I reached the border at dusk. Three days' journey from the northern caves. Three days of silence and snow and processing. Three days of—
Of feeling lighter. Freer. Like chains I hadn't known I was carrying had finally fallen away.
Jasper was dead. Had to be. No one survived those wounds without help. Without care. Without—
Without someone who loved them staying to ease the dying.
I'd left him alone. And he'd died that way. And I—
I felt nothing. No guilt. No regret. Just—
Closure. Finally. Completely.
Ronan waited at the border. I saw him from distance. Massive Direwolf form pacing. Watching. Like he'd been there for days. Like—
Like he'd stationed himself to watch for my return. To be the first thing I saw. To—
To make sure I came back.
He shifted when he saw me. Human form in snow. Naked. Not caring about cold or propriety or anything except—
Me. Coming home.
