Fen was the first to reach Lisa after she collapsed. The boy's small face was tight with fear, golden eyes wide and shining with panic. "Dad," he whimpered to Rowan, his voice trembling like a fragile pup, "did Mom make Lisa faint? Should we run to the healer—or the hospital?"
He padded behind Rowan, a miniature shadow mirroring every tense movement of his father. The resemblance was striking—same alert posture, same barely restrained panic, same instinct to protect.
From her vantage point, Audrey watched Rowan gather Lisa into his arms. His tall frame was rigid, muscles coiled, breath uneven, a predator caught off guard by his mate's fragility. Panic radiated from him, sharp enough that she could almost smell it. A bitter, almost mocking smile tugged at her lips.
