EPISODE ONE

CHAPTER ONE.

LEVI'S POV.

My mind reeled in a haze of shock and despair, struggling to comprehend the void left behind by my father as the mortuary attendants dress his lifeless body in one of his best apparel.

"It's time to say your last words or prayers to him." One of them nudged me softly.

The heaviness of my mind weighed me down, making me unable to obey their instructions.

My legs gave out on me as I crumple to the ground, overwhelmed by the intense grief spurring through every pores of my skin.

"Ma'am." They called, voice laced with concern. I released a primal anguishing sound through my throbbing throat. Heavy fat tears weighed down my cheeks again.

"You have to do this now." They admonished holding me up.

"Father." The words slipped through my mouth incoherently. Tears cascaded my eyes again, threatening to stream down.

I can't even decipher his facial features anymore because of the degree of burns the fire outbreak caused. I felt so bitter, pangs of guilt and regret washed over me, accelerating at my chest and radiates down to every inch of my limb.

*"I should have known."*

*"I should have sent a letter."*

*"I shouldn't have ignored the unsettling feeling I had the night the massacre happened."*

"I'm sorry." I wailed. The upsetting feeling gnashed my throat again in an intense pulse. I strike my fists against the hard metal of the face he was laid on, bleeding my skin out.

And strangely, I didn't feel the slightest physical pain. It's nothing compared to the throbbing weight on my chest.

I can't bring myself to say a single prayer to him. I don't deserve to say it. This encouraged the men to transport him into the funeral hall for his last service.

My grandmother whom I didn't realize her presence in the room suddenly held my hands lovingly after they left. She gazed at me pitifully with those grey eyes I inherited from her.

Her face was a map of sorrow,with deep lines etched around her down turned mouth and tear-worn eyes. I guess she must have cried her eyes out over the loss of her child.

"Are you okay?" She asked in a trembling but light hearted voice laced with anguish and pain. I felt her pale and papery skin which appeared almost translucent, revealing the tracery vein behind her skin on my face.

"I'm sorry,Granny. Forgive me." I blubber, my mouth curled up again, threatening to burst in tears and the urge to scream the whole wall down.

"Oh,my dear!" she laments, pulling me into a hug. We sobbed in each other's arms for a very long time until there were no tears left in our eyes.

"The funeral will be commencing soon, come give your father his last respect." She implored dragging my body off the floor.

I feel so sore and weak but I managed to dawdle behind her.

We got to the funeral hall which has already been adorned with floral arrangement and dimmed lighting. My blurry eyes failed me as I can't recognize any of the people lurking around but judging from the number of the ones who greeted us, only a handful came.

I don't even expect anyone as the pack has already been wiped out in the fire.

"And what is she doing here?" My elder brother bitched, marching towards us in anger.

My heart almost skipped a bit. I thought I was already free from the loathness my siblings had for me before I got sold off to my husband but now that Dad is dead and the extenuating circumstances that led to his doom made them rebel me more.

"Grandma, why did you bring her here?" Mica scowled in anger. His face contorted in a mix of rage and fury blazing with tears.

"Because she has every right to be here." She fired back in frustration, holding my hand tightly and also trying to pacify him.

"You had every knowledge about the wreck and havoc she caused when she was here, even in her absence, she bu....rn...ed our father to ashes." Micah's voice trembled slightly, straining himself from breaking down more. A stork of emotions ravaged his face with both anger tangled in a torrent of tears and torment.

I pity him so much. He was our father's favorite before his death. They were each other buddies and war partner.

I envision the struggle he had to save Dad from death and how he failed. None of them deserve this torture I put them through becaude of my poor choices. I loathe myself so much for this.

"Her husband's pack are to be blamed, why are you so insensitive?" Granny scolded but he wasn't having it. I quickly stepped into the situation to avoid further tantrums.

"I will leave once I'm done paying my respect" I butt in immediately. He eyed me with his burning eyes before waddling off to attend to the guests.

I resorted to a corner right where Dad's coffin is placed, Luckily, it's a secluded place that doesn't attract the guests' attention but grandma found me again.

"I got you some water." She offered, placing a glass of water in my palm.

"Thank you." I whispered hoarsely to her kind gesture. I guzzled down the whole content in the glass before withdrawing it from my mouth. This makes me realize how long a drop of water has touched my mouth.

I've been too embedded in my thoughts and grief without acknowledging the fact that I'm burning inside.

"Did you ask your husband to come here? That's quite extreme." The old woman complained. Her face's a picture of discontent, her lips pinched in displeasure.

"What are you talking about about?" I flummoxed, standing up to my feet, my expression was a mix of confusion and uncertainty.

*"What's she talking about?"*

*"The King, my husband is here?"*

*"Why?"*

*"For what reasons?"*

"He's here and having a fit with Micah."

Immediately, my legs pumped furiously as I rushed to the main hall, the fastened pace of my legs reminding me of the adrenaline I thought I never had. I don't know maybe I should be happy to see him or be worried about his presence.

Maybe he listened to me or he's here to taunt me on how weak our pack is for us to be overthrown by his without struggling.

"What are you doing here?" I heard Micah angry voice echoboff the walls, resonating throughout the hall as I reach where they are.

"Do you think I'm hinged about your father's death? I'm not here to pay my respect to a flimsy pack who failed to protect their Alpha." Theo said, his tone devoid of regrets and contrition making me stop on my tracks.

Guess he's here to do what I expected of him.

"Theo." I called, alerting him of my presence, he turned to me swiftly, ignoring Micah.

A scowl of contempt darkened Theo's features, reminding me of the deep rooted hatred he had for me.

His feet pounded the ground with a purposeful stride as he marched towards me, his eyes cold and venomous as they glazed into mine, almost blinding me.

"I'm here to summon your presence to the council meeting on your accusations of infidelity."