LOGINLEAH DECKER
I opened my eyes to see the walls of my room and several eyes staring down at me. I sat up immediately and that forced a painful jab to my head. “What happened?” I asked as I tried to massage my head to relieve the pain.“You fainted.” Ophelia replied and that's when it started coming back to me. The news of my parents death,the fact that I'll never get to see them one last time, their bodies burnt to ashes. “Oh…no,no,no. “
“You need to calm down Leah, you __” Ophelia was saying but she kept quiet immediately she saw me getting out of bed. “No,I need to see the car,I need to see something. I need to go home..”
“You're home, you're married and Tim will take care of you, you shouldn't be worried. We'll stay by your side.” Just then,a maid walked in and bowed slightly.
“The attorney is here.” She said and I raised my head so fast, I almost fell back on the bed. “What attorney? I don't understand.”
“Oh, yeah, your parents' attorneys.” Paul replied this time and that's when I realized he looked so normal, barely any signs of pain or mourning. My father was his best friend,my mom was Ophelia best friend and my marriage to Tim was contractual, arranged to strengthen the pack.
My parents came with the money, influence while Ophelia and Paul came with the protection. I scoffed and walked slowly to the door.
“Why? Attorneys?” I asked, my mind beating rapidly as I hoped I'd be wrong. Are they trying to get their hands on my family's wealth?
“Why is the attorney here?” I asked, looking each of them in the eyes, waiting for an explanation.
“It was your parents wish that their will be read as soon as they passed on.” Tears pooled in my eyes again,it seemed like they were preparing to die or something.
“Bullshit!” I muttered under my breath and watched as they all made their way out of my bedroom. I followed swiftly,I'm their only heir and surely everything will be left to me but something didn't sit right in my conscience.
Why didn't the attorney call me before coming? What is going on?
“I'm sorry for your loss Mrs Houston.” The female attorney said and stood up to shake my hand. I smiled a little before taking my seat.
“Why wasn't I informed before you arrived? I mean,you were…” I paused and swallowed hard. “You were my parents' attorney.” I said it in a whisper.
“I informed the alpha before coming.” She said and I turned to look at Paul. He nodded in agreement. “I'm their daughter,you should have informed me first besides we're yet to perform their funeral rites so…”
“Can you just calm down and let them do their job? The sooner the better,so we can start making preparations for the way forward.” Tim said and I turned to look at him.
I laughed out dryly, my throat was sore and my eyes felt really heavy. “My parents just died and I am yet to see the car which according to the Alpha and Luna went into a blaze and there you are telling me to calm down and let the attorneys do their job.” I paused,stood up and walked over to the door.
“I think you should all leave, I need to grieve and I need to do it alone.” Paul and Ophelia looked at me like I'd run mad but I didn't care.
“Come on let's talk about this, you're not in the right state of mind, come and have your seat and we'll talk more about this,you don't need to__”
“Out now!” I screamed, cutting Ophelia short and for the first time that day I saw fear register in their eyes. “Leah!” Tim yelled my name and I turned to look at him.
“You're my husband,yet in these three months, I've felt nothing but pain whenever I look at you,hell,you didn't even comfort me today,you didn't!” I screamed.
Ophelia and Paul stood up and walked over to the door, accompanied by the attorneys. “When I want to discuss my parents' wealth, it'll be with my attorneys and not in your presence.” I stated vehemently.
“We'll be back when you're calmer.” Ophelia said and they all walked out. Tim's phone rang and I noticed how he turned the screen so I wouldn't see the caller. I scoffed and walked up to him.
“I know it's one of your girls calling,you don't have to pretend right now. You can pick the fucking call!” I yelled, laughing hysterically but my chest was constricting in a painful knot.
My head throbbed badly and my eyes were puffy and hot. “You need to quit acting like it was a marriage of love,you know it wasn't!”
Of course I know it wasn't a marriage of love but I think I might have fallen for my husband in the process but clearly he doesn't feel the same.
I felt like a fool as I stood there, watching as he walked away to take the call. I walked upstairs and got to my bedroom with a heavy heart.
“What's going on? Why are they after the will?” I asked myself as I sat on my bed.
~~~~~
Two days later, we all stood, throwing dirt into the pit dug for my parents' empty graves and I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I think I needed this release. Ophelia and Paul stood by my side, holding me while I stood just looking into the pit.
Tim stood behind us with Debbie and her father who was my father's most trusted assistant. One look at Tim and I noticed he wasn't paying attention to the event. He even laughed at something Debbie said.
The after party went like a blur and finally I decided it was time to go home but I noticed Paul and Ophelia getting into Tim's car.
I frowned and shook my head. “What's going on?” I asked.
“They're coming with us,the attorneys have something to share with us.” I scoffed.
“Us? Why?” I asked.
“That's what your parents wanted and that's what will happen.” Paul replied this time. No sweetness. Nothing.
