Chapter 69

• “I didn’t think you’d still be here.” The voice broke through the quiet of the room, low and familiar. I looked up to find Kade standing in the doorway, his usual confident posture slightly softer than usual. His eyes searched mine, as if trying to read me.
• I didn’t answer right away, instead focusing on the pack members scattered around the hall, each one lost in their own thoughts, their own battles. We had gathered here for another round of strategy discussions, but all I could think about was the weight of the role I had taken on. I wasn’t just leading the pack—I was holding their hope in my hands.
• “I thought I was supposed to be leading by example,” I said quietly, turning my gaze back to the group. "But I still feel like I’m failing them."