KRISTEN'S POV

The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of the dining hall, scattering golden streaks across the long polished table. Breakfast had always been one of my favorite rituals; it was the time when the pack came together, when voices mingled, when I could see every face that I protected. Today, however, the usual comfort was absent. A heaviness clung to the air even before I set foot inside.

I had been informed the night before that Damon, Alpha of the Darkclaw Pack, and ...