Chapter 53 : Full Circle

*Kael*

I had to remind myself that I barely knew my mate.

I had no idea how Gemma would handle grief. And if that's what she wasn't feeling right now, then I didn't know how she handled the aftermath of a death. I just had to reassure her that she didn't actually kill Connor. He did that himself.

We were all rocked by his last act. It kept replaying in my mind, but the more it did, the less real it seemed.

It was the same response I had to my brother's and father's deaths. The more I relived it, the more distant I became from it—from the pain, the guilt, the helplessness and hopelessness… Eventually, it just sat in the recesses of my mind waiting for me to bring it out and be crushed by it all over again.

Twelve years was a long time. I had come to terms with losing my family, even if Elara's two years ago was still a little fresh.

I could come to terms with the death of my greatest enemy much quicker and with far less remorse.

And I would make sure my pack would see t