" The essential truth of life, he was coming to realize, wasn’t romantic and took only two words to label: Shit. Happens. But the thing was, you kept going. You kept your friends and your family and your mate as safe as you were able. And you kept fighting even after you were knocked down. Goddamn it, you dragged your ass off the ground and you kept fighting. "

― J.R. Ward , Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #8)