Aldus remained where she left him, staring at the night sky with a heart that felt heavier than it ever had before. The moon hung silently above the Blood Moon Pack, its pale glow washing over the land — a silent witness to everything that had happened… and everything that was still to come.
Inside the clinic, Livia slept quietly, her breathing steady but shallow. The healers had done all they could, and now it was up to her — to her will, her strength, her spirit — to keep fighting.
After Aldus came inside the clinic again, his eyes never left the fragile figure lying on the bed.
"You're not alone anymore," he whispered, his voice trembling with a conviction that surprised even him. "I swear… I'll protect you. No matter what."
And for the first time in a long while, the mighty Lycan King let himself hope — that when the next dawn broke, Livia would still be there to see it.
