I stand from Caden’s arms, legs shaky beneath me, breath barely returning.
“I’m going to give Aspen a warrior’s burial,” I say quietly, voice raw. “You can all come if you like. If you don’t want to… it’s fine.”
There’s no judgment. No expectation. Just the dull, consuming ache of goodbye.
Caden doesn’t hesitate. He’s at my side instantly, fingers lacing through mine without a word. I lean into him as we walk, barefoot and silent, toward the wolf enclosure. Each step feels like walking through water, thick and slow and heavy with grief.
What we see when we arrive stops me cold.
Every single one of my wolves is here.
Together.
They’ve never all gathered like this before, not even for battles or ceremonies. But they know. They feel it. Aspen wasn’t just a packmate. He was their spine.
