Chapter 82

Chapter 82
Olivia's Point of View

The sun is barely up when we pull through the school gates, the sky washed in pale gold. The engines of the trucks rumble tiredly beneath us, the vibrations dull after hours of travel. I did not sleep in the truck on our way back, not really. None of us did. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see were the burnt buildings of Stonehowl, the smoke drifting through the trees, the faces of wolves trying to stay strong.

When we finally roll into our usual parking area, a hush settles over the group. It is strange, coming back to a place that looks exactly the same even though we do not feel the same.

Ripley climbs out first, stretching until his back cracks. Liana rubs her neck like it is made of stone. Kael… Kael steps out quietly, his eyes fixed on the ground, Ezra is sticking to his side like a shadow.

The air smells like dew and cut grass and morning coffee, it is peaceful, normal. It almost feels wrong.

“It feels weird to be back already,” Liana says, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

“It feels wrong to leave,” Kael murmurs, his voice raw.

We all fall silent.

I walk over to him and place a hand gently on his arm. “Your pack will be okay,” I say softly. “We helped them get back on their feet. And your father will keep them safe until the defenses are fully rebuilt.”

Kael gives a small nod of his head, but his eyes tell me he is still carrying the weight of last night. Of course he is. I cannot imagine what it feels like, knowing your home was burning while you slept, waking to realize you were not there to protect it.

Ripley comes up beside us, his voice steady. “We will go back if anything changes. You know that.”

Kael manages a faint, grateful smile.

We start heading towards the dorms together, our steps slow and heavy. Students are just beginning to spill onto the walkways, laughing, talking, goofing off like nothing bad exists in the world. A few glance our way, probably wondering why we look like we have been dragged through hell. Or maybe they heard rumors already.

“Great,” Pacey mutters. “We look like the cover of a horror movie.”

Ian snorts. “Speak for yourself.”

As we reach the main path, a couple of students wave awkwardly, their eyes flicking between Kael and the rest of us.

“Word spreads fast,” Liana says under her breath.

I swallow, suddenly feeling exhausted again. “Yeah. It always does.”

Ripley walks close beside me, his hand brushing mine just long enough to send a warm spark through me. He does not say anything, but the look he gives me says everything, we are in this together. Whatever is coming next.

We reach the dorm steps, and the group pauses. No one wants to separate, but we all need showers, sleep, something to make us feel normal again.

Kael shifts his weight. “I am gonna go call my parents,” he says quietly. “To check in and make sure everything is okay.”

“Let us know if you need anything,” Liana tells him.

“I will.”

We all nod our heads and slowly head our separate ways. Ripley lingers near me, hesitating like he wants to say something. I raise a brow at him.

“Are you okay?” he asks instead.

Am I?
I am not sure. My chest still feels tight, and my thoughts have not slowed down since last night.

But Ripley’s eyes are warm and worried and steady.

I breathe out slowly. “Yeah. I think I just… need a minute.”

He nods his head, gently resting his hand on the small of my back for a brief second. “Get some rest. I will check on you later.”

His touch lingers long after he steps away.

I head inside the dorm, the hallways quiet and cool. And as I close the door to my room behind me, I finally let the weight of everything settle in...

Stonehowl.
Nightvein growing bolder.
And the fact that we might be next.

I sink onto my bed, bury my face in my hands, and let myself breathe.

Just breathe.

Tomorrow will come.
And so will the next threat.

But for now, just for this moment, I let the quiet hold me.

As I sit on my bed, the door opens again.

Liana trudges in, looking just as drained as I feel. Her braid is messy, strands sticking everywhere. She glances at me, then lets out a long breath and simply drops face first onto her bed.

Her voice comes out muffled into her pillow. “I am never moving again.”

Despite everything, I let out a small laugh. “I feel the same way.”

She rolls onto her back dramatically, staring up at the ceiling like it insulted her. “Is this what being an adult is? Helping rebuild packs and watching people cry and then pretending we are fine the next morning?”

I lie back on my bed too, staring up at the ceiling. “If it is, I want a refund.”

She snorts. Then goes quiet. After a moment she says softly, “Some of the injuries… I was not ready for that.”

I close my eyes. I can still see the healer trying to save that one older warrior. The look on his daughter’s face when she realized he was not going to make it.

“No one could be ready for that,” I whisper.

Liana turns her head towards me. “But you handled it. You always do.”

“I was terrified the whole time,” I admit. “But we had to help. There wasn't any time to be scared.”

She pulls her blanket over her legs. “I kept worrying what would have happened if you and Ripley did not sense something was wrong at the lake the other night. Nightvein is getting bolder.”

That sends a chill through me. I am quiet for a long moment. “I don’t like that thought.”

“Me neither.”

The room feels heavy, like even the air is tired.

Liana sighs again, softer this time. “How do you think Kael’s doing?”

I think about the look in his eyes this morning. The hollow shock. The guilt.

“He is trying to stay strong,” I say. “But… he is hurting. I don’t think he is going to sleep much for a while.”

“None of us are,” she says quietly.

We lie there in silence for a moment, the weight of everything settling between us. But it is not a bad silence. It is gentle. Shared.

After a minute, Liana turns on her side to face me. “Did Ripley check on you?”

My cheeks warm just a little. “He said he would. But he told me to get some rest first.”

She smiles faintly. “He really likes you, you know.”

I groan. “Liana...”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t notice.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t notice,” I mutter.

Her eyebrows lift. “Ooooh, so that's how we are playing this.”

Even exhausted, she still has the energy to tease. It makes the room feel lighter, and I am grateful for it.

I throw a pillow at her. She blocks it with her foot like a trained fighter, which, okay, she is.

We fall quiet again. But this time, it is a softer kind of quiet. Safe. Familiar. Comforting.

Liana’s voice drifts across the room, gentle now. “We did good work yesterday, Liv. Stonehowl is safer because of us.”

I exhale slowly. “I hope so.”

“You know so,” she says firmly.

I look at her, and she gives me the smallest, but warmest smile.

We are exhausted. We are shaken. But we are still here.

And we have each other.

“Okay,” I whisper. “Yeah. We did good.”