Delilah's POV
Then they were gone, heading back down the path toward home while the pack erupted into even louder celebration now that the formal part was over.
I stood there watching them disappear and felt the last thread of hope snap inside me. Mom was gone. I was alone at a pack celebration surrounded by people who hated me, stuck here for hours with no escape.
I found a quiet spot near the edge of the clearing and leaned against a tree, watching the celebration with detached interest while nursing a cup of punch someone had pressed into my hands.
"You look miserable."
I didn't bother turning to see who'd spoken because I recognized Dante's voice.
"Observant," I said flatly.
He moved to stand beside me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body but not quit
