Chapter 44: Pack Integration
The days after Damien's death blurred into a haze of snow and sorrow. The lodge felt heavier, as if the walls themselves mourned the final end of an era. I walked through the halls like a ghost, tears coming at the smallest things: a pup's laugh that reminded me of the child I would never hear, the scent of pine that brought back memories of walks with Damien in simpler times. The pack gave me space, their eyes filled with quiet sympathy, many of them crying when they thought I was not looking. Victor never left my side, his hand always in mine, his tears silent but real as we grieved together for the lives shattered by betrayal.
We held a small ceremony in the sacred grove, not for Damien, but for closure. I stood before the standing stones, snow falling sof
