Chapter 72

I linger in the room, staring at the empty seats and the faint scent of tension hanging in the air. The weight of everything presses down on me, heavier than it’s ever been. The hunters are a looming threat, yes, but the fear of what’s happening within the pack gnaws at me more deeply.

I step out into the hallway and catch a glimpse of Cheryl leaning against the wall, her arms crossed. Her face is etched with concern, her eyes searching mine for some sort of reassurance I’m not sure I can give.

“How’d it go?” she asks, her voice low.

I shrug, running a hand through my hair. “As well as it could, I guess. They’re all worried. Angry. Confused. Same as me.”

She pushes off the wall and walks toward me, her presence calming the storm inside me, even if just for a moment. “It’s not your fault, Luke,” she says softly. “People get scared, they make decisions that don’t always make sense.”

I know she’s right, but it doesn’t make the situation any easier to swallow. “It’s hard not to take it pe