25

The starry night sky echoed Ryder's sullen mood as he stared up at the stars, deep in thought. Distant wailing of kids and lowkey chattering were the background sounds. Somehow, they synched with his misery, creating a sore in his heart.

A half-filled glass of whiskey was loosely gripped by one hand, and the other hand was wrapped firmly around the rails. His shoulders were sagged, indicating just how troubled he was.

Tomorrow, he would be visiting different Packs in hopes that they would ally with him in his fight against the Mafia. It was a drastic step, one that wasn't insured. If they do agree and ally with him and the war ends badly, he will suffer an incurable loss. Every damn thing he had would be gone.

The Mafia would sweep them out of existence, and the other Packs would suffer losses that they knew nothing about. If that happens, he'll spend the rest of his life feeling guilty.

But if things work out right, then Jason would be back home, where he belongs. Surely, it would be