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Three months after the havoc, to say that everything returned to normal was an understatement. Everyone still grieves over the loss of half of the pack members, but they were our hero, at heart and in memory.

I flew back to Kyoto the next day, with his head in a sack. I questioned everyone in my family regarding their knowledge of what he had done and what he was about to do. When I asked for Miura and his mother, everyone dropped their heads, out of respect.

Dazai had informed me that both of them took their own lives for the sake of the old Kawaguchi rule. I need to abolish that rule and replace it with a more reasonable punishment. Both of them are innocent, they were just a pawn in the game and they had to pay the price for his doings – may their soul rest in peace.

That night we held a proper funeral ceremony for the mother and son, my aunt and cousin. We all pay our respects. Our allies came to pay their respects as well.

At the end of the ceremony, everyone had returned home while I remained at the burial place and stare off at Miura’s portrait, thinking that I may have hated him only because he was my annoying cousin but the truth is I cared for him as a family would – even though he’s only an adopted child, only wanted everyone’s recognition and approval. I really cared for him.

Yuta congratulates me on my victory and gave me a friendly hug before he left. Dazai accompanied me after, telling me that this death wasn’t my fault and that I shouldn’t carry the burden. Lastly, he too congratulates me for the win.

I returned to the Raven Ash pack two days after and stayed until today. I just need to be around my family and pack for now, especially my mate.

The nightmares stopped appearing and I couldn’t be happier about it. It was making me crazy, but glad it’s over now.

One night, a week after the battle, I got a dream – it wasn’t a nightmare, but more like a farewell.

“You did well, Rei. And we are so proud of what you’ve accomplished. We’ll continue to protect and guide you.” My father said with a beaming smile on his face.

My mom wiped away the tears that fell on her cheeks “Oh, Rei, you’ve grown so much in the past years. I’m sorry that we couldn’t be with you and help you go through it all. I love you, Rei. Always remember that.” She spoke with a soft smile playing on her lips.

“It’s time you let go of the past and live in the present,” My grandfather approached me and pulled me into a hug that felt all too real as if he was still alive and not dead.

I wrapped my arms around him tightly, never wanting to let him go. “I’m sorry,”

“No, what are you sorry for? You’ve done everything to achieve your goals.” He caressed my head.

Sniffling like a little child, I broke into tears “I’m just sorry for everything, for not trusting you and believing in you.”

He chuckled “There’s nothing to be sorry for actually. I made it easy for you to hate me, so he wouldn’t catch on anything. But I am disappointed in my own son. I can’t believe I raised a monster without even teaching him how to be one.”

Looking at me in my blubbering mess, he smiled kindly, “Now you need to trust and believe in yourself and your mate.” He pecked a gentle kiss on my forehead before letting my grandmother embrace me lastly.

“Look at you! You’ve grown so much since I left; you’re so much stronger now then you were before. I wish I could watch you grow even more into the woman that you’re meant to be. Love is such a beautiful color on you, Rei.” I blushed even harder the second she said that.

“Mark is a good boy; it’s time you stop pushing him away and accept him wholeheartedly. You deserve to live, and you definitely deserve all the happiness in the world.” With one last kiss on the cheek from her, I was pulled away from the dream.

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