**Third person POV*

The night air was cool when Alpha Barrett walked past the training grounds, his boots pressing lightly into the soft earth. The sound of distant howls echoed faintly, blending with the whisper of the wind through the trees. Normally, that sound filled him with pride, the strength of his warriors, the unity of his pack. But tonight, it felt hollow. Even with victory on their side, something inside him was empty.

Priscilla had welcomed him with her usual smile, her voice ...