luna Eleanor's death," I

observed, watching his reaction.

His face hardened. “That's absurd. Scarlett adored our grandmother. She's kind,

gentle- nothing like what Celeste is suggesting."

"She's your future mate," he added sharply. "You should know her character by

now."

His defensiveness was telling. Too emphatic, too insistent.

"Indeed," I replied simply.

Lucas shifted uncomfortably under my gaze. "I should join Father inside. The

ceremony will begin soon."

He strode away stiffly.

I watched Scarlett's retreating form. The beta wolves supported her as she moved

slowly

down the corridor, head bowed in apparent grief.

But I noticed how she glanced back once, her emerald eyes finding me.

Something flashed

across her face-calculation?-before disappearing.

My ice-blue eyes narrowed with suspicion. There was more to this situation than

Lucas

admitted.

I turned back toward the mourning hall, my thoughts darkening.

2

Chapter 234: A Bittersweet Departure

(Celeste's POV)

I opened my eyes to a ceiling I had stared at countless times before. My body felt

heavy, as if weighed down by silver chains. How long had I been unconscious? The last thing I

remembered was watching as they lowered Grandmother Eleanor's body into the

ground, her silver-white ceremonial shroud gleaming under the moonlight. After that, darkness.

My throat felt parched, my limbs weak from days without nourishment. I had

refused all food and drink during the funeral proceedings, standing guard over Grandmother's body like a

sentinel. No one had dared approach me. Not even Scarlett.

Especially not Scarlett.

The memory of the funeral came back in fragments. I recalled the solemn faces of

pack members, their mournful howls during the ceremonial procession. I remembered

Alpha James standing opposite me, his golden eyes hollow with grief. Victoria

weeping quietly behind him. Lucas, stoic yet broken.

But no Scarlett. I had made sure of that.

"She's sick with grief," they told the visiting pack representatives. A transparent lie

that fooled

no one.

I didn't care. All that mattered was giving Grandmother a peaceful farewell, untainted by the

presence of the wolf who had hastened her death.

I tried to push myself up, my muscles protesting. How long had I been

unconscious?

"Three days," came Nina's voice from the doorway, answering my unspoken question. Her

silver-gray eyes studied me with concern. "Dr. Pierce said your body simply couldn't take

anymore."

Three days. I had stood vigil for two days straight during the funeral, refusing to

leave Grandmother's side even for a moment. And then three more days unconscious. Nearly a

week since she left this world.

"Water," I croaked.

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Nina hurried to my side, helping me sit up before offering a glass. The cool liquid

soothed my throat, bringing me back to full awareness.

That's when I saw it.

Sitting on my bedside table was the small wooden box. Grandmother's final gift to

me. The sight of it broke something inside me that I had held together through sheer force of will.

"I thought you should see it when you woke," Nina explained softly. "Dr. Pierce

was worried about your wolf. He said you've been holding everything in, pushing

your emotions

down."

I reached for the box with trembling fingers, tracing the Winter Pack symbol etched into its

polished cedar lid. Inside lay the silver pendant bearing Eleanor's maiden pack

mark, the

official land deeds, and stacks of moon-blessed silver coins.

All that remained of my grandmother's legacy. Of the only person who had truly loved me in

this pack.

The grief I had suppressed during the funeral crashed over me like a tidal wave.

My

silver-scarred wolf, so long held rigid with determination, howled in anguish within

me.

"Grandmother,” I sobbed, clutching the box to my chest. "Grandmother!"

Nina sat beside me on the bed, wrapping her arms around my shaking shoulders.

She made

no attempt to shush me or offer empty platitudes. She simply held me as I cried,

letting me

release the torrent of emotions I had kept locked away.

"She's gone," I wept. "The only one who ever stood by me. The only one who fought for me. She's gone."

Nina tightened her embrace. "She loved you more than anyone, Miss Celeste.

Until her final

breath."

I cried until my throat was raw once more, until my eyes burned and my chest

ached. But with

each tear, something poisonous seemed to drain from my spirit. Eventually, the storm subsided, leaving me exhausted but somehow lighter.

"You should eat something," Nina said, offering a bowl of steaming broth she had

prepared in

anticipation of my awakening.

I accepted it gratefully, taking small sips. The warm liquid spread through me,

bringing

strength back to my limbs.

"Nina," I said, my voice steadier now. "I've made a decision."

5

+8 Points>

She waited, attentive as always.

"We're leaving the Winter Pack house. Today."

There was no surprise in her eyes, only acceptance and readiness.

"Where will we go?" she asked.

