Hawi's Ceremony of The Lost

[JEREMY]

"What?" Jer asked again, hoping that he heard the alpha wrong.

Just because his daughter was accused of murder didn't mean she did it. If they had conducted an investigation before Awuor was banished, then they would have had concrete evidence. Instead, they didn't do shit other than force her out of their lives.

He felt bad for his mate and yet he was powerless that, not to mention, they were pushing him to hurt her even more.

Jer knew Awuor wouldn't appreciate this, and he knew the woman would probably come after him for betraying her. Then again, the accusations against her were not as simple as a stolen cow.

She was accused of murder and was facing her punishment, even though it really wasn't her.

"What is it with you anyway? You've been sleeping with everything that has a skirt and now you're playing savior? It doesn't suit you," Elodie said, having had enough of Her playing saint.

He had disregarded their mate bond the moment Awuor walked out of Sicario, and the rejection ceremony was just to make things official for him. Besides, he would have more freedom to do whatever he wanted.

"But she's your daughter—" Jer tried to argue. It was too cruel a fate for his mate, and he knew how much it would affect Awuor. He didn't want her to suffer and yet she had been suffering through the eighth months because of him.

He was shocked to hear what the alpha said and he wondered if the man ever truly cared about his daughter through all those years or if she was just a pawn for him.

Jer wanted to ask questions, whose answers would probably never show for him, but then it wasn't like he could at the moment anyway. The alpha Sicario seemed to have made up his mind, but it wouldn't be bad if Jeremy tried, right?

"Who also happened to kill my luna. Anyway, if you wanna reject her, you don't necessarily have to see her face-to-face. We just need a function that announces you're rejecting her," Sicario said dismissively like he was done listening to Jer tell him what needed to be done with his daughter.

The girl was a culprit and would always be the worst of her father's legacy anyway. Besides, people who knew Awuor knew she would do whatever it took to get what she wanted, and right now, they did know what she wanted.

This was why Alpha Sicario had figured it would be easier for her to be rejected, since then, she would be dealing with her pain for three more months if not four.

"A rejection ceremony? That would be perfect!" Dom said as he lifted his head from the pile of work on his table. For someone who had adored his sister over the years, he looked like he had been waiting for this particular ceremony.

Dom had never shown any interest in the throne, so why would he be so excited about his sister losing it all? They were being unrealistic and cruel, but that was the only thing they could do toAwuor anyway.

Everyone in the alpha's office right now knew just how resilient the woman was, and they were frankly worried about her sudden appearance at the gates.

She was planning something, and they wouldn't be able to get out of it. So maybe rejecting her was just a step to buy themselves time while they prepared for the future.

"When do we do it?" Elodie asked excitedly, her tone showing no remorse for what had happened to her best friend or even the fact that she was eyeing her friend's mate.

It was unethical, but since Awuor would be rejected soon, there was no point in pretending not to want a seat at the high table anyway. This was her perfect moment, and she would see it through. She had to.

"How about now, before the heat about her showing up goes down?" Sicario said, like the strategic man she was. Giving the wolves the news at this time was the perfect moment because she was still on their minds.

They had seen her, sensed her, they had watched her break down at their gates and none of them had walked out to help her. Maybe because of their loyalty to the crown or maybe because they did that to be branded traitors.

There was no telling anyway.

"I'm not sure—" Jer said before adding, "She's my mate. She never wronged me as a mate. Sure she killed the luna, which is really the worst thing anyone could ever do, but rejecting her as my mate is just too cruel."

"Says the guy who's been fucking anything with a skirt," Elodie said again, as she humorlessly laughed at the self-declared advocate of Awuor Hawi.

Well, they couldn't deny the fact that Awuor Hawi was a loyal mate and one who respected their bond. But with all that happened, maybe letting her go was the only option for Her if he wanted to live the next day in this pack.

"Not you though. You are the only one who declines my advances, Elodie," Jer said as he looked at the woman before her, not even caring that the alpha was in the same room with them.

Alpha Sicario should have defended his daughter and her dignity, but that seemed like an already lost fight because her mate was bedding everyone and anyone that was willing anyway.

Maybe he was doing it because he hated his daughter, or maybe he was just a father protecting her child from the pain of her mate's ugliness. Maybe, just maybe, Sicario wanted to free his daughter for Her, but why would he do that when he was clearly angry with her?

"Well then, it seems to me like we got an announcement to make, Jeremy. Let's go," Dom said before mind linking the warriors to ring the bells. It was a rash decision and they could hear the warning bells ringing, but they didn't want to care too much about it.

***

"Good morning Sicario, I trust you are doing well, the alpha Jeremy has a quick announcement to make," alpha Sicario said and the pack was silent waiting for him to talk.

They had never had such impromptu announcements unless they were going to war, but then their enemies had long retreated since Awuor had set the terms of their engagements.

She had made sure that her people would be safe on all fonts and kept everyone safe, in their homes, and even the surroundings.

Sicario was easily the safest place in the realm thanks to the woman who looked and smelled like death, but loved with all her heart. She adored her people, funny how they had ditched her without so much as a second thought.

"As of today, I officially reject the former alpha, Awuor, as my mate and alpha. Any and all bonds tying me to her will be relinquished with this announcement. Let it be known to everyone in the supernatural realm.

"That is the only announcement I have today," jer said and the pack unusually remained silent.

No one was saying anything.

Jer wasn't sure this was the reaction he had been expecting from them, especially considering how they had all been shouting for the alpha to be banished. Well, it was one thing to banish the culprit, but to reject a mate just because he wanted to, didn't feel right.

He could have waited and convinced his mate to come and confess, maybe ask for forgiveness or even take on her punishment a month them. What year had done was cruel, especially in a society where the mate bonds were valued.

"That will be all, everyone, dismissed!" Alpha Sicario said to his people right when a loud pained howl was heard in the free lands. There was only one person they knew who could let out a howl that pained.

They all knew who it was.

"Awuor," Elodie breathed out quietly as she heard her friend.

Denouncing a mate publicly was always the final straw. It showed everyone that whatever happened, the two mates would never get back together Elodie knew it, everyone knew it, and yet, Elodie had still pushed for it.

She clearly had her reasons, but did she push Jer to reject Awuor because she wanted Jer, or was it because she, just like alpha Sicario, wanted Awuor to be free of the bonds that had betrayed her?