"Rivik."
Ryke's voice cut through my thoughts, quiet but firm. I blinked and realized he'd stopped talking, was just watchingme with an expression caught somewhere between concern and understanding.
"You don't have to pretend with me, brother," he said softly.
My jaw tightened. "I'm not—"
"Yes, you are." He held my gaze. "I've known you too long. You're trying to carry this alone, like you carry everything else. But this..." He gestured vaguely at the empty valley. "This is different."
I looked away, unable to meet his eyes. Because he was right. Thiswasdifferent. I'd borne losses before but this felt like losing a piece of my soul.
"The pack needs me here," I said, the words hollow even to my own ears.
"I know."
"Karik could come back. Or someone else could challenge our territory. We can't show weakness now."
"I know that too. I understand." Ryke's voice was gentle. "I just don’t know if I can watch you destroy yourself like this. You can't lead from an empty shell. Not forever. Eventually, there won't be anything left."
"Then I'll last as long as I can."
We sat there in silence, both looking out over the valley that had been our home for thirty two summers. Eventually I turned and looked at Ryke. Really looked at him. He’d been the best Second a man could ask for. He was strong. Wise. Fair in his judgments and steady in his decisions. The pack trusted him. The elders respected him. He'd been leading beside me for years, handling half the daily work of governance without ever demanding recognition.
"You're a good man, Ryke," I said quietly. "You've done so much for me. For the pack. More than anyone knows." I held his gaze. "You've stood beside me through everything, taken onresponsibilities that should have crushed you, given everything you had without ever asking for anything in return."
"As have you."
"I need to ask you to do one more thing for me."
Silence fell between us, heavy and absolute.
Ryke stared at me, his expression shifting from confusion to understanding to something that looked like grief. His hand shot out, gripping my forearm hard. "Brother—"
"Please," I said softly.
He didn't ask what I meant. He understood exactly what I was asking. And he understood what it would cost us both. His grip tightened until it was almost painful, and I saw him swallow as he struggled with whatever he wanted to say. But in the end, he just nodded once, sharp and final.
"When?" he asked, his voice rough.
I looked back at the empty valley, at the trail where she'd disappeared.
"Tonight."
CHAPTER 30
DASKA
We had broken camp early that morning and the terrain had been changing for hours, the hard stone of pack territory giving way to softer earth and scattered pine. I kept my pace steady, my eyes moving constantly between the path ahead and Ellie beside me. She was quiet, and when I focused on our bond, I could feel her emotions warring inside her. Fear of what lay ahead. Grief for what she had left behind, and underneath all of that, an intense warmth of the love she felt for me and the happiness she felt that I was coming with her.
I understood her completely. I felt it all too.
Some way back behind us, Dev moved with careful steps, Megan following on behind with Nathan. With the scanner not completely fixed yet, I was the only one that could lead them in the right direction, and I knew that rankled. None of them spoke. The only sounds were our footfalls, the whisper of wind through branches, and the distant call of a hawk somewhere overhead. I suddenly missed my hunting party. Torin, and Jarakand Miska, and Fen. Rivik. The jesting and chatter, the banter. An ache filled my chest, but I shoved it down. I knew Ellie would understand my sadness at losing my pack, but I didn't want her doubting that I wanted, no, needed to be with her, whatever that cost me.
I glanced at Ellie again. She must have sensed it because she glanced over at me, and I felt the sudden burst of sadness through the bond.
“Hey,” I said, taking her hand. “What’s wrong?”
“I just… I can’t help thinking… you gave up everything for me. What if I’m not worth it?"