"To Matthew's," I replied. "Just for a while. Until I decide what to do next."

Nina nodded, already mentally preparing a list of tasks.

"I want you to go to the pack vault," I continued. "Use this pendant to withdraw my savings." I handed her the silver pendant from Eleanor's box. "And then gather everything valuable I've received since returning from Moon Shadow Prison. The

ceremonial daggers, the

moon-blessed amulets."

"Yes, Miss Celeste."

I hesitated before adding, "Nina, I want you to know-if you wish to leave my

service, I'll understand. I can provide you with enough silver to start a new life elsewhere."

Nina's silver-gray eyes widened in shock. "Leave you? After everything we've been through?" "You've suffered enough because of your loyalty to me," I said softly. "I won't hold

you to-"

"Don't insult me," she interrupted, a rare occurrence. "My place is with you, Miss Celeste. Until my wolf draws its last breath."

The fierceness of her declaration brought fresh tears to my eyes. I nodded, unable to speak.

Nina squeezed my hand before rising. "I'll start packing immediately."

She moved with efficiency, gathering my belongings and arranging for the withdrawal from the

vault. I slowly dressed myself, selecting clothes suitable for travel rather than the

formal

mourning attire I had worn for days.

Every item I touched held memories. The silver hairpin Grandmother had given

me on my

sixteenth birthday. The wolf-carved wooden music box that had been a gift from

Victoria when

I was a child. Each one a remnant of a life that no longer existed.

I was deliberate in my choices, taking only what truly mattered and leaving behind

anything

associated with painful memories.

Nina returned with my valuables and savings just as I was finishing my own

packing. The

speed of our preparations had not gone unnoticed.

15

I turned to find Victoria standing in the doorway, her eyes red-rimmed from days

of

weeping.

She looked smaller somehow, diminished by grief.

"I'm leaving," I stated simply, continuing to fold a silver-embroidered cloak

Eleanor had

commissioned for me.

“Leaving?” Victoria repeated, her voice rising with distress. "But it's only been

days since the

funeral. You can't just-"

"I can," I interrupted. "And I will."

Victoria stepped further into the room, her hands clasped before her in supplication. "Celeste, please. Think about what you're doing. This is your home."

I paused, looking up at the woman who had raised me as her daughter for

fourteen

years.

"No," I said quietly. "It's not. Not anymore."

Her face crumpled. "You're upset. You're grieving. We all are. But this isn't the

time for rash

decisions."

"This isn't rash," I countered, resuming my packing. "Grandmother and I completed the three silver marks ritual before she died. The pack ties are

severed. There's nothing keeping me

here."

Victoria flinched as if I'd struck her. "The three silver marks?" she whispered.

"James didn't tell

me..."

"It was Grandmother's final wish," I said. "To give me freedom."

Tears spilled down Victoria's cheeks. "At least stay until the seventh-day

memorial rites," she pleaded. "The pack will howl for Eleanor under the waning

moon. Surely you want to be part of

that?"

I closed my travel bag, fastening it with deliberate care.

"Grandmother wouldn't want me to remain in a place that caused her so much

worry," I said. "A place that made her last days filled with anxiety over my welfare."

Victoria's tears fell faster now. She reached for my hand, grasping it desperately.

"But you broke pack ties with your father," she sobbed, her wolf whining plaintively

beneath her

skin. "Not with your mother... me... me..."

Her words stirred something in my chest-a distant echo of the love I once felt for

her. But too

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Chapter 234: A Bittersweet D

much had happened. Too much had been broken. I gently disengaged my hand

from hers.

+8 Points >

Without another word, I picked up my bag and walked past her. I offered no

promises to return, no reassurances that we would meet again. There was nothing left to say.

Nina was waiting for me in the corridor, our belongings packed efficiently into two

modest bags. She linked her arm with mine, her presence steady and comforting.

"Ready, Miss Celeste?"

I nodded, my heart heavy yet somehow liberated. As we walked out of the Winter

Pack house,

I didn't look back. There was nothing and no one left there that warranted a single

backward

glance.

The air outside felt different-cleaner, fresher. Or perhaps it was just the first

breath of freedom after years of confinement, both literal and figurative.

Nina squeezed my arm gently, a small smile playing on her lips as we crossed the

boundary of the Winter Pack territory.

"To Matthew's?" she asked.

"To Matthew's," I confirmed.

Our steps were light despite the heaviness in my heart. Grief and relief

intermingled strangely within me, creating a bittersweet cocktail of emotions. My

silver-scarred wolf stirred beneath my skin, sensing new possibilities ahead.