Shadow stared into Daniel’s eyes one last time as if uttering his goodbyes. Then, with a flick of his tail, he disappeared into the forest, the pack following him without hesitation. Daniel didn’t call out. He didn’t move. He simply watched until the last trace of them vanished into the wild.
For the first time in a long while, Daniel felt at peace. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the sound of the howl settle deep within him. He had come here searching for something— answers, closure, maybe even himself. And in the unlikeliest of ways, he had found it.