The day before I was set to leave the pack lands, I visited an ancient temple nestled among towering trees.
Since losing the pup, nightmares haunted me—images of a blood-soaked infant wailing in the dark. I'd reached out to a revered monk to perform a cleansing ritual, hoping for peace.
But as I stepped into the temple, I froze. Kneeling at the center of the grand hall, before a towering statue, was a broad-shouldered wolf. I'd know that silhouette anywhere. Alpha Theodore.
Whispers from passersby drifted over. "Heard about Alpha Theodore's mate? She's got a terminal illness. He climbed from the mountain's base, bowing every three steps, to pray for her protection."
Another voice added, "The last stretch was brutal. He nearly fell off a cliff—almost didn't make it back."
I stopped dea
