Alpha King Chases Abandoned Luna novel Chapter 196

I dressed in traditional white mourning clothes, the color of grief in werewolf culture. My wolf was subdued, sharing my sorrow as I made my way to the Stone Ancestral Hall where the ceremony would be held.

As I approached the entrance, Eleanor Stone and Isabelle stepped into my path, their faces

twisted with hatred.

“Get out! You killed Grandmother, and you still have the nerve to come!” Eleanor snarled, her

eyes flashing with anger.

I tried to move past them without engaging. I was here to pay my respects to Matriarch Evelyn, not to fight with her family.

“Your.accusations drove her to confront Victoria,” Isabelle added, her voice dripping with

venom. “Her death is on your hands.”

I kept my gaze fixed ahead, refusing to be baited. My wolf remained quiet, too numb with grief to respond to their provocations.

Eleanor, enraged by my silence, shoved me roughly. I stumbled backward, nearly falling before a strong hand caught my elbow.

Ethan had appeared beside me, his face stern as he steadied me. “Enough,” he said, his voice carrying the unmistakable authority of an Alpha.

Eleanor faltered, clearly not expecting his intervention. “But Ethan, she-”

“Is the mother of my daughter,” Ethan cut her off, his eyes flashing dangerously. “And Lily was Grandmother’s great–granddaughter. Olivia has every right to be here.”

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His words silenced both women, though their eyes still burned with resentment. Ethan’s hand

remained on my elbow as he guided me past them into the hall.

I pulled away from his touch as soon as we were inside. “I don’t need your protection,” I said

coldly.

Ethan nodded, stepping back. “As you wish.”

The funeral ceremony was elaborate, befitting Matriarch Evelyn’s status. I knelt in a corner,

away from the main gathering, offering my prayers in solitude. My wolf mourned silently

within me, grieving for the kind old woman who had been the only one to believe us.

Hours passed, and gradually the mourners departed. I remained kneeling, lost in memories of

Matriarch Evelyn’s kindness toward Lily and me.

“Olivia.”

I looked up to find Ethan standing over me, his face drawn with exhaustion and grief.

“Everyone has left,” he said quietly. “You should rest.”

I rose stiffly, my injured leg protesting after hours of kneeling. “I’m leaving now.”

As I drove away from the Stone Estate, my mind was a whirlwind of grief and guilt. If only I’d been more vigilant about Lily’s donor. If only I’d discovered Victoria’s scheme sooner. If only I’d been able to convince Matriarch Evelyn to wait for solid proof before confronting Victoria.