The Shock
Carl’s eyes widened in shock as he took in the scene before him. His mother, Luna Claire, was cradling his father’s lifeless body, her wails and cries echoing through the hall. The crowd of people parted as Carl approached, their faces somber and sorrowful.
Immediately most of them noticed Carl , they all went quiet. They felt so sorry for Carl as he already lost the throne and his father the same day .
“What… what happened?” Carl stuttered, his mind refusing to comprehend the reality of the situation.
None of the people in the crowd answered him and that made Carl go wide . ” Are you all deaf ? ” Carl screamed. ” I said,” What is happening here ?” .
Luna Claire noticed, looked back and saw Carl walking hurriedly towards her .
His mother’s eyes, red and puffy from crying, met him. “My son… your father… he’s gone.”
” Is this a prank or something or probably a dream?” Carl slapped himself severally and pinched himself but there is nothing he could do about it , it was reality .
Carl felt a numbness wash over him, as if his body was trying to shield him from the pain. He stumbled forward, his legs trembling beneath him.
“No… no, this can’t be,” he whispered, his voice cracking as he gazed upon his father’s pale face.
” Fath.. father might be sleeping” Carl said trying hard not to believe what his mother just said .
” I have forgiven you father , just wake up and prove to these people that you’re alive , please father , please ” Carl screamed.
Most of the people in the crowd shook their heads in pity . Some whisper to themselves asking why Carl cares after all his father had done to him earlier that day while some wished they could just wake The Alpha up .
The Alpha’s body lay on a makeshift bier, his chest still and silent. Carl’s mind raced with questions, but the only sound was his mother’s anguished wailing.
He was so down to console himself at the moment not to talk of consoling his mom .
Just then, Louis, the new Alpha, stepped forward, his face cold and calculating.
” Take Carl and his mother to their room, I think they are performing too much drama here, ” Alpha Louis said . ” He is dead anyway and there is nothing you can do about it, ” Louis said, pointing fingers at Carl and his mother. Alpha Louis was feeling so unremorseful.
Carl was so angry and pissed. “Who the hell did this bastard think he is to talk to me and my mother that way?
“Carl, I know this is hard for you, but your father made his choice clear before he passed. I am the new Alpha, and you will respect my authority.”
Carl’s eyes flashed with anger, but his mother’s hand on his arm restrained him.
“Let it go, Carl. For now. We’ll deal with this treachery later.”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
Louis’s eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing. “There is no treachery, Luna. Only the Alpha’s final wish. And I will see it through.”
The room fell silent, the tension palpable as Carl struggled to come to terms with the sudden turn of events. His father was gone, and his estranged brother had taken his place as the new Alpha.
The people were surprised to see how carefree Louis was , he wasn’t even bothered about the fact that his father was dead . If not for the fact that he passed the test , people would have called him a bastard just the way Carl called him .
Carl’s mind raced with emotions, his heart heavy with grief and anger. He couldn’t believe his father had chosen Louis, of all people, as his successor.
The same Louis who had always been absent, who had never shown any interest in the pack or its well-being. The same Louis who didn’t care if he was dead or alive .
At that point, Carl realized his father had made a huge mistake that even he himself will regret in the grave .
As he stood there, frozen in shock, Louis began to address the pack. “My dear pack members, I know this is a difficult time for us all. But we must move forward, and I promise to lead our pack with strength and wisdom.”
The pack erupted into a mixture of cheers and murmurs, some welcoming Louis as their new Alpha, while others whispered among themselves, clearly unsure about the sudden change in leadership.
Carl’s mother’s grip on his arm tightened, her eyes pleading with him to remain calm. But Carl couldn’t help it. He felt a burning sensation inside, a sense of injustice and betrayal that he couldn’t ignore.
” Please Carl, I get how angry and pained you can be but you just have to take things easy ” Luna Claire whispered into Carl’s ear.
Luna Claire noticed Carl wasn’t listening to whatever she had to say but overwhelmed with anger .
Carl stood there with Luna Claire listening to whatever Louis had to say but he couldn’t take it anymore.
Without a word, he turned and stormed out of the hall, leaving the pack and his family behind. He needed time to think, to process the events that had just unfolded. And to figure out what he was going to do next.
” Carl please wait , where are you heading to” Luna Claire followed Carl but couldn’t meet up with him because he was too fast .
In the process of running after Carl , Luna Claire stumbled on the pavement and fell down with her face down, wailing and crying.
” Take her to her room ” Louis ordered the guard . ” She is disturbing this important meeting”.
Two guards forcefully take Luna Claire to her room even if all she wanted was her husband and her child.
***********
Carl had no destination, but he just wanted to leave the surroundings . He walked for what felt like hours, his feet carrying him deeper into the forest without any conscious direction .
His mind was a jumble of emotion, his thoughts consumed by the shock of his father’s death and betrayal of his father’s final decision.