The drive back to the camp was silent.
Tyson sat in the back of the truck, staring at his empty hands. He hadn't spoken a word since we left the depot. He hadn't shifted back to human form until we crossed the perimeter. Now, he was just a broken man, shivering not from the cold, but from the shock of losing his mate.
We unloaded the fuel. The heaters hummed to life. The children were warm. We had won survival, but the cost felt too high.
"Go to him," I whispered to Caleb as we watched Tyson walk aimlessly toward the edge of the camp.
Caleb shook his head. "He doesn't need an Alpha right now. He needs silence. Let him grieve."
Caleb turned to me. His golden eyes were dark, swirling with a mix of rage, exhaustion, and something else... something possessive.
"Come with me," he s
