My stomach twists into painful knots with every step I took down the hallway behind Sandra.

Puddles had gone quiet in my mind after Sandra's announcement.

"Puddles?" I tried to reach out to her, "Are you there?"

But she didn't reply and I was graced by empty silence where her warm presence had been moments ago.

Great. My wolf had abandoned me right when I needed her most. Though I guess I couldn't really blame her. I had named her Puddles as punishment for trying to cheer me up. Maybe this ...