Hikaon's burden

After returning through the locus, Matthew watched as the rest of the pack went their separate ways. Shifting to Urhan, he began marking territory around the edge of the clearing. But even now, the spirits remembered his death rage, and resisted him because of it. He struggled, the gift only taking effect after several hours of effort. Finally, exhausted, Matthew returned home to get ready for work.

Spoiler:

Determined not to fail Hikaon-Ur again, Matthew began to set aside time each evening to patrol the pack's territory, paying special attention to the locus, Taylor's gravesite, and the tur lines. He also continued to visit Fremont park frequently.