Page 79 of Wolf Crowned

He'd done so much to make sure that we were successful. He should have been here to see it through. He’d never get to go to school like he wanted.

A strangled sob escaped, and I squeezed my eyes shut as I cried.

Lincoln came up behind me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let him go in there to plant that evidence.”

I bit my lip and choked back more tears. “It’s not your fault. He wanted to.” I turned, burying my face in Lincoln’s chest. “At least tell me that everything he did wasn’t for nothing.”

Lincoln pulled me tighter. I inhaled his scent as he rubbed his hand up and down my arm. He made a shushing noise. “It wasn’t for nothing. I promise. He put a lot of information to incriminate my father on the web and in his cloud version of the books. I don’t see how it wouldn’t hold up in court if it even gets to that.”

I ran the back of my hand across my eyes, swiping away some of my tears, but it didn’t clear my blurry vision.“That’s good.”

At least he didn’t die for nothing. I just wish that things had been different. That he could be here with us to crack his nerdy jokes and follow his dreams.

I promised him that I’d let him do what he wanted. Maybe I couldn’t keep that promise to him, but I’d make darn sure that everyone in the pack had the opportunity to follow their dreams. That’s how I would honor him.

Sawyer hobbled toward us, coughing as he approached. “We shouldn’t go any further. The fires hot and there’s nothing you want to see there, Sloane.”

Maybe it was silly of me, but there was a part of me that thought if I went down to the rubble I’d find him sitting on a brick or something. It didn’t feel like he was gone. Not like it had with Dad and Darrin. I half expected to see him come waltzing out what was left of the front steps and we all would have a good laugh.

Sawyer tugged on my elbow. “Sloane don’t.”

He circled his arms around me too so I was safely sandwiched between the both of them.

I cried until my mouth was dry and no more tears would come. It didn’t stop the shudder in my chest or the hole that had been created that would never be filled again.

Lincoln kissed my neck. “We should check in on everyone again and address the pack.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Most of the injured have already been tended to. I think we’re ready to move out when you are ready.”

Right because I was the alpha. Everyone was looking to me. I didn’t have the luxury of grieving like the others. I had to be strong, even if I was breaking inside.

I puffed out my cheeks and let out a slow breath.

You can do this, Sloane. You have to. Everyone’s looking at you. Stay strong for just a bit longer.

I swallowed and wiped my face with the back of my sleeve as best I could. I was sure I still looked a mess and was glad that I didn’t have a mirror to confirm it.

My gaze fell on Sawyer. He was the most injured out of all of us. The gauze, or what was left of it was grass stained and had dirt all over it. Plus the blood and pus that had eased out staned it making it absolutely disgusting.

I put a hand on his shoulder. “We should get you out now. Back home so my mom can have a proper look at you.”

He looked over his shoulder and shook his head. "I’m okay for now. Let’s get some of the rest of the people that are hurt out of here first.”

I gave him a peck on the cheek and then turned to Lincoln and did the same. I met Lincoln‘s gaze. “Make sure he gets tended to, even if you do it yourself. I’m going to address the pack.”

Lincoln bowed his head. “You know I will.”

I grabbed both of their hands with mine. “I love you both. We’re gonna make it through the rest of this together.”

Finally, the three of us would have our chance to all be under one roof with no one to stop us.

We could celebrate that later. Now wasn’t the time. Not with so much death and destruction around us.

I gave them both a tight-lipped smile and then made my way back to the rest of the pack.

The group quieted to hushed whispers when they saw me approaching. Those who were attending to the wounded glanced my way, momentarily freezing.

I ran a hand over my snarled hair. “Alpha Dane has been defeated. But with any battle, there is always a cost.”

I licked my lips swallowed, doing my best not to burst into tears again. “I’m sure we all knew someone who lost their life on the battlefield today. And I’m sorry that we all don’t get to go home.”

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