Percy's POV
The words Henderson had spoken to the pack still echoed in Percy's mind. It starts at the top. She had looked directly at him when she said it, making it clear that change needed to begin with him, not just the warriors.
The concept of a pack as family had never truly resonated with Percy before. During his years in Alpha Damon's territory, he had witnessed the deep bonds between pack members and their leaders. He had seen the genuine love and loyalty they shared with Damon and Aaron. But back then, he had been packless, an outsider looking in. The significance of those connections had escaped him completely.
Family itself had been a foreign concept to him. His own mother had chosen death over motherhood, abandoning him rather than staying to raise him. The bitter memory still stung, even now.
