My heart sank as Harriet's words settled into me, heavy and unrelenting. I couldn't begin to imagine what she had endured back then—losing both her son and daughter-in-law in one blow, then standing alone to hold together something as vast and demanding as a pack's entire territory. She had been fifty, burdened with grief, responsibility, and a young heir who carried all her remaining hope.
Elliot had been that hope.
And now, he had grown into it completely—strong, unshaken, commanding everything under his name with the kind of dominance that left no room for challenge. Looking at Harriet now, composed and steady, I could see it clearly. She had survived the storm, and he had become the force that kept everything standing.
"Your mother was an extraordinary woman," Harriet said softly, her voice carrying a quiet reverence. "Even though I never met her, her presence… it feels powerful in my heart."
