Chapter 22 Echoes Of Dishonesty

• Ava's POV
• Jackson and I left the packhouse with our footfall subdued in the crisp morning air; the sun hardly peaked over the horizon. Still hanging heavy between us is the weight of yesterday's discoveries. Riley's treachery had rocked the pack, and even if we addressed it head-on, the stress stayed strong. Returning to the clearing Riley had been meeting the rogues from, we were We needed responses now as much as they needed now.
• Jackson stepped next to me, his jaw closed in that familiar manner indicating he was fighting to hold the tempest inside under control. Since the pack meeting last night, he had not spoken much; I could sense the weight of leadership crushing down on him more than ever. Still, this was personal rather than merely about the pack. Riley had been his buddy and dependable fighter. Jackson had to shoulder that weight among all else; the betrayal stung deep.