We spent the rest of the evening in conversation, the nightmare at last forgotten. The tension which had pursued me in the daytime was forgotten, and in its place was the soothing rhythm of talk and the intermittent silent laugh. There was something reassuring in the presence of Don—something solid, earthy, and reliable. I knew Alpha Don wasn’t dense or blind to the dangers around us, but even so, I was eager to hear his thoughts and plans. And because I already knew parts of the future, I could gently steer him in the right direction—warning him about what wouldn’t work, suggesting ways to strengthen what might.
As night gave way to dawn, sleep finally caught up with me. There were no nightmares for the first time in what had felt like an eternity.
I awoke a few moments later to the won
