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Rhea POV

Mate.

My knees nearly buckled. I stumbled back, covering my mouth with one hand and clutching my chest with the other.

No, no, no, no…

Not him. Not him.

My heart was racing so hard I was sure he could hear it pounding from inside that room.

“Why did you stop… is someone out there?” one of the women asked.

My eyes widened. Panic shot through me, terrified I would get caught. I forced myself upright and did the only thing I could think of.

I ran.

Tears spilled hot and fast, blurring my vision as I tore down the hallway. I tried wiping them away, but they wouldn’t stop. The more I tried, the harder they came.

My chest ached so badly it felt like I was having a heart attack.

Of all people. Why him?

He’s engaged. He was cheating on his fiancée in that room, yet fate dared to bond me to him.

I couldn’t breathe.

Through the haze of my tears, I didn’t see where I was going until I crashed into someone. My body jolted, stumbling back, but firm hands caught me and held me upright.

“Rhea? Are you okay?”

Kale.

I froze, staring at his worried expression through blurry eyes. His gaze dropped, and his face shifted when he saw the tears streaking down my cheeks.

“You’re crying,” he whispered, frowning. “Why are you crying?”

My heart twisted painfully. I couldn’t tell him. I couldn’t say it out loud. Especially not to him.

So I shook my head quickly. “I’m not crying,” I lied, my voice trembling.

His frown deepened. “I can see the tears in your eyes, Rhea. Who do you think you’re fooling?” He cupped my face gently, forcing me to meet his gaze.

Oh, Goddess. Such a stupid lie.

“This—” my voice cracked as I swiped at my cheeks. “I was just… I was searching for the bathroom, and I fell. I hit my leg and I think I sprained my ankle.” To sell it, I started limping on my left foot, wincing dramatically. “It hurts so bad.”

But Kale only frowned harder. “You were running full speed just now.” He caught my second attempt. “Your leg seemed fine,” Kale pressed.

“Well, I…” I stuttered, scrambling to come up with something, anything. “I didn’t process the pain. I didn’t even know I was crying until you pointed it out.” I sniffled, wiping at my cheeks.

He stared at me for a long, unblinking moment. His hand was still warm on my face.

“That’s also a lie,” he said quietly, and my chest tightened.

“You must think I’m a fool if you expect me to believe those excuses. So tell me, Rhea… what’s the real reason you were crying?”

My heart started racing wildly again. My mouth opened but no words came out. I clenched the fabric of my dress until my knuckles turned white, as if I could wring the truth out of myself by force.

“Was it your mate?” he asked suddenly.

My eyes widened.

“What?” I choked, fearing he somehow knew the truth.

“You’re crying because you didn’t find your mate?”

I froze, then found myself sighing in relief.

“Yeah… I didn’t find my mate,” I said quickly, forcing a weak smile. “You caught me.”

His face lit up for only a second, but he quickly tried to mask it.

“You’re not the only one,” he admitted. “I also didn’t find mine.”

“Wait… really?” I whispered, momentarily forgetting the ache crushing my chest.

He nodded, wearing a sad smile. “I really thought it would be you,” he confessed, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me closer.

“Yeah… me too,” I whispered more to myself, the words tasting like ash.

“I guess we’ll have to wait until next year,” Kale said gently, guiding me forward. His warmth pressed against my side, offering comfort.

But my grip on my dress only tightened, my nails digging into the fabric. I glanced over my shoulder and the image of Alpha Dorian with those women burned like fire in my head.

I forced my eyes shut, trying to block it out. “Yeah,” I muttered sadly.

————————

Getting back home that evening, I felt… empty inside.

How was I supposed to face him now? I still had work tomorrow, and even if he hadn’t seen my face clearly, he would sense the bond the moment we crossed paths.

I could try to avoid him, but that would only last so long. I could run away… but that meant convincing Mom to leave with me. And what about school? What about the money I needed?

I sighed in frustration, dragging my feet toward the front door.

“I’m… back home,” I called weakly as I closed the door behind me, but got no response. The house was eerily quiet.

I frowned. “Mom?”

Maybe she’d gone to bed early. My chest still ached from crying, and I wanted nothing more than to crawl into her arms and let her hold me, even if I couldn’t tell her the truth.

I walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water—

And screamed.

“Mom!”

She was lying motionless on the floor, her body twisted unnaturally, her lips pale. The glass she must have been holding was shattered beside her.

I dropped to my knees, my hands trembling as I shook her shoulders.

“Mom! Wake up—please, wake up!”

Her skin felt clammy, and she was barely breathing.

“No, no, no… Goddess, please no…” My tears returned with full force, blinding me as I scrambled for her phone on the counter. My hands shook so badly I almost dropped it as I dialed for help.

“Please! Someone help—my mom, she’s not waking up!” My voice cracked, breaking into sobs.

————————

“We managed to stabilize her and resuscitate her,” the doctor finally said, pulling off his gloves with a tired sigh.

I sagged into the cold hospital chair, breathing heavily in relief. For hours… long, endless hours, I had sat here with my mind screaming at the worst possibilities.

That she wouldn’t wake up. That I’d lose her tonight. That I’d be alone.

I had even handed over every last dollar of my savings for school, just to get them to treat her. The doctor hadn’t even looked at her until I paid. The memory of counting my crumpled bills on the counter still burned in my throat.

“But…” he continued.

I froze. My knuckles tightened around the edge of the chair. “But… what?” My voice cracked.

The doctor glanced at the chart in his hands, then back at me. His expression was grim. “Your mother is suffering from advanced Lupus Fever. It’s a degenerative condition we sometimes see in omegas. Her body is weakening faster than it should, and tonight’s collapse was a direct result of the strain.”

“Lupus… Fever?” I repeated dumbly.

“It attacks the blood and the heart. We managed to pull her back this time, but without continuous treatment, she won’t last much longer.”

My lips parted, but no sound came out.

“How much?” I whispered.

The doctor exhaled, almost pitying. “The treatment is very costly. Thousands each month. And it only manages the condition—it doesn’t cure it.”

My stomach dropped. Thousands. Each month.

I thought of the empty savings jar under my bed.

All the money I had saved up for school. Gone in one night. And it wasn’t even enough.

“How am I supposed to—” My voice broke into a sob.

“I’m sorry. I suggest you… prepare yourself. She might be fine now, but without treatment, she might not survive the next episode.”