Nicholas POV.
I was pulled out of sleep by a sharp, loud knock on my door. It wasn't just one knock—it came again and again, fast and restless, like the person outside had no patience left.
My eyes snapped open, my heart beating faster in my chest. I sat up in bed, rubbing my face with my hands. The room was still dark, and the moonlight barely lit the curtains.
"Who is it?" I asked, my voice rough from sleep.
"It's me, Nathan," came my Beta's voice, muffled but urgent through the wooden door.
Something in his tone made me instantly alert. I pushed the blanket aside and swung my legs to the floor. "Come in," I said.
The door opened at once, and Nathan stepped inside. His face looked pale, his jaw tight. His hands were trembling slightly, though he tried to hide it. I had never seen him this unsettled. Fear was written all over his eyes.
My stomach twisted. "What happened?" I demanded, standing up fully now.
