Chapter 45 Truth And Consequences

• The courtyard lay in ruin. It reeked of death and defeat. Blood soaked into the earth beneath wounded wolves who limped toward makeshift medical stations. Bodies of fallen wolves were being carefully arranged in rows, their faces peaceful despite the violence that had claimed them. An acrid smell of smoke clung to the air, mixing with the metallic tang of spilled blood and the bitter scent of grief.
• Dr. Bellamy moved between the injured like a ghost, his hands steady despite the tremor in his voice when he called for supplies.
• Aurelius stood among his people; his own wounds forgotten as he surveyed the devastation. Many of his wolves would never return home. Dozens more bore injuries that would leave permanent scars.