Let The Alpha Fall 83

They arrived at the funeral location where Elliot’s funeral was holding. The cemetery where he was to be buried. The
atmosphere not only looked gloomy but felt gloomy, oddly enough the sun was shining relentlessly.
Everywhere Lori looked there were no smiles; she couldn’t remember ever attending a funeral before, but she couldn’t
think of anything more depressing than one.
She squeezed Gabriel’s hand and he squeezed back reassuringly as they walked towards the gathering. They had quietly
dressed that morning, overwhelmed with grief. Lori spent most of her morning with Emilia, happy to have her comfort. Gabriel decided it was time she came back home and Lori couldn’t agree more. Emilia being around had comforted her a
lot more
She bought a dress for the funeral, she didn’t have anything funeral appropriate enough. A black lacy dress with long
sleeves and a high neckline. Gabriel himself had donned on a black suit.
His expression cold and grim, the same expression he had donned on as the day of the funeral drew close.
Lori watched the people in front of them for any more familiar faces but found none. Gabriel’s grandfather and Elliot’s mother were seated in the front, two extra empty seat reserved for Lori and Gabriel.
Kate Caddel was also the only other familiar face she could see. Clad in a demure but elegant black gown and a lace veil.
Draco was on duty so he was standing guard nearby.
Quietly, Lori and Gabriel took their seats in the front.
Even the seats weren’t very comfortable, Lori thought as she shifted in it a bit. She smoothed her dress again and wondered if her whole
outfit was appropriate. Black shoes, little to no makeup and a small fascinator that Grace urged her to buy.
With each passing moment came the brutal realization that Elliot was truly gone.
The days after his death had been tumultuous to say the least.
Lori had packed what was left of his belongings in his apartment and couldn’t help sobbing all over again when she saw
his bucket list that contained all he planned to do when he was done with college. He had even included her in his plans!
Take Lori on a trip.
He had written. A trip. He had considered taking her on a trip.
Gabriel on the other hand was having it way worse than she was. He clashed severally with his family. Apparently Elliot’s mother didn’t want Lyle to be punished, seeing as he was her only surviving child… she preferred that he’d walk away
freely. Gabriel flat out refused.
His grandfather wanted a traditional werewolf funeral while his Elliot’s mother refused, saying she wanted a civil funeral
for her son. Gabriel was very stressed with everything.
Not to mention the fact that Vara also wasn’t budging. The beta was prepared to die rather than give out the location of
her alpha. No amount of torture would make her confess. She was ready to die.
The atmosphere felt stuffy. Lori felt like there were several eyes on her. With more of Gabriel’s family around, they were
bound to be curious about her. Elliot’s friends had also made it, they all occupied the last two rows, all teary eyed and
stone faced.
Lori couldn’t imagine what they would be feeling… losing one of their friends.
The casket was closed and Lori’s kind was in another place as the preacher gave his sermon. He asked if anyone wanted
to say a few words and Gabriel’s grandfather was the first to stand up.
The old man stood up and went to the stand, said a few touching words and left. It was glaring to see that he wasn’t
even close to Elliot, judging by what he was saying. Lori sighed.
How many of the people gathered with them actually knew him?!
Did they know what a sweet soul he was? Or how he would risk his life to save hers? Or how he risked everything to
prove his loyalty to Gabriel.
His mother went next and majority of her speech was interrupted by her crying every second, eventually she had to be
led away from the stand and back to her seat.
Gabriel urged Lori to go next.
“You two were very close… I think you should say something.”
He mind linked her and Lori nodded.
She stood up and went to the stand.
“Hello… my name is Lori Wyatt.”
Everyone was staring at her, a few of them in confusion. That was understandable, they didn’t know her… but it didn’t
help her anxiety.
“I’m a close friend of Elliot. I met Elliot a few months ago… it’s still a wonder how we became friends because we were
the most unlikely set of friends you’d ever meet.”
Gabriel chuckled. That was true.
“Elliot was a sweet soul… He gave so much of himself to the people around him. He gave so much to me… He was young
and full of life, there was never really a dull moment with Elliot around.”
“He would always finds a way to inject a little bit of humor in every situation.”
Elliot’s friends sitting in the back chuckled as they nodded in agreement. Lori felt relieved that they could relate.
“Elliot once told me his favorite quote was from an ancient history class he took to impress a girl.”
A few people in the crowd chuckled.
Lori could remember how she had fell on the floor laughing after learning he had sat through at least two ancient history
classes to impress a girl, the thought alone brought tears to her eyes. He didn’t even get the girl, but he could remember
the quote. Apparently it was the only thing that stuck in the two hour class.
“The ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus said, ‘There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about
things which are beyond the power of our will.’
“I’d like to believe that Elliot lived by this quote and I’ll try to live it too. For certainly, he no longer being here is
something well beyond the power of my will.”
With that, Lori left the stand, Gabriel patted her back as she sat back down.
“You did great.”
He whispered, an encouraging smile on his face.
A few more words from the preacher and the casket was lowered into the ground, many tears were shed. Lori had told
herself she would try her hardest not to cry but she couldn’t help it.
The crowd began to disperse moments later. A few of Elliot’s friend made their way to Lori to offer their condolences.
“You must be Lori. Elliot wouldn’t stop talking about you.”
