BROOKS:
I stood near the back of the stage, watching as Forest and Stella took center stage before a crowd of eager onlookers. Lantern light and warm overhead fixtures bathed them in a gentle glow, reflecting off Stella’s silver dress and the fine vest of Forest’s suit. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration—a moment for my brother to finally claim the leadership of our home pack, to begin a legacy he’d been quietly preparing for most of his life. All around me, people were buzzing with excitement, leaning forward in their chairs, murmuring in anticipation of the formalities about to unfold.
But try as I might, I couldn’t focus on any of it.
My eyes skimmed past Forest’s determined posture, past Stella’s radiant smile, and searched the crowd almost on instinct—for Hattie. She wasn’t h
