(Sarah's POV)I cried until my beta wolf had no tears left to give. For two hours, I sat beside Aria's bed, clutching her frail hand, unable to stop the torrent of grief washing through me. My throat felt raw, my eyes burned, and my chest ached with each breath.Finally, when my sobs had quieted into occasional hiccups, Aria's soft voice broke the silence."The Sarah I remember was always so resilient," she teased gently, her unfocused violet eyes searching for my face. "I didn't know you had such a sensitive beta side."I couldn't match her light tone. The sight of her—my strong, brave Aria—lying blind and dying was too much to bear."Does Dr. Reed know you can't see?" I asked, my voice hoarse from crying.Aria shook her head slightly, silver hair rustling against the pillowcase. "No."She paused, then added softly, "There's no need to trouble him."Those simple words shattered something inside me. She didn't care about her blindness because she believed she was dying anyway.
(Sarah's POV)I stood frozen outside Aria's private healing chamber, my hand trembling on the doorknob. Through the small window, I could see her silver hair spread across the pillow, her chest barely rising with each shallow breath.I couldn't go in.My beta wolf whimpered in agony, knowing what awaited inside – the truth I couldn't face. Aria was dying. My best friend, my pack sister, the one constant in my life since we were pups together in the Windsor Pack Orphanage – would be gone in a week.My legs gave way beneath me. I slid down against the wall, hugging my knees to my chest. The cold tiles of the medical center floor seeped through my pack healer uniform, but I barely felt it. The numbness that had settled over me since discovering Jason's betrayal grew deeper, swallowing everything.Aria was dying. Jason was unfaithful. In the space of a few hours, my entire world had shattered."Miss Rivers?"I lifted my head to see Dr. Marcus Reed standing over me, concern etched ac
(Third Person's POV)Dr. Marcus Reed stood by Aria's bedside, his professional demeanor softening as he watched her violet eyes fill with tears. Without thinking, he leaned down and wrapped his arms around her frail form, offering a gentle hug that surprised them both."It's going to be alright," he whispered, though they both knew it wasn't true.Aria relaxed into his embrace for just a moment before pulling back. Her silver hair fell across her face as she looked up at him with grateful eyes."Thank you, Dr. Reed," she said softly. "Not just for this, but for saving me after the silver poisoning. At least now I have a chance to say goodbye to Sarah properly."Her voice cracked on her friend's name. Speaking of Sarah..."Where is she?" Aria asked, glancing toward the door. "She ran out earlier and hasn't come back. It's been over two hours now."Worry lines etched Dr. Reed's forehead. "She was quite upset after your conversation. I'm sure she just needed some time alone.""Cou
(Third person's POV)Daniel Silverstone stood frