Chapter 29 — Aftermath and Healing
The clearing was quiet now, the storm of battle replaced by the soft, rhythmic breaths of the pack. Wolves padded cautiously among the fallen, checking on wounded comrades, tails flicking in relief and weariness. The snow was stained with blood, but it no longer carried the metallic bite of fear—only survival.
Lyra sat on a fallen log, her hands resting on her belly. The baby kicked gently, and she smiled despite the exhaustion gnawing at her bones. Every battle, every night of fear, had led to this moment: a fragile, precious calm.
Kael crouched beside her, one hand brushing hair from her face, the other resting protectively on her shoulder. “You did it,” he murmured, voice low, reverent. “You led them. You won for all of us.”
Lyra’s chest tightened
