There was a funeral to prepare. I wasn't sure if it was for Ezra or us.

A gloomy mood covered the hallways of the mansion, absorbing my energies every time I decided to get out of bed. It's not like I was able to rest either, after all, I could barely fall asleep.

There were too many worries running through my head that didn't allow me to find peace. I was scared about the members of Moon Guardians, the anxiety of knowing that the first day of my test as the luna was approaching overwhelmed me, and Almec spent more time locked in his office than at my side.

"I'll be there in a minute." He had told me the night before when I picked him up to go to sleep.

In the end, Almec didn't get to the room before I managed to close my eyes and he wasn't there when I woke up the next morning either.

Our cold bed had become my tormentor, always reminding me of our wonderful wedding night and the happiness I had lost.

"Is he in his office again?" I asked Khalia before taking a sip of my already cold mate.

She left the tray of food on the counter near Demian who was preparing pancakes for Faustina.

"Where else is he going to be?" Khalia replied.

"He didn't even take a bite of his food. That kid doesn't know how to appreciate my work," Demian complained, grabbing one of the toasts and then taking a bite. "I don't care if he pays me for this, I'm not going to cook him anything else until he eats."

"He's going through a hard time," I defended Almec, standing up. "We have to help him in any way we can. Give me the tray, I'll try to convince him."

"Here." Demian gave me Almec's breakfast. "Tell him that he better eat it if he wants me to keep cooking for him."

"I'll make sure he eats," I promised Demian.

I gave him my word but I wasn't sure I could pull it off. Under normal circumstances it wouldn't take me much effort to convince Almec; When he went into his shell, it was a completely different story.

My biggest fear was that he would isolate himself until he returned to his old routine. I wasn't ready to lose the real version of Almec after having met him.

I knocked on the door slowly, my insecurities getting the best of me.

For a second I thought it would be better to tell myself that Almec didn't want to let me pass than to have to face my fears.

"Don't be a coward," my wolf scolded me, making me see reason.

I knocked again, this time harder, and still, I received no response.

Gathering all my courage, I opened the door anyway. I couldn't let Almec push me out of his life a second time.

"I already told you not to bother me, I'm working," Almec snapped, dropping the pen on the desk. He raised his head and as soon as he saw me the fury in his gaze disappeared. "Oh, it's you. What happened? Do you need anything?"

The tension drained from Almec's body and he moved his chair away from the desk, resting his back against the backrest.

"I brought you your breakfast. Khalia told me you don't want to eat but I'm worried that you're not taking care of yourself properly," I told him the truth, approaching him. I made space on the desk moving some of the papers and placed the tray in front of Almec. "At least eat a little."

"I'm fine," he told me, grabbing me by the waist. "I just don't have time right now, there are a lot of details I have to take care of to say goodbye to Ezra if I want everything to go well."

"Why don't you take a break now and I'll help you later?" I placed my hand on his chest, brushing my fingers against the skin that was exposed thanks to the top buttons of his shirt that were undone. "Demian said he's going to stop cooking for you if you keep wasting his food."

"He always says the same thing but he never stops cooking." Almec pulled on my waist, guiding me until I sat on his lap. "If you insist so much that I eat, why don't you feed me while I continue working?"

"You better finish everything on the tray."

"Yes, ma'am," Almec joked, slapping me on the butt.

"What are you working on now?" I asked him, bringing one of the toasts closer to his mouth.

Almec took a bite and swallowed before answering me. "I'm preparing the guest list, Ezra used to be in charge of visiting the other packs so he knew a lot of people. It was never hard for him to win other people's affection. He was exactly the opposite of me in that sense, I don't know what I'm going to do to keep a good relationship with the other packs without him."

"Why don't you tell me something about him?" I asked him, giving him more food. "From what I heard Ezra was quite popular within the pack but I know almost nothing about him."

"Maybe another day, when I don't have so many things to do," Almec dismissed my question.

He claimed to be too busy but the trembling of his hands when I mentioned Ezra made me suspect that he had another reason. In any case, I preferred not to insist, trusting that Almec would come to me when he was ready.

"Okay, no more questions for today," I told him, bringing the cup of tea close to him. "I'll let you work in silence."

"Thank you." Almec kissed the side of my head. "You simply being here already does a lot to ease my worries."

It was difficult to remain silent when I wanted to reach out to him with my words of comfort.

Almec had locked his feelings inside him, I could see it in the way his fist clenched against the pen every time he started to write a new invitation and in the absence of the glow of his eyes.

He continued to work regardless, I assumed it was his desire to give Ezra a funeral that motivated him. If he would just let me help him I could take some of the burden off him just like he did with me at my worst.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do?" I asked him after he took the last sip of tea. "Today I have to go to town with Faustina, she is tired of being stuck in the mansion. Maybe there is something I can do for you in the meantime."

"It's okay, I'm fine," Almec told me without looking up from the desk.

"You're not fine, don't lie to me." I took the pen from his hand and raised his head so he could look at me. "It's so obvious to me that you're hurting, you don't have to do that when I'm here."

"I don't want to put any more pressure on you," he said, averting his gaze downwards. "I do not want to hurt you."

"It hurts me more to see you suffer while you overwork yourself." I wrapped my arms around his neck and brought him towards me. "I'm stronger than you think, I'm not going to break down for fulfilling a simple errand."

Almec hugged me and rested his head against my chest. He didn't say anything for the next few minutes, probably considering his options.

"What part of town are you going to?" He asked me, making me smile.

"We're going to Adira's house, Faustina keeps saying that she's bored of always playing with us and I thought it wouldn't hurt her to meet kids her age," I explained to Almec.

He straightened his body and began to move the papers on his desk looking for something.

"In that case, can you take this list to Adira?" Almec asked me, handing me an envelope. "Those are all the guests from other packs, she'll know what to do with that."

"Just that? Don't you need me to help you with anything else?"

"Don't push your luck," Almec warned me before kissing me on the forehead. "I have the rest of the things under control. Now go, I don't think Faustina will like you leaving her waiting."

"I'll let you win for today only because I already promised Faustina that I was going to accompany her." I stood up and pecked his lips. "This discussion isn't over yet and you better eat your lunch while I'm not here."

Almec chuckled. "You sound like my mother."

"Well, if you're going to behave like a child, someone has to take the role of responsible adult," I joked before opening the door. "But seriously, take care of yourself."

"I'll try."

That's the best I can get for now, I thought as I left the room.

***

"Are we almost there?" Faustina asked me for the tenth time since we left the mansion.

"Just one more block."

I pretended to be irritated by her behavior but the reality was that I was as excited as she was. Adira's grandchildren seemed to be good kids and it was time for my sister to make real friends instead of being surrounded by only adults.

"Do you want to knock on the door?" I asked her when we finally arrived at the small house.

I was surprised to see that someone as important as Adira lived in such a simple cabin with only one floor and small windows. The most impressive detail about the house was its beautiful front garden full of roses and petunias.

"You arrived right on time," Adira told us when she opened the door. "We just finished baking the cookies. Come in, don't be shy."

There was nothing shy about Faustina who immediately ran to Adira's three grandchildren to introduce herself.

The happiest to see my sister was Octavia, the youngest and the only woman. Edmund, who was the same age as Faustina, did not seem very interested in her, and the eldest, Gideon, could not stop laughing when he saw his sister's excitement.

"They seem to be getting along well," Adira told me. "Are you hungry? I made some tea for us."

"I'm not that hungry but I'll gladly accept your tea."

We sat in the kitchen, occasionally watching the kids through the window while they played in the backyard.

"I have something for you," I said, pulling the envelope out of my purse. "Almec asked me to give it to you, it is the list of guests from other packs for the funeral."

Adira sighed and grabbed the envelope. "Let's hope that at least these visitors are not like the ones who arrived a few days ago."

"Why? Do you know something?" I asked her, resting my elbow on the table and leaning towards her.

She copied me and spoke to me in a low voice as if she was telling me a secret. "I saw one of them escape through the inn's window to avoid the guards."

"And you told Almec that?"

"I told Geldra right away. That people are dangerous, I'm sure of it."

"Why would they risk running away?" I asked more for myself than for Adira.

"I might know something," she said, smirking. "The one who ran away was the blonde. I sent the son of a friend to follow him and it turns out that he went to the tea shop to talk to Myra."

"Myra?" I almost screamed because of the surprise it caused me. The more Adira talked, the more confused I became.

"Yes, apparently he tried to get information out of her, although it's a stupid move considering Myra is your friend. I thought you knew about all this."

I shrugged. "I had no idea."

"Strange, considering I warned Almec myself." Adira looked at me worried and held my hands. "You have to be careful, dear. That boy was asking about you."