With Axel and Nicholas excused, Valkira finally had the office to herself with her son. Her eyes softened as she studied him, noting not just the man he had become, but the weight he carried. Clinton Stratford was no longer the boy who had clung to her skirts for comfort—he was the Alpha of the largest, most disciplined pack in the lore. Yet she could sense it: the burden he bore without his father, the grief his wolf carried beneath the veneer of control.
"Clin," she began, her voice low, carrying both warmth and authority, "I can see how much you've grown, how much you've done… but I also feel the echo of pain in you. Losing your father… it has shaped you, hasn't it?"
Clinton's jaw tightened, the faint flicker of his wolf, Draxis, stirring beneath the surface. He lowered his gaze for a moment, a rare vulnerability crossing his features. "Every day, Mum," he admitted quietly. "It's not just me. Draxis… he feels it too. The absence of Alpha Dramondred… the nights are longer, the hunts harsher. Even with the pack thriving, the wolf inside me still aches for him."
Valkira's hand reached out, resting over his. Her thumb brushed gently against the rough calluses, and she felt the tremor of his grief, the silent roar of Draxis' pain echoing in her own wolf. "I know, my son," she said softly. "And he is not alone. You've endured much, but remember… you carry his legacy, his strength, and his courage. Draxis suffers, yes but that pain is a tether to all he was, all you are, and all you must protect."
Clinton looked up at her, eyes glimmering with both relief and lingering sorrow. "It's more than just grief, Mum. The Greywood Pack… their constant raids, the rogues they shelter… the silent drums of war never stop. Every supernatural specie in the lore is on alert. Every whisper, every movement… it's like the air itself is bracing for a storm."
Valkira nodded gravely, sensing the tension that clung to the very essence of the pack. "That is why you've trained them well," she said, pride threading through her tone. "Every wolf, every warrior… every woman who knows how to defend herself. You've built more than a pack you've built a shield, a bastion. And yet," she added, her voice dropping, "even a shield must be watched, must be guided. That is why I am here… to understand, to help, and to stand beside you."
Her eyes softened, and she allowed a rare, motherly warmth to fill the space between them. "Clinton, I may have walked through grief, loss, and shadow myself… but I will not let that pain blind me to the life before us, to the strength of the pack, or to the battles we may yet face. We will face them together."
Clinton's shoulders relaxed slightly, a deep exhale escaping him. "Thank you, Mum… Draxis and I, we needed to hear that. And you… you have no idea how much seeing you here, standing strong, gives me hope."
Valkira leaned closer, placing a hand over his chest, feeling the quiet thrum of his wolf beneath his skin, the echo of Draxis' sorrow and determination. "Your wolf suffers, yes… but together, we will ensure he does not suffer alone. The Greywood Pack, the rogues, the silent warnings from other species… let them come. We are ready, and we are strong."
A brief silence settled over the office, heavy with unspoken understanding. The mother and son shared a connection that was both human and primal, a tether that bound their hearts and wolves alike. Outside, the world of the lore remained alert, poised on the edge of tension and whispered threats. Inside, there was pride, understanding, and the quiet resolve of a family forged through love, loss, and the trials of the supernatural world.
Valkira smiled, her gaze lingering on Clinton. "Now… tell me about the treasury, the partners, and all the dealings you've been managing. I want to understand every part of the pack, for the sake of our legacy and for you, my son."
Clinton's lips curved into a small, grateful smile. "Of course, Mum. I'll show you everything. And… I'd like to start with the warriors. There's one you'll find… particularly interesting."
Valkira raised a brow, curiosity piqued, while the wolf inside her stirred subtly, sensing the promise of strength, grace, and potential yet to be revealed.