“Kael is gone,” Maron said, his voice breaking on the last word. “The healers did everything they could, but his body couldn’t hold on.”

Gasps rippled through the den, the shock and grief of the pack palpable. The world around me blurred, every sound fading except for the relentless pounding of my heartbeat in my ears.

Maron cleared his throat, struggling to maintain his composure as he added, “At approximately nine this morning, the Alpha’s son, Kael, passed away..."