Morning came, and it felt like it had dragged itself into existence far too quickly, as if the night had been cut short before anything could truly settle. The sun was already high in the sky, its harsh golden light slipping through the curtains and spilling across Jacob's bedroom, painting everything in a brightness that felt almost out of place after what had happened.
Outside, the pack house had returned to life as if nothing had ever gone wrong.
Guards moved through their usual patrol routes, their footsteps steady and disciplined both inside and beyond the territory. Voices carried through the air, light, casual, and filled with routine conversations. Somewhere in the distance, the laughter of pups rang out was pure and untainted, as they chased each other across the open grounds. Their joy echoed freely, untouched by fear, untouched by pain, untouched by the kind of darkness that had unfolded just a few walls away the night before.
It was a normal morning.
Too normal.
