CHAPTER 208: KAEL’S PAIN

Lucian’s POV

The morning next day was unusually quiet. Not just for our home, but for the entire pack.It was the mourning day for the massacre that happened six years back and every pack member still remembered its pain.

Those who had lost their family members, friends, they visited their graves and prayed for the peace of their souls. There were no common gatherings for it to remember that day, as the Alpha of this pack preferred to spend this day alone. Everyone was free to do it the way they wished.

Eira had woken up early and got ready just like the previous day to meet Raven, but she was quiet as well. This day was the start of her pain and loss since year back.

After waking up, she sat with Alice’s picture in her hand, just staring at it with her moist eyes. I had to get her out of the room saying we had to go see Alice. Only then she moved.

Roman had returned home as well, quiet and avoiding talking about anything at all. If not for this day, I was sure he wouldn’t have returned.

In the quietness we started to prepare breakfast, Eira was busy with her pets. But Kael and Raven weren’t here yet. The previous day Kael at least came downstairs early so Eira could go to Raven, but today there was no sign of him despite it already being so late.

Eira would look at the stairs once in a while, but felt disappointed every time.

"Do you think she will get angry at him today?" I asked.

"Most likely," Rafe responded while pulling out the blood bag from the refrigerator.

She was already sad because of this day, and Kael making her wait to see her son wasn’t going to sit well with her.

"Shall I check on them?" Jason asked, "It won’t be good if there is a fight between them today."

"Let’s wait till we serve breakfast. If not, then you can go to them," I suggested.

There must be a reason why Kael wasn’t here yet. He wouldn’t do it purposely, at least not today. He must be busy dealing with his own emotional pain, which he didn’t want anyone to see. So typical of Kael to hide in his room in such a situation.

Breakfast was served on the table and all of us settled in the chairs.

"I’ll go check," Jason stood up.

But just then, we saw Kael finally come out, descending the stairs with Raven holding his hand. Both of them were dressed in black clothes, black shirts and pants.

They looked like the perfect pair of father and son in matching sets of clothes. I wondered when Kael had gotten them for Raven.

As it was the mourning day, all of us had worn black as well, including Eira, who wore an elegant black dress. Eira’s expression softened a little at Raven’s sight, but she didn’t spare a glance for Kael.

Since they were present, all of us started breakfast. Kael took care of Raven by serving food and helping him, though he didn’t really need it. And Raven accepted it all.

It looked like somehow Raven had gotten very close to Kael. Both of them talked about nothing, yet there was a silent understanding between them, like a perfect pair.

Eira, who was sitting on Kael’s left and exactly opposite Raven, could only watch them in silence. I could feel her jealousy over it, as if she had fewer rights over Raven than Kael. I could already smell that soon there was going to be a volcano eruption at home in the form of someone’s anger.

Unlike other days, we continued to eat in silence. No fun, no teasing, no sarcastic or mocking comments from anyone.

Just as breakfast was about to be over, Kael said, "Eira, I want to take you somewhere..."

"Breathing the same air as you isn’t enough that you expect more from me?" she cut him off, her calm tone carrying a silent cold glare.

Kael silently looked at her for a moment, then had his last bite to finish the food.

The four of us looked at each other, unsure what to do.

Kael stood up and looked at us. "All of you go ahead. I’ll accompany you after some time," he said, and turned to leave after gently patting Raven’s head in goodbye.

Damn! What to do now?

Eira looked so serious that it felt like she would only get angrier if we tried to say anything to her. We had to maintain peace at least today, which was why Kael preferred to leave without saying another word.

But then, something happened. Raven stepped out of his chair and hurried, almost running, to Kael, who was about to leave the home.

Kael sensed the movement and turned to look at him, only to find the little guy coming to him. Raven held his hand and lifted his head to look at Kael, as if saying he was going with him.

Kael offered a light nod, and both of them walked out to leave the home.

Rafe stood up as well. "I have to be with him," he said and followed them.

Rafe always followed Kael even when Kael didn’t want him to, while at least us three chose to obey him to respect his words. Rafe was different, and we were used to his disobedience.

The rest of us were ready to leave as well. We had arranged the flower bouquets to offer to Alice and my mother.

Just as we stepped out of the home, we saw Kael’s car leaving.

I couldn’t hold back and turned to Eira, my tone gentle. "He wanted to take you to meet his parents, as you are his mate now. It’s his parents’ death anniversary as well."

She looked at me, her expression softened now, a tinge of regret in her eyes as she looked in the direction where the car had left.

I won’t blame her for not remembering it, as none of us had mentioned it to remind her while she was lost in her own pain and guilt over Alice.

"Shall we go to visit his parents first?" Roman asked as he looked at Eira. "Or we can go after visiting Alice."

She hesitated a little before saying, "...His parents..."

Only if we had reminded her of it before, she wouldn’t have turned Kael down.

All of us headed to Kael’s parents’ home, where in the center of the garden his parents were cremated along with those seven kids.

When we reached there, Kael, Raven, and Rafe had already put the flowers on the two large graves tall up to the waist, and they were surrounded by seven small graves in a circle.

Kael took Raven to each of those seven graves as well, and they placed flowers on each and prayed for their souls. Raven obediently followed without a single word being said between them.

Once done, they walked away and sat on the bench under the tree that faced the graves. Looking at Kael and Raven sitting there, suddenly it felt like they were really father and son, visiting their family here. It was such a strong intuition.

That silent aura around Raven, his actions, even the way he sat — it felt so similar. Maybe it was because they were both raised in rich families with certain fixed mannerisms, unlike us ordinary ones who were raised with free will.

Without disturbing them, we walked ahead to pay respect to the deceased. I handed over flowers to Eira as we three joined her.

Once done, we went to where Kael and Raven were sitting. Eira looked at Kael, but he was staring somewhere into the distance, lost in his thought perhaps, not bothering with what was happening around him.

She went ahead and sat on the bench next to Raven, while the rest of us stood silently nearby.

I was glad Eira chose to come here and even sat with Kael to accompany him in silence.

Though angry most of the time, she wasn’t out of emotions yet. She understood Kael’s pain.