Kian’s pov
The ride back to Northside was silent. No one spoke. Not Rafel. Not the warriors behind us. Not even Lena, who sat on the horse in front of me, shaking the entire way. When the gates opened, the pack surged forward with worried faces.
“Alpha! What happened?”
“Did we win?”
“Where is everyone else?”
Voices blended together, but I didn’t answer. My mind was still on that ridge. On her. On the fight. And on the moment I froze like a fool.
Lena slipped off the horse the second we stopped. Her knees buckled, and two healers rushed to catch her.
“Lena,” I said flatly. “Go with them.”
She grabbed my arm. “Kian… I was so scared… I thought…”
“I said go.”
My voice was sharper than I meant, but I couldn’t pretend today. Not after what happened.
Rafel came to my side as the healer
