Nia’s Pov
My throat tightened. I didn’t want to move. I didn’t want to turn my back on that door.
But I also couldn’t stand there and keep reliving the moment he fell. The knife. His blood. His eyes going distant.
I swallowed hard, my body heavy.
Slowly…very slowly…I nodded.
Ashera exhaled, relieved but gentle, and placed her hand on my back.
I took one last long look at the door.
My chest squeezed so painfully I had to close my eyes.
Then I followed her.
We walked down the hallway, past wolves who still avoided looking at me. Their steps parted for Ashera, not for me. I kept my head down, rubbing at the sleeves of my shirt with trembling fingers, like the blood was still there.
Ashera led me through another hallway, quieter and warmer than the one we had left. The air smelled fa
