Chapter 2

He laid her on the bed, arranging the pillows and sheets beneath her. The warmth of the room contrasted with the coldness of her body. He draped a blanket over her and knelt beside the bed, observing every detail of her face.

She seemed calmer now, as if her body knew it was far from danger. But Cael's instinct said the real nightmares were yet to come.

The doctor arrived in less than three minutes.

"Good heavens..." Doctor Myles murmured as he entered. "She looks like she's been dragged through hell."

"Take care of her. Do whatever is necessary." Cael stepped back but remained in the room, his arms crossed, his gaze fixed.

Myles approached the young woman, already equipped with a case full of instruments and bottles. He gently removed the blanket and examined the wounds, a flash of shock in his eyes.

"Cracked ribs, severe dehydration, signs of restraint on the wrists and ankles... there are poorly healed scars on her back. She was probably held captive. And..." he took a deep breath, "signs of an attempted mating mark on her neck."

Cael approached like lightning, his eyes blazing with anger.

"He tried to mark her?"

"Yes. But... it failed. Her body's rejection of the mark indicates there was no bond. She resisted," the doctor explained. "But still... it left internal scars. It will take time for her to recover completely."

The Alpha turned his back, his fists clenched.

"Lucian. It was him."

The mere mention of his rival's name made the air in the room feel thicker.

"I want daily reports. Whatever she needs, she gets." Cael's voice was low, yet lethal. "And when she wakes up, I want to know immediately."

"Of course, Alpha."

With first aid applied, mild sedatives, and an intravenous drip, Myles collected his instruments and left, leaving the two alone in the room.

Cael sat in the armchair beside the bed and ran a hand through his hair, his eyes fixed on his sleeping mate.

She looked so small in that enormous bed. So fragile. But he felt something more beneath that delicate skin. A dormant strength. A flame waiting to be ignited.

"You're not alone anymore, little wolf," he murmured. "I will protect you. With my life, if necessary."

The fire from the hearth partially illuminated the stone walls, creating shadows that danced to the rhythm of the flame. The young omega lay in the bed, wrapped in white sheets, her body still fragile and covered in bandages.

Cael remained by her side, seated in a dark leather armchair, his eyes fixed on her. The pack doctor had said she would need time to recover, but he knew healing wasn't just physical. The pain she carried wasn't just in the marks on her body, but something deeper, more devastating.

The hours passed slowly. The sound of the rain seemed like a sad song to Cael as he watched her every breath, the slight agitation in her shoulders when the nightmares began to take her. He could have been more productive. He could have attended the meetings awaiting his return, but something inside him prevented him from leaving her alone. The connection between them was stronger than any responsibility, more intense than any obligation.

Then she began to move. Her hand clenched the sheet and her lips moved, murmuring low words, almost inaudible, but enough for Cael to hear.

"No... I don't want to marry..." Her voice was broken, as if she were struggling to wake from a nightmare.

Cael immediately moved closer, his eyes softening. He knew he was dealing with more than simple delusions. She was reliving her own demons, fighting the horrors that had imprisoned her.

"Little one..." he murmured, his voice soft but full of authority. "I'm here. You don't need to be afraid. You are safe."

But she didn't hear him. Her words continued, each one like a blade cutting Cael's soul.

"He locks me up... keeps me..." She swallowed hard, her face contorted in pain, but her eyes were still closed. "I want to escape..."

Cael felt his heart tighten. The idea of someone imprisoning a female as precious as this young woman in a cage... something inside him snapped. He wanted to run to the Bloodclaw pack and destroy everything in his path, but he held firm. He couldn't act with blind rage now. Not until she was safe, until she awoke and understood what it meant to be free.

He took her hand gently, his large fingers enveloping hers. The simple touch seemed to bring some comfort, but the murmurs continued.

"He... Lucian... will..." She sighed, her eyes moving rapidly beneath her closed eyelids. "Will force me... I can't..."

Cael's teeth clenched, his eyes narrowing. The hatred for Lucian, the Alpha of the Bloodclaw, burned in him like a wild flame. He knew what Lucian was capable of. He was an Alpha who used power as a weapon, who used the weak and innocent to strengthen himself. But the cruelest thing of all... he knew how much he would hurt Aurora, and that enraged him in a way he had never experienced before.

With a low growl, Cael leaned forward, placing his forehead gently against Aurora's hand.