It was a stalemate. Evan's side had the discipline, the experience, and the Alpha himself to bolster their strength tenfold. But handicapping that was the crumbling unity thanks to the wave of mass suspicion and accusations different sub-packs and families threw at each other in the midst of the boiling tension. It took Evan's snarling warnings to everyone involved that he would personally deal with their pettiness if they didn't shut up.
But besides that, the enemy had rogues who would resort to anything, even the lowest of tactics like holding hostages. There were rescue missions here and there to pry free the last of the captured civilians who had been snatched before they could evacuate. It was brutal work with casualties, but the people came first.
It was transformative. I had only
