“I should have gone back with you,” Galen sighed regretfully.
“It wouldn’t have made a difference,” Caleb replied on the other end of the call. “If she wouldn’t let me into the fight, do you think she would have let you?”
Galen walked slowly between the trees. He leaned against the closest one with a soft smile on his face. Caleb was right. Fiona was protective, even more so of Galen than Caleb. When he was younger, he had been offended, thinking that she considered him weak. Later, he understood. She just didn’t want to lose him.
“It just feels wrong,” Galen said sadly, “to be so far away when something like this has happened.”
The number of casualties had been shocking. When Ashleigh had shared the report, Galen had stumbled and almost fallen. While others may have thought that the number was an acceptable loss compared to the size of their pack, even one was too many for Galen.
“I understand,” Caleb said, “but you honor us all by fulfilling your duty.”
