Emma's Pov

　　"Could you please go back to the Night Howlers Pack?" I ask Matthew, tenderness in my voice. "You need medical attention as soon as possible. I'll stay here and tend to the wounded. My wolf pack is prepared for this," I inform him seriously. "Seeing you like this, Matthew… it hurts me more than you can imagine."

　　A sigh escapes my mate's lips, and I run my thumbs across his face, wiping away the traces of tears that appeared as he cried. We still remain isolated on the hilltop, shielded by the trees, as if they were silent guardians. Matthew's face remains dirty and covered in dried blood, a disturbing combination that only highlights the severity of what the battle did to him. His left eye is completely swollen, and the urge to take him straight to the Night Howlers Pack and heal him myself is almost irresistible.

　　"I will go back to my wolf pack, Emma. I'll take Steve with me so that his sentence can be officially carried out. But promise me you'll come to the Night Howlers Pack," Matthew pleads, his voice firm despite the exhaustion in his words.

　　Once again, I smile at him gently and nod, "I promise that as soon as I gather the wounded and my own wolf pack, I will go to the Night Howlers Pack, Matt," I confirm to him, my voice full of sincerity.

　　"Great, I'll be waiting for your care. Just like the last time you treated my wounds, Emma," Matthew responds, his voice filled with memories.

　　"Our first night together," I murmur as the memory resurfaces in my mind. Matthew smiles mischievously and his lips meet mine.

　　The kiss is the most bittersweet I've ever tasted. The mix of tears, blood, and dirt invades my lips, and yet, it's my mate's kiss, and there's nothing better than that; it's deeply unparalleled. It's a quick kiss, loaded with a hidden promise between the two of us.

　　I help Matthew stand up from the ground, and he lets out a painful groan. "I can't promise the same performance from that night when you came to bandage me, my sweet Emma," Matthew jokes, making me laugh sincerely.

　　We return to the center of the clearing where the first aid base for the Direwolf and Night Howlers Packs had been set up. However, Daniel is no longer there, nor is Vini, which intrigues me slightly but quickly disappears as Faylen appears with new information.

　　"Alpha Emma, Alpha Matthew," Faylen bows to both of us as we approach. "I've searched the perimeter for any signs of Moonshadow Pack warriors, and we are safe for now."

　　"Thank you, Fay. I'll soon be checking with you and the rest of the Stonehaven Pack on what to do next, okay?" I respond firmly. Faylen nods and quickly steps away.

　　I accompanied Matthew to a car I had available to take him back to his wolf pack. We say our goodbyes quickly, and I watch the car drive down the road and disappear into the horizon.

　　The sun finally fully illuminates the forest, and I sigh with relief at the light filtering through the trees, making our work of tending to the wounded easier. The leaves shimmer with the sun's rays, moisture forming on them from the morning dew, creating a golden reflection. It almost feels like a magical environment, contrasting with the devastation around me.

　　The soft sound of birds starting to sing in the morning brings a sense of renewal. It drives away the screams of despair, the sound of gunfire, and the howls of werewolves fighting from my heart.

　　"Faylen, Jordan, meet me in the center of the clearing, please," I request through the mindlink, my mental voice firm and urgent.

　　I walk through the trees and among other members of the Night Howlers Pack who survived and are well enough to help with the wounded. The smell of sweat, wet earth, and blood in the air is finally dissipating. The forest, I feel, will become a refuge of peace again after all this massacre. When I arrive at the clearing where the first aid post is set up, Jordan and Faylen are already there.

　　Jordan has almost no injuries on his body, just some cuts on his arm and one near his face. Faylen is merely dirty with soil, as she stayed transformed into a werewolf for most of the time we fought.

　　"Let's triage the wounded, okay? The most urgent cases first. How many sorcerers do we have available to help with the most severe cases?" I question seriously, looking around, absorbing the extent of the aftermath of the battle.