Chapter 194. Forever

Xerina’s POV

The journey back to the pack was heavy with silence. Each step felt like a reminder of the battle we had fought, the lives we had lost, and the darkness we had barely survived. The air was thick with the scent of charred earth and the remnants of magic still lingering in the atmosphere. It felt as if the land itself had absorbed the pain and chaos of the battle, and now it whispered of the horrors that had transpired.

Rasmus walked beside me, his hand still clutching mine, though the grip was looser now, more like a lifeline than a gesture of comfort. His face was drawn, the lines of fatigue and sorrow etched deep into his features. Luca and Ruka trailed behind us, their expressions grim and weary. None of us spoke; there were no words left to say.

As we approached the edge of the pack’s territory, the sight that met us was both heartening and heartbreaking. The pack had gathered, a sea of faces marked by the exhaustion of battle but also by som