The days rolled into weeks. The confusion of Alpha Theo's sudden disappearance had not faded; instead, it deepened with every passing sunrise.
Rumors spread like wildfire, whispers crawling through packs, through allies, through enemies.
Some said Theo had been taken by the spirits, others said he was betrayed from within, and a few murmured that perhaps the Moon Goddess herself had hidden him.
Kimberly carried herself with the composure of a queen, yet inside her chest the silence screamed.
She would sit for hours staring into nothing, her hands clenched so tightly they left scars on her palms.
Elijah stood close to her often, but even his presence could not mend the hole left by Theo's absence.
On one evening, three weeks later, Elijah finally broke the heavy silence in the council chamber.
"Mohandria," he said, his voice tight, "have you heard anything from the elders? Any sign, any trace of him?"
