Ella
After the battle lingered like a heavy mist over the pack. Victory had come, but The Archon's final words about Richard's hidden heir hung in the air, gnawing at the edges of our peace. It was far from over.
Eric had been pacing for hours, his brow furrowed in thought. I could feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on him our pack's safety, the looming threat, the uncertainty of what we might face next.
"Eric, you've been at this all night," I said softly, standing at the door of our room. "Come rest, please. We'll figure this out together."
He stopped and looked at me, his eyes clouded with worry. "I can't rest, Ella. Not until I know for sure there aren't more threats out there. If Richard had another heir…"
His voice trailed off, and I could sense the depth of his unease. His father's shadow, once believed vanquished, still reached for him, threatening the stability he had worked so hard to rebuild.