Jeffrey sat at his desk, his head buried in his hands, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on him. It had only been a few hours since he’d gotten the news. Kenneth’s cell had collapsed, the debris crushing his body beneath tons of rubble. A part of him had always known that Kenneth was dead, but hearing the official confirmation hit him harder than he’d expected.
He had fought for so long, hoping that Kenneth would return to him, that his mate was alive somewhere, enduring whatever horrors the council had put him through. He had clung to that hope, despite all the signs telling him otherwise. But now, that last thread of hope had been severed. Kenneth was gone, and there was no coming back from that.
The pack was devastated. Word had spread like wildfire, and everyone was talki
