Chapter 447: The Weight of Shadows

**Thelma Zane’s POV:** At the border, the sight of werewolf pack members coming to receive us brought a brief flicker of relief. It had been so long since I had seen my fellow countrymen that, for a fleeting moment, my spirits lifted. But the thought of Aldrich, my husband whose fate remained uncertain, quickly extinguished that spark of solace. The young elves, now under my charge, seemed uneasy. To them, this journey should have been a cheerful adventure, filled with songs sung on a bus ride, not a somber march surrounded by fully armed warriors. "Don't be afraid," Dorothy reassured them gently. "These are border soldiers. They’re here for a routine inspection." Her words were a balm to the children's nerves. As the leader, it was my responsibility to provide comfort, yet Dorothy often stepped in to ease the burden I seemed incapable of bearing. I was not myself. It felt as if my life force had drained away overnight, leaving behind a hollow shell. Even the pain that used to pi