CHAPTER 57

As Asher and I returned to the party, the cheers from our newly united pack surrounded us. The air buzzed with excitement and hope, quite unlike the tension we had experienced just hours before. I couldn't help but smile, feeling a deep sense of calm within me.

Still, as I basked in the joyful mood, I felt a familiar tug in my heart. I scanned the crowd and found Xander, who was speaking to some pack members. He looked up, sensing my gaze, and our eyes met across the open space. Without a word, we understood each other, and he politely ended his conversation to join me.

I turned to Asher, who was already being pulled into a discussion with some of his former pack members. “I need a moment,” I said softly. He nodded, showing he understood.

While I walked through the crowd, people who cared and other pack members stopped me many times. I tried to greet everyone, but my thoughts were already somewhere else. l. Finally, I reached Xander, who wordlessly took my hand and led me away from th