The third day after my arrival, I fainted.
When I woke up, dusk had settled over the room, casting long shadows against the walls. I wasn’t alone.
Beta Julian.
Alpha Brooks.
And Lily, her eyes red-rimmed with unshed tears.
I was too weak to speak, but I could hear her voice—soft, trembling, filled with emotion. Someone patted her back, murmuring reassurances. Not him.
Never him.
Sleep pulled me under again.
The next time I woke up, it was midnight.
The room was dark. Silent.
My first instinct was to touch my hair, but before I could, a warm hand reached out from the darkness, stopping me.
Soft fingers brushed over my hairline, smoothing the strands back in place. A quiet, shuddering breath.
Then—a sob.
My chest tightened. "When did this happen?"
A pause. Then, a sigh. "Six months ago. Stomach cancer."
The weight of those words settled in the space between us.
"Why didn’t you tell me?"