Days had passed since she'd joined New Dawn with her children. Sky had never felt more at ease, hunting for a pack that appreciated her effort and resting at home with her pups, not worried about sheltering them from the evils that lurked outside. This place was paradise. How had she never come to live here before was a mystery in itself. Even Sanja had been silent since they'd joined their new family!

Nearby, inside the den, Lena and Cody were sleeping. Sky had woken every morning since arriving early enough to meet the sunrise, basking in the hues of yellow and green and enjoying the change from night into day. It wasn't as if she did it intentionally. Rather, she felt herself waking in the early hours before the light came and every time she did, she went outside to greet the thing her new family had been named for.

Today was no different. She sat above the den's entrance, watching as the sun slowly made its way higher into the sky. Below her, under her paws, her children dreamed peacefully. This paradise was just the thing she'd needed for her family to feel safe enough to grow and prosper. If only...

...if only her entire family could be here. Taliesin. Myrddin. Dusk, Jackal and Fox. And, for the first time in a long, long time, a name rolled past her lips. "...Shawchert." He'd left a long time ago. Happy as she'd been with Taliesin, she'd nearly forgotten about her love for the ex-leader and founder of d'Arte. The children he would've raised with her. Revoldo... the dead. The smile that had damn near sealed itself to her face since arriving slowly faded as memories flashed behind blue eyes. Her first kiss, her first pregnancy and the pups, the two boys, that hadn't survived it. The birth of her little ones she had today. The death of Tameri... of Shawchert and Orin's son... Valinta's little darling. All murdered in cold blood.

A growl worked its way into her throat and she dug her claws into the grass at her feet. They'd all died in vain. More murders would happen in d'Arte. She was sure of it and there was nothing she could do anymore. Skye had banished her, forbidden her from ever seeing her son and his father ever again. She knew they wouldn't come looking for her. Not now. Not ever. Myrddin hated her for leaving him behind and she regretted it more now than she ever had before.

If she'd taken him with her, he could've been here in New Dawn now, living as happily as his siblings were. Instead, he was left to the dangers of their old home. The safety of his father was fake. Taliesin could never truely go through with killing Liam. The best hope he had now was in the rest of the pack, should the group of rag tag artists ever learn to fight and defend. She doubted they ever would.

She feared that someday, somehow, she'd have to mourn the loss of yet another son and mate. Going back would be suicide. Skye would kill her on sight and Sky knew she had no chance against the leader of a pack. The only hope she'd had at ever having her family back together again had been demolished as quickly as her welcome in d'Arte's lands had been.

Beyond her thoughts, the sun continued to rise. She couldn't see the beauty past the carnage in her mind and for the first time since arriving in New Dawn, she was missing out on the paradise the lush and fertile lands had to offer.