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Rylan’s attention moves from Joshua to Michael and then to me. His head tilts. “Am I missing something?”

Joshua points at me. “No casualties on our end, but Carter’s a liar.”

“What?” I straighten. “I have never lied to you.”

“The run.”

“I never told you I was running as fast as I could.”

Michael laughs.

Justin looks between us. “Wait. He was holding back?”

“Apparently,” Joshua says.

Justin shakes his head, but he’s smiling now. “Okay. Whatever happened between you three, I want to hear about it during our after battle food break.”

Joshua raises an eyebrow. “Our what?”

“After battle food break.” Justin gestures around us. “We fought. We survived. Now we eat.”

“Sounds good to me,” a familiar voice calls from near the pack house doors.

I turn as Martha steps outside with several Omegas behind her. “You know I’m always ready for a good meal.” The Head Omega turns toward the wolves behind her. “Right, Omegas?”

“Right!” they answer together.

Martha claps her hands. “Everyone who wants to go home and sleep, go home and get some sleep. Everyone who wants to eat, head to the pack dining room. We’ll make sure there’s enough for everybody.”

A cheer rises from several wolves around us.

Justin grins. “See? It’s official now.”

“Because Martha said so?” Rylan asks.

“Exactly.”

Martha points at him. “And don’t you forget it, Alpha.”

Laughter moves through the wolves around us. Rylan shakes his head, but he’s smiling, and some of the tension that has gripped the pack since the attack finally begins to break.

Justin looks around at our families. “So? Carters?”

Arlene slips against my side. “We’re eating.”

“Walkers?”

Joshua looks at Jasmin.

“Definitely,” she says.

Justin turns toward Michael and Paige. “You guys coming?”

Michael looks at his mate. For half a second, Paige doesn’t answer. Then her eyes flick toward Arlene.

It’s quick, but Michael sees it.

“I think I’d rather go home,” Paige says.