The pack and environment was just so quiet, no one speaks about the execution directly. But it hangs over everything. Every conversation. Every interaction. The reminder that pack law is absolute. That betrayal has consequences. That even sympathy and understanding don't override justice.
I handle Alpha business on autopilot, I met with scouts about the rescue mission for Emma. Reviewing security protocols. Approving new guard rotations. All the mundane details of keeping a pack running.
But inside I'm hollow. Empty. Still feeling Lyra's life end under my claws. Still seeing her young face. Still hearing her ask me to save her sister.
Freya stays close. Not hovering. Not suffocating. Just present. A constant reminder that I'm not alone in this. That someone sees the burden and doesn't l
