I was sitting in my garden .I inspected the brooch once more to find out any clue from it.

There has to be something that could help me identify its owner.What am I missing..?

"Hey, what are you doing with that.?" I jerked back the brooch,hiding it from the intruder.Clasping it tightly in my hands.

Dane.

"What are you doing here..?" I asked, miffed at his presence.

"Hey come on now,you know I love pestering you.You are the only one here for me as well." He joked to hide the painful truth.

I sighed and relaxed.

"Come here and sit down." No matter what had transpired these last few weeks.He was excluded from any animosity I held in my heart.He was like a brother to me.Some one I had to protect.No one had been there for me.I had wished for it so many times.So being there for him helped me.It calmed me.It felt good knowing I could provide that safety to someone.

He sat beside me."So what were you looking at earlier..?"

No reason to shy away from him.I pulled the brooch up for him to inspect.May be he knows who it belongs to.

"Wow,it's beautiful.Is that your brooch for the Ceremony.?"

I looked at him confused."What..?"

"The brooch that you'll wear for the Ceremony tomorrow.Is this it..?Hm..I thought it would be much more than this.It lacks something.It is too plain.Will they really make you wear this thing among-st all others..?"

Hunh.?

"Dane,I don't understand.What are you talking about..?Do you know anything about this brooch..?"

He looked at me as if I had lost my head.Sighing he handed the piece back to me."You know you seriously need to acquaint yourself with the Pack's happenings and traditions asap.I don't want you embarrassing yourself in front of others as the Luna of the Pack.It'll really be bad for the Packs' reputation ,if others came to know that the Luna of The Kranis Clan is this ignorant."

"Stop babbling and tell me what you know." I asked peeved at the truth behind his words.

He sighed heavily as if he was too burdened to share this small information.

"Well,the pack tradition states that all the members of the Pack are supposed to attend functions and ceremonies.If you have found your mate,both of you have to be there and if you still haven't found the one,then you alone have to attend.But attend you must.No one can miss it."

I listened carefully as he droned on .

"Most of the times other Packs are also invited.We have to be at our very best behaviors. Elder Kurona always insists that we being the top Pack, in regards to wealth and prosperity , have to maintain our status as such so that no one can find any faults in us .We need to set examples for others.This tradition of dressing formally started under the guidance of Alpha Marcus.You see he was a well mannered man.The brooch became a part of the dress code as suggested by him and then it continued on.All the Clan Elders have different brooches to identify their standing in the Pack.The rest of the members are refrained from such customs.It helps in differentiating between the level of power ,held in hands of the various Elders so that they are not confused and disrespected by the other Pack members and as such."

The wheels in my head started turning.So the brooch is only carried by the Elders.And each Elder has his own specific brooch.

I looked at the piece in my hands again.This means that this brooch belongs to someone specific from the Pack.Tomorrow is the Initiation Ceremony,everyone will be supposed to wear their respective brooches.And the one missing his/her would be.....

It'll be easier to identify the murderer now.

A happiness like nothing else filled my heart.

I am closer, Ma.

I hugged Dane who seemed surprised by my sudden attack."Thank you so much Dane.Thank you.You don't understand what you have done."

Leaving him flabbergasted,I waited for tomorrow to come eagerly.

My heart thudded with excitement in finding the one responsible for all my misery.All the hurt I suffered.

I will make you regret it.The red inside swirled inside waiting to get out and cause havoc all around.Not yet.

I patiently replied.

Not just yet.

"Well I have to go.Prepare myself for tomorrow's ceremony." Dane's words brought me back to him.I looked at him questioningly.

"Prepare..?" I asked as he got up.

"Well what do you think.?This awesomeness" ,he exclaimed, gesturing up and down his body with his hands "takes time to reach it's perfection .See ya later."

I shook my head as he winked at me on his way out.He really is just one of a kind.

The Initiation Ceremony.

The brooch shined it's blueness at me.One thing unsettled me.If the brooch really belongs to one of the Elders,shouldn't they be searching for it now..?There has to be some activity from their side.?Aren't they worried and afraid that it might fall into someone's hands.?

From the time I have been here I haven't sensed anything this critical happening in the Pack house.

Is it a trap to mislead me perhaps.?

Or may be they are not yet aware of it being lost.And that is why there has been no movement.

So many possibilities.And yet I couldn't do anything but wait for tomorrow to come.

So frustrating.!

Dusting my skirt I got up and retraced my steps to the Pack House.I have to be more vigilant now.I cannot risk missing any thing that happens in this house.

The preparations for the day lacked the enthusiasm that I was privy to before.With elation and happiness hung a dark cloud of sadness and un-forgiveness.

I looked at the corridor housing Elder Kurona's room.She hadn't ventured out of her room ,not once since that incident.Only Aiinata was allowed to go in,who carried her food and necessities.She had stopped talking to anyone from the Pack.All the directions and instructions for the ceremony were carried over by Aiinata ,from her to the other members.A sense of guilt wracked up my system.I could have avoided all this.I could have prevented her from this hurt.