One of them said and Lori blinked back tears.
“I am. Nice to meet you.”
She said as she outstretched her hand.
“The name’s Ivan.“
Ivan’s handshake had a firm grip and Lori made small talk with him and two more of Elliot’s friends before they left.
******
“Penelope Caine. Elliot’s mother. I’m afraid we haven’t met.”
The woman stood in front of Lori. She was glaring at her in a way that made Lori feel slightly uncomfortable.
Lori could see the resemblance, but it wasn’t uncanny. Penelope Caine was a small woman, with auburn hair peppered
with grey hair and golden skin she looked like she was in her fifties.
Her eyes were red and her face was blotched, she had cried all through the funeral.
“Yes. I’m Lori.”
“Gabriel’s mate I hear?”
Lori nodded.
“Yes. I’m so sorry for your loss ma’am.”
The woman didn’t stop staring at her.
“I heard you and my son were really close.”
Lori nodded.
“We were good friends.”
The woman raised an eyebrow.
“I see. He never mentioned you.”
She retorted.
Well he never mentioned you either. Lori wanted to reply by she held her tongue.
The woman looked ahead to where Gabriel was talking to a bunch of people.
“I heard a lot more about you. You seem like you’re more trouble than you’re worth.”
The woman said and Lori narrowed her eyes.
“Excuse me?”
Penelope Caine sighed.
“You come around and all this strange things start happening. My son dies… my other son reappears after years… Bad
omen I’d say.”
Bad omen?!
Lori was too stunned to speak. Who did this woman think she was?
From the little she knew Elliot didn’t even like
his mother. Or mention her. He had protested against being sent back to DC to live with her.
“Maybe. Just maybe if my son hasn’t been lumped up with the likes of you maybe he’d still be alive.”
Lori frowned.
“Maybe if you gave a flying fuck about him in the first place he’d still be alive.”
She snapped as she walked past the woman.
Gods.
She had gotten so angry so quickly. Heightened emotions were a part of the new changes she was experiencing, with
them she had a shorter fuse, she was more aggressive, it had been like that for a few days now. Luckily she had no
random bursts of power, just heightened emotions.
“Careful now…”
A smooth sultry voice said behind her.
Kate. She knew it was her before she even turned.
Lori thought as she rolled her eyes.
“They might see that you’re not so sweet and innocent.”
Kate stood in front of Lori as she folded her arms.
Lori shrugged.
“I never pretended to be sweet and innocent.”
Kate chuckled.
“Oh it’s much easier to scent now. I can smell what you are so much easily now.”
“What are you even doing here?”
Lori asked her and Kate shrugged.
“What do you mean?”
“I also knew Elliot. Before you even met him.”
Fair enough. She could attend, Lori wasn’t just expecting her. She wondered if Gabriel was the one who invited her.
“Your speech was lovely. How long did it take you to practice it?”
Practice?! She didn’t even give much thought to the speech a day ago.
Honestly she wasn’t sure she was going to give a speech, but she had a rough idea of what she would say.
“Not really.”
She murmured.
Kate scoffed.
“Look over there.”
She gestured to where Gabriel was talking to his family, Elliot’s mother had joined them. They all looked tense.
“Do you know what they’re talking about?”
Kate asked and Lori shrugged.
“I don’t have super hearing.”
Kate chuckled.
“Oh sorry. I thought you would. But I’d let to you know what they’re talking about.“
“What?”
“You.”
“Me?!”
Lori asked incredulously. There was no way they were talking about her. It was Elliot’s funeral.
“Yes. You. They don’t want someone like you to be his Luna. They want Gabriel to reject you as his mate.”
“If you really think about it… deep down, I think you know they’re right.”
Lori stayed quiet. Watching them intently. Even though she couldn’t hear what they were saying… Gabriel looked and
sounded frustrated.
Was Kate speaking the truth?!
“There’s an alphas summit coming up soon. And a lot of things happening in the supernatural world. Now more than
ever Gabriel needs to show that he’s strong, strong enough to face and conquer opposition.”
Kate looked her up and down, she had a disgusting look on her face, it angered Lori, how she looked at her… like she
was nothing.
Like she meant nothing.
Lori turned her palms into fists and kept them at her side, willing herself to stay calm.
“With you as his mate, he’s weak… easy catch.”
“Watch what you say Kate. I am fighting really hard to contain my anger.”
Lori warned and Kate raised an eyebrow.
Her eyes travelled to Lori’s hands and she saw that they were curled into fists, but what startled her was the blood
dripping from it.
She quickly masked her shock, deciding to provoke Lori even more.
Lori was squeezing her hands so tightly that her claws were going through her skin, drawing blood.
Kate laughed nervously.
“There’s no need to be angry sweetheart. You know it’s the truth.”
She edged closer to Lori and whispered so low, that only Lori could hear.
“I only hope Gabriel opens his eyes soon enough to see you as the trash you really are.”
Lori struck. As quick as lightening.
Lori slapped Kate, dragging her claws through her face.
Kate screamed.
Lori was stunned by her action. She broke out of her thoughts and saw the blood covering the half of Kate’s face. Her
anger deflated like a balloon.
Oh gods what had she done.
She thought as people nearby started rushing towards them.
Lori turned her back and ran, leaving the cemetery.