Chapter 32: United We Stand
Dawn broke over Silverpine with a pale, blood-tinged sky.
The pack gathered in the main hall, exhausted but resolute.
The injured lay on makeshift cots along one wall, tended by healers. The dead — the young male who had fallen in the night’s skirmish — had been wrapped in ceremonial cloth and placed with honor near the central fire.
Elena stood at Luke’s right side, still wearing the torn and bloodstained clothes from the battle.
The claiming mark on her neck glowed faintly silver in the firelight. Through the mate bond she felt Luke’s steady strength flowing into her, bolstering her own resolve.
The hall was quieter than usual. The scent of blood, sweat, and grief hung heavy in the air.
Luke stepped forward, his powerful frame commanding immediate att
