Aria's POV.
I sat on the stool beside Kael's cot, my hands trembling as I wiped his forehead with a damp cloth, my heart heavy with fear and sadness.
The room was dim, the air thick with the smell of herbs and blood, the candle's light flickering, causing soft shadows on the stone walls.
Kael lay still, his face pale, his dark hair messy, his breathing shallow but steady, his ash-gray shirt torn, showing the bandage on his side.
My chest ached, my eyes burning with tears I wouldn't let fall, my wolf, Kyra, whining softly, her worry matching mine.
I'd been tending to him for hours, checking his pulse, his breathing, making sure he was okay after his collapse.
The thought of losing him, my mate, the man I loved, was too much, my heart racing with fear.
I'd pushed him away, ignored him, scared he'd hate me, scared of Seraphina's threat, but now, seeing him so weak, I just wanted him to wake, to be okay.
