I slept most of the way home, arriving in time for a late dinner that Marge had prepared. I was feeling a little down for a couple of reasons; Remi was leaving for home in the morning, the events of today, and the decision to hold off on the wedding. It was a lot to take. I figured that since October, my life has been a constant fight to stay afloat.

I got an email just after nine PM from Alpha Charles Jennings of the Vermillion Pack; he and Alpha Nicholas Anders of the Battle Lake pack had been the Alphas brought in to officiate the challenge. His Beta had...