The silence that greeted the Elder's pledge of assistance felt heavy, even suffocating. The weight of their devotion weighed heavily on my chest as their words resonated with me. I had wanted to know about my origins for so long, but just now, stuck here in the old pack's stronghold, I wasn't sure whether I was ready to hear them.
We relaxed around a long table in a chamber illuminated by brilliant lights, casting long, wavering shadows on the stone walls. The old people sat across from us, their expressions confused and solemn. The creases on their faces and the weariness in their eyes told you how old they were, yet there was also something else there, something more refined, something shielded.
The one with the gray hair, who was the first to speak, leaned in. Her sharp green eyes foc