MARTEN HOLLAND The days that followed the burial of our fallen wolves changed Tombstone forever.Grief still lingered within our walls. The smoke from the funeral pyres had long vanished into the skies, yet the pain remained. Every corridor, every training ground, every tower carried memories of those who had fought beside us and had not returned. Their names were still spoken in the kitchens, in the armory, and around evening fires. Tombstone mourned deeply, but Tombstone also endured. We always had.What none of us expected was what came after.News of our victory spread faster than wildfire.By the second sunrise after the war, merchants arriving from distant roads brought stories. By the third, travelers came carrying gifts. By the fifth, entire caravans had begun arriving outside our mountain walls.The world had heard of Tombstone.No.The world had heard of us.I stood atop the eastern watchtower one cold morning with Jerry at my side, staring down at the winding mountain road
TIM HOUSTONEverything about this news shook us with tension. The morning sunlight filtered through the towering windows of Oakwood Palace, but there was little warmth within the grand throne room. This chamber that had once filled me with pride, had the threat of the Northern Alpha upon it’s shoulders.As a child, I had imagined myself ruling from the ancient throne, commanding respect and loyalty from every wolf within the kingdom. Now, seated upon the very seat I had coveted for years, I felt none of the satisfaction I had once dreamed of. The throne felt colder each passing day, heavier somehow, as though every decision, every betrayal and every regret had settled into its stone.Later in the day, I sat with one elbow resting against the arm of the throne while petitions from neighboring territories were read before me. Court Elders had been summoned again and my parents by my side, they discussed trade agreements. Merchants sought protection for their caravans. Minor disputes ov
TIM HOUSTONI had never seen the throne room so restless.Even during wars.Even during coronations.The entire court had gathered before sunrise, yet no one spoke above a whisper. The tension in the room crawled beneath my skin.I sat on my throne with my elbows resting on my knees, staring at the large map spread before me. My mind had not been at peace for weeks. The strange silence inside me where my bond with Leah had once lived still haunted me.No pain.No ache.No pull.Nothing.I did not know if it meant she was dead or if fate had simply severed us forever. The doors of the throne room suddenly burst open. A messenger stumbled inside, breathing heavily."My King."Every eye turned toward him.Paul sat beside me while Mother and Debbie occupied their usual seats below the throne.The messenger bowed."I bring news from the North."No one moved.The North.Tombstone.That mysterious kingdom no one spoke about unless they wished to tell old stories."Speak," Father commanded.Th
LEAH DECKERThe mourning chants followed us long after the funeral fires had died.I could still hear them.Even after Marten had taken the burning torch from my trembling hands and led me away from the pyres, the voices of Tombstone echoed through the cold evening air."Hail, the dead.""Rest the souls of our dead."The words rolled through Tombstone like waves striking stone cliffs, solemn and powerful, carrying the grief of an entire kingdom.Marten's hand remained wrapped around mine as he drew me back from the edge of the burial grounds. I did not resist him. I did not think I had the strength to.My eyes remained fixed on the sea.The ashes of the fallen drifted upon its dark waters.Maria was among them now.Gone.Truly gone.The realization cut deeper than any blade.Marten must have sensed it because he squeezed my hand gently."They died with honor," he said quietly.I lowered my head."Honor does not make losing them easier.""No," he agreed after a long silence. "It never d
LEAH DECKERThe entire kingdom of Tombstone mourned that night.Dark clouds stretched across the heavens, swallowing the stars one after another until only the pale moon remained, watching from above like a silent witness to our grief. Hundreds of torches illuminated the great courtyard. Their flames danced against the cold mountain winds, casting long shadows upon stone walls that had seen generations of war, victory, loss, and sacrifice.I stood beside Marten beneath the towering pillars, surrounded by an ocean of black-clad wolves, warriors, servants, elders, and grieving families.Nobody spoke.Nobody smiled.Even the children remained quiet.Only sorrow existed.The burial horns had ceased their mournful cry, but their echoes still lingered within my heart.Rows upon rows of bodies lay before us.Some belonged to warriors who had charged into battle with roars on their lips.Some belonged to servants who had followed their masters faithfully into danger. Others belonged to wolves
LEAH DECKERI remained there for a few seconds after the words left my mouth. My fingers slowly loosened around Maria's cold hand. The room was silent.Painfully silent. The kind of silence that made every heartbeat sound loud, that settled over people when grief became too heavy for words.Slowly, I lowered her hand back onto her chest.The white cloth remained folded around her body.Peaceful, still and gone. I swallowed hard and forced myself to stand upright. My knees felt weak. My chest hurt. Yet I knew I could not remain there forever. The dead deserved mourning but the living needed strength. Slowly, I turned around.My heart immediately dropped. Everyone was staring at me.The physicians, the wounded warriors, the servants, the healers. Every single person inside that chamber, their eyes followed me. Some looked sympathetic, some looked heartbroken. Others looked stunned as if they had witnessed something they never expected. I understood why. To them I was not simply Leah.I w
TIM HOUSTONI sat upright on the edge of my bedchamber long before sunrise, staring into the darkness while the silence inside my chest disturbed me more than agony ever had. I strangely did not feel the deep pain of the broken mate bond. It became so mild. My chest was no longer Streckung me like
LEAH DECKERThe pain was fading. But, not completely. I still get light aches and seizures in my chest. A fading and gruntling pain but fading enough for me to notice.I sat quietly beside the stone railing outside the upper balcony of Tombstone’s western tower, staring at the endless forests beneat
LEAH DECKERThe training grounds were quieter than usual that evening.No warriors sparred against one another.No sounds of steel clashing echoed across Tombstone.Even the air itself felt calmer after the fire that destroyed my chambers the previous night.But the silence did not ease me.It remin
LEAH DECKERI woke up choking.Smoke filled my lungs so violently that my entire body jerked upward from the bed. Heat swallowed the room in waves, thick and suffocating, and for one terrifying second, I could not understand what was happening.Then I saw the flames.Fire crawled across the curtains