Yes, she was innocent in this all but what about the others...no,they had to pay for their sins.And if the chance to redo came to me,I would it again even if it meant hurting her.

A gasp sounded from my right and I looked over to find Leann standing there.Her eyes round with fear.Her body shaking.I smiled at her reaction towards me."Aww I missed you, too,..?"

I saw her scrambling and running back to where she came from, before I could continue our sweet conversation.

I chuckled darkly.

Taking the stairs slowly I reached up to his room.Voices from inside had me stopping in my tracks.I huddled next to wall as I heard their voice again.

"Aeran please,don't do this to me.I really love you Aeran. We always have been together.What has changed.?Didn't you promise me that we'll be together forever..?Then why are you being like this..?Please Aeran say something..please...don't sit there like that..Aeran..?" She was crying.

Her sobs reached me again."Aeran you cannot leave me.I'll fall apart Aeran. There's no one for me other than you.Don't you see that..?You cannot leave me Aeran. I'll do anything.I promise.Anything you ask for..?" I heard some scrambling noises.As discreetly as I could I chanced a peek inside.

I was surprised to see the scene inside. Aeran was sitting on the bed.His head in his hands.I couldn't see his face.Ravine was sitting sideways by his legs.Her hands splayed on his knees,trying to shake him from his reverie.But he didn't budge.His face still hidden.Her eyes pleading him to look at her.So much longing in them apparent.She was crying and sobbing continuously trying to make him notice her desperation and genuine hurt.

At last defeated ,she laid her head on his knee and continued sobbing ,not really caring about the black tear marks,courtesy of her makeup.

"I love you Aeran.I love you so much.I cannot imagine a life where you are not a part of me." Her tears continued flowing down her cheeks and onto his jean clad legs.Her voice rang hollow in the silence that enveloped us all.

She was losing it .I could make out the emptiness in her eyes.

"I'll make Granna understand.I'll make her like me.She'll give us another chance.And then we can be together again.Just like we always wanted." Her sobbing stopped but the tears continued on making those tracks on her clear skin.And that in itself showcased the intensity of her emotions.

No more arrogance.No more haughtiness.No more pride on that pale face.

"I'll make that witch forgive me as well.I'll even grovel at her feet.I'll ask her to leave you.I'll beg her.I'll do everything.I promise Aeran. She'll understand it once she knows how much we love each other.She loves her mother so much.She'll understand our love as well.I know she will.Even she can't be that heartless.I'll do it.I'll talk to her.I'll give her anything she asks for.I'll ask her to hit me as many times as she wants .She can exact all her revenge on me.I 'll let her Aeran. But she has to leave you.Or else ....Aeran.. I'll die without you.Do you hear me Aeran. I'll really die. Because this life has no meaning without you."

I couldn't detect any pretense in those words.I knew them to be true.She really believed what she said.There was no motive or falseness behind those words.

"She won't talk to me." My ears pricked at his hollow voice.His voice was low ,trembling.He still didn't lift his head ."Granna ,,..she wants to leave as soon as the ceremony is over..she wants to leave this Pack behind.She cannot...she doesn't wants to live here anymore,She-she said she cannot stomach being here ,with us all....She-she d-din't even look at me. Granna,,she doesn't even wants to see my face...she..she...And Z-Zairiya ..........even she....."

His voice shook.His words jumbled.His head lifted then.His eyes were red.His face crestfallen.

He looked at her,down at his feet,waiting for her to save him because he was breaking down.So much that I could hear the pieces of him falling.His falling heart wanted some reassurance from someone.From her.

But she herself was lost in her shadows.What could she offer him then..?

Despite everything , she lifted her head and looked at him.A small sad smile flitting those corners of her lips.Her voice calmly reiterated "Aeran,my Aeran...everything would be alright.I know it.You'll make everything right..just like you always do.I trust you. Everything would be fine.Don't cry,don't cry...."

With that she got up on her knees and hugged him tight in her arms,repeating her words again and again and again.His head automatically occupied the place reserved for him on her shoulder.A perfect fit.She lending him the support he needed.He closed his eyes tightly and shared the warmth she provided.His hands remaining by his sides,not enveloping her.The small indication of how far they actually were from each other,despite being so close.

Only because....

The tender scene pierced my heart.

And it was the sudden realization that came to me.My knees shook with the intensity of the truth that was not visible by my eyes earlier.

She is not lying.She really would die without him.

Because she really loves him.From the core of her being.

I could no longer watch them.My back hit the wall and I slid down to the ground.At what I just witnessed ,the purest form of affection that one being carried for another.

What have I done..?

Why was my selfish wish answered.?

Why did Fate bring me into their lives..?