Dorianna sat alone in the Alpha's section, the familiar festival routine a distant memory. She was always the first on the grounds, with this is who made sure the area was secured with soldiers who also helped to maintain order.
But today, without her badge, she felt like a stranger in a familiar place, waiting for her family to join her as the crowd swelled.
The festival colors—silver, brown, and midnight blue—flashed around her, a constant reminder of everything she had lost. Dorianna kept her chin high, her posture straight and proud. She wore a mask of indifference, ready for the painful conversations she knew were coming.
Her mother, Luna Vilka, was in a sober mood. Zephyr, her brother and the Alpha, wasn't talking to her. Raula was upset with her too, and she had no desire to speak with Zeeb or Ralph.
The first person to arrive was Raula, who hesitated for a moment when she saw Dorianna before walking over and taking her place beside her.
