Before I’m ready, the time comes for us to part ways. Emotions thicken my throat, but I smile through them as Ipull Wulfric into a hug. He grunts, arms stiff and awkward at his sides. “Uh… Lyall?”
I squeeze him, savoring the warm thrum of the pack bond between us. “You’ve become a fine Alpha, little Wulf. Father would be proud.” Wulfric’s breath catches, then his arms come around me, holding me tight for a few seconds.
“Thank you. And don’t call me that,” he grumbles, face red and eyes glassy.
I tousle his hair. “Not so little anymore, are you?” I’ll never forget the first moment I held him in my arms. Sometimes I look at him, and it takes my breath away to see the man he’s become.
Wulfric bats my hand away, wrestling back a smile as he goes to stand by Kieran.
I wrench Kieran into a hug, making him squeak. “And you! I knew you’d make a great Alpha-Mate!”
Kieran wheezes. “Suffocating… in your armpit… Can’t… breathe!” Snorting, I let him go and find him smiling. “You know, I’m only as good as the pack who taught me.”
Anders and Jamie will head back with me, so we don’t have to say our farewells yet, thank the gods.
Gunnar grips my shoulder. There’s a knowing look in his eyes that makes my heart skip. He pulls me close for a one-armed squeeze. “Something is off with you tonight, brother.”
“Is it?” I laugh to hide my rising nerves. “You know family gatherings make me emotional.”
He grunts, not sounding pleased, but he doesn’t push for me to open up, thankfully. I hold him to my side for a moment longer, closing my eyes tight.
Please, gods. Let him find happiness after I’m gone. Bring him and Arlo together. Teach him to open his heart once more to love.
It’s hard to let him go. All I want is to hold on to him and keep him in my sights, but I can’t draw any more attention to myself. I force myself to drop my arm to my side, to not look back at my family as I step out the door. It closes behind me with a finality that makes my throat ache. I pray I can hold it together long enough to say goodbye to my aunt.
She’s sitting outside on a bench, looking up at the stars. Anders looks back at me, but I motion him on ahead. When I take a seat beside my aunt, she puts her hand on my knee. “Do you remember when I taught you to navigate by the stars?”
Above, the stars are countless, glittering like gems in the night sky. “Aye. How could I forget?” I point to the North Star, shining bright. “And the ones that look like a big and little spoon.”
She laughs. “Ready to dip into the ocean and scoop up all the fish! You were so upset when I said that.”
“Aye. Those are our fish!” I lean my cheek against her soft silver hair.
“Does the present have these same stars, lad?”
I nod. “Aye. They’re not as visible in the city, but on a clear night, I see them and I think of home, of you and my brothers.”
The scent of salt hits my nose, and my heart sinks when her shoulders tremble. “Then promise me that no matter how far you go, you’ll look up at the stars each night and remember us.”
I try to laugh, but it gets stuck in my throat. “I… I’m not going anywhere.”
She takes my hand. “Don’t try and lie to me. Last night the gods showed me a vision. You’ve found him, and you’re going away with him.”
I don’t know what to say. Guilt and grief take me by storm, making tears flood my eyes. I hang my head, grinding my teeth. “Aunt Helga, I’m so—”
“Don’t you apologize to me, lad.” Warm hands frame my face, tilting my head. Tears shine in Helga’s eyes. “What happened that horrible day was not as it seemed, was it?”
“What makes you say that?”
“Because if Soren had truly betrayed us, you would not be leaving with him.”
I place my hand over hers. “It’s true. He never betrayed us. He lied so I would not take any blame for the attack.”
Helga breathes in slowly, wiping away her tears. “And it’s because of that lie that our pack was able to stay together.”
“Aye, Auntie. He did it for me, for our family.”
Her eyes are watery, but her tone is steady and sure when she says, “Then we failed Soren, and we failed you, and for that I beg your forgiveness.”
