Triple Moon Rising: An Omega's Destiny
Chapter 83: Solidarity in Loss

Chapter 83: Solidarity in Loss

Lily POV

I dropped the teacup, and it broke against the kitchen floor with a sharp crash that made everyone in the room freeze. My hands were shaking so badly I couldn’t hold anything anymore.

"I’m sorry," I whispered, looking at the broken pieces. "I can’t seem to do anything right today."

Mrs. Rivera, who had been telling me about her late husband, quickly knelt down to help clean up the mess. "Don’t worry about it, dear. We’ve all been there."

That’s when I noticed something strange. Instead of looking angry or frustrated, every woman in the room was nodding with understanding. These were the pack’s war widows - women who had lost their mates in fights long ago. Dr. Chen had suggested I meet with them, thinking it might help me deal with losing my memories of Caleb.

"The shaking gets better," said Elena, an older woman with kind eyes. "After my Marcus died in the border wars, I couldn’t hold a cup for months. Everything reminded me of what I’d lost."

I looked around the circle of faces, seeing something I hadn’t expected - real understanding. Not pity, not the fake happiness everyone else gave me. Just quiet knowledge of what loss felt like.

"But this is different," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Your men died as heroes. You have beautiful memories to hold onto. I can’t even remember loving Caleb."

Silence fell over the room, but it wasn’t awkward. It was the kind of quiet that comes when people are really thinking about what you’ve said.

Finally, Maria, the youngest widow, spoke up. "You think having memories makes it easier?"

I nodded, confused.

She laughed, but it wasn’t a happy sound. "Sometimes I wish I could forget. Do you know how hard it is to remember every beautiful moment when you know you’ll never have another one? Every memory cuts like a knife because it reminds me of what’s gone forever."

"At least you know you loved him," I said. "At least you know it was real."

"And you know Caleb loved you," Elena pointed out gently. "Just because you can’t remember doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Love leaves marks deeper than memory."

I wanted to argue, but before I could speak, the door burst open. A young woman I’d never seen before stumbled in, her face streaked with tears.

"I’m sorry for interrupting," she gasped. "But I heard there was a group here for people who’ve lost... I don’t know where else to go."

Mrs. Rivera quickly stood up and guided the stranger to an empty chair. "What’s your name, dear?"

"Beth," the woman said, still crying. "I just got word that my son... my little boy was killed in a wild attack on the eastern border. He was only sixteen."

The room went completely still. Even I stopped thinking about my own problems as this mother’s pain filled the space around us.

"When?" Elena asked softly.

"Three days ago," Beth sobbed. "They brought his body home yesterday. The funeral is tomorrow, and I... I don’t know how to say goodbye to my baby."

Without hesitation, every lady in the room moved closer to Beth. They didn’t offer empty words or fake comfort. They just surrounded her with quiet presence, letting her know she wasn’t alone.

I watched this and felt something change inside me. My lost memories suddenly seemed less important compared to this mother’s unimaginable pain.

"I keep thinking I should have protected him," Beth whispered. "I should have kept him home. I should have done something different."

"You couldn’t have known," Maria said definitely. "Don’t torture yourself with what-ifs."

"But how do you live with it?" Beth asked desperately. "How do you wake up every morning knowing they’re gone?"

The women looked at each other, and I saw a silent exchange pass between them. These were people who had found ways to escape the impossible.

"You learn that grief changes shape, but it never really goes away," Elena said. "Some days it’s a sharp knife, some days it’s a dull ache. But you learn to carry it."

"And you find new purposes," added Mrs. Rivera. "After I lost my husband, I started taking care of other people’s children. It didn’t replace what I’d lost, but it gave me a reason to keep going."

I listened to them talk, and for the first time since losing my memories, I didn’t feel totally alone. These women knew that some losses couldn’t be fixed or healed. They could only be survived.

"What about you, Lily?" Beth asked suddenly, turning to me. "What did you lose?"

I paused. How could I explain that I’d lost memories of love to women who had lost real people?

"I lost myself," I said finally. "The shadow disease took away who I used to be. I can’t remember loving my mate, and everyone expects me to be someone I’m not anymore."

Beth nodded like this made perfect sense. "So you’re grieving the person you used to be."

"I guess I am," I realized. "And I feel guilty because it seems selfish compared to real loss."

"Loss is loss," Elena said strongly. "Don’t let anyone tell you your grief isn’t valid just because it’s different."

As the afternoon went on, I found myself talking more freely than I had since the shadow attack. These women didn’t try to fix me or tell me everything would be okay. They just listened and understood.

When it was time to leave, Beth grabbed my hand. "Thank you for being here. Knowing I’m not the only one suffering... it helps."

I squeezed her hand back, feeling like maybe I could help people even without my memories.

Walking home as the sun set, I felt different. Not fixed, but less broken. Maybe I couldn’t remember being Caleb’s mate, but I could learn to be someone new. Someone who understood loss and could help others carry their pain.

I was so lost in these thoughts that I almost missed the figure waiting by my door. When I looked up, my blood turned cold.

It was Caleb, but his eyes were totally black, just like mine had been when the shadows controlled me. He smiled, but it wasn’t his gentle smile.

"Hello, Lily," he said in a voice that wasn’t quite his own. "The shadows want to have a little chat with you."