Chapter 159

Goodbye.

(James)

“If you will allow me, I have a poem I found that I feel sums up what Momma Beth means to all of us “I

look around as the pack looks up at me. “She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street.

She’s the smell of certain foods you remember, flowers vou pick, the fragrance of life itself. She’s the

cool hand on your brow when you’re not feeling well She’s your breath in the air on a cold winters’ day

She is the sound of the rain that lulls you to sleep, the colours of a rainbow She is Christmas morning

Your mother lives inside your laughter She’s the place you come from, your first home. She’s the map

you follow with every step you take She’s your first love, your first friend, even your first enemy. But

nothing on Earth can separate you Not time Not space. Not even death” The gathering is quiet once I’m

done, looking to my side I can see Anna blowing her nose as Fraction gives her a one armed hug

I step aside as Elder Thomas makes his way up onto the platform we have erected near the burial site

Momma Beth’s coffin sits m a hole waiting to be covered over. Fraction wanted an open casket but it’s

been too long since her death. He wanted to do this sooner but he told me he wanted to wait until he

had his family home. I think part of him knew I would want to be here for this Of all the things that have

surprised me since coming back, Momma Beth dying while trying to stop Zoe, I mean Eva from taking

Aurora has to be the worst thing of all Momma Beth took me in when my own family cast me out, now

that I’ve accepted who me and Bellamy are to each other I hoped to introduce her to him.

“That was beautiful.” Bellamy says as I go to stand next to him, I place

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my hand in his not caring who sees, right now I need his comfort too much to care about people’s

judgement

“Beth or Momma Beth as so many of you knew her as.” Elder Thomas speaks to the Pack as he looks

down at Momma Beth’s coffin “She was the guiding hand within this Pack, she grew her family here,

went through heartache and pain here Now we say our goodbyes as we lay her to rest next to her

Alpha ” He throws some dirt on top of the coffin before continuing. “although we feel sadness at her

passing we must share in the joy that she brought to this Pack Momma Beth was a force to be

reckoned with, she loved hard and unlike no other I have ever known. One of the best pleasures in my

life was knowing Beth, may she forever run with the Goddess

“May she forever run with the Goddess” The Pack repeats after him. it’s like a prayer they are sending

up to the heavens. Looking up I can see the clear blue sky shining down on us as if Momma Beth

herself is smiling

Fraction nods at Elder Thomas as they pass on the platform, Fraction just stands there looking out at

the Pack, all wearing black and all mourning the passing of his mother

“Thank you all for coming.” Fraction speaks to the Pack with a sad look on his face “As Momma Beth is

laid to rest there will be a small gathering at the PAck house As per her wishes this will not be a sad

affair. It’s to be a celebration of her life, as she would have wanted we encourage you to bring your

pups and loved ones along Let’s make sure we remember my mother the way she would have wanted

” I look over at Anna as Fraction walks down the platform and the Pack starts to disperse, Anna just

shrugs her shoulders at me.

“You didn’t want to say anything more?” I ask my Alpha and friend, I

half expected him to have more to say about his mother.

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“She knows how I feel,” Fraction smiles at me as he pulls Anna into a hug. “Will you and Bellamy stay

with us?” I feel Bellamy squeeze my hand as Fraction asks us to stay for the actual burial.

“Of course we will.” Bellamy answers for us both, it takes a while for the Pack to leave the graveside.

Most stop to give Fraction and Anna a hug or some kind words, some even stop to offer their

condolences to me which confuses me. I know how important Momma Beth was to me but I never

realised the Pack knew.

The sun is starting to set by the time it’s just the four of us alone with Momma Beth, I hear the clang of

metal behind me and see Rick and Eliza walking towards us with some shovels. Fraction shucks his

suit jacket off at the same time as me, Bellamy takes mine so I can roll my shirt sleeves up.

“Shall we?” Rick asks as he hands me and Fraction a shovel.

“What’s happening?” Anna asks as she follows us to the graveside, of course she’s confused, she’s

never seen a proper Pack burial.

“The immediate family normally covers the grave of a family member.” Bellamy tells Anna as me and

Fraction start to drop the dirt over Momma Beth’s coffin, “it’s a sign of great respect and many years

ago they said it would allow the passers soul to rest easy.”

“Oh, I had no idea. Should I?” I see Fraction smile at Anna as she asks Bellamy the question.

“Usually it’s just the blood relation, Fraction has allowed James to help because he was a son to her in

all but blood. Even as Luna you have to wait to be invited but don’t take offence if he doesn’t.” I look

back at Bellamy and smile. I really appreciate him taking the time to kindly explain this to Anna.

“Little wolf, of course you can help.” Fraction says holding the shovel

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III

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08.17

Goodbye

out to her, Anna takes it with a sad smile and starts to drop some dirt into the ever filling hole. She only

does a few scoops before passing it back to Fraction and going to stand next to Bellamy, Rick and

Eliza.

The six of us stand around Momma Beth’s grave, Eliza bends down and puts a single rose on top of

the mound of dirt.

“I wanted you to be the first to know,” she whispers while looking down. “We are having a baby girl.”

Her hand rests on her stomach, “I wish you could have met her.” Eliza stands back up and Rick pulls

her into a hug.

“Shall we?” Rick asks the group, all of us nod but as we go to move Fraction just stays where he is.

“I’ve got him, you go ahead.” I tell Anna in a whisper, Bellamy takes her hand and leads her back to the

Pack house with Eliza and Rick. For a while we both stand there in silence looking down at Momma

Beth. “Do you remember that time I snuck out to go and see that bloke a few towns over?” Fraction

smiles at the memory.

“I thought she was going to kill you.” Fraction says while laughing a little, “I’ve never seen her so mad.”

“You could have been killed.” I say in my best Momma Beth voice, “or worse.” Fraction is howling by

the time I’m done, “I still don’t know what she meant, what’s worse than being killed?”

“Well the sex talk was definitely worse than being killed.” I laugh as I remember Momma Beth teaching

us how to put a condom on a cucumber, “her trying to tell you that although you can’t get a guy

pregnant you still need to use one. I’ve never seen her go so red in my life.”

“You know she’s not gone right? She’s still here with us. The fact that

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we can laugh like this is a true testament to how she raised both of us Fraction smiles at me before

turning from the graveside and walking across the field.

“So Bellamy is sticking around huh?” I roll my eyes at him, since being back we haven’t spoken about

Bellamy even though he’s been with me constantly

“You want me to say you were right?” Fraction nods his head.

“Can’t be that right, noticed he still doesn’t have a mate mark.” I laugh at him as we reach the Pack

house, I can hear the laughter and music floating through the doors and windows.

“Sorry I’ve been busy with the whole being kept prisoner thing.” Fraction slaps me on the top of my

arm.

“Sounds like an excuse to me.” He ducks as I go to playfully slap him on the side of the head, we run

into the house laughing like two pups playing a game,