Marcus's point of view

Like a thick mist, the weight of Rowan's passing hovered over the pack. In addition to being a loss, his absence served as a metaphor for the instability brewing among my own ranks. I couldn't let myself cry just yet, but the pack deserved closure, a decent send-off. At least not while the enemy was still in plain sight. Caleb walked up to me, his face tense with fatigue, and I stood outside the council chamber, fiddling with the cuffs of my shirt.

“Alpha all the arrangements for elder Rowan’s last ceremonies are finished,” he told me. "At dawn, the elders will assemble." I gave a...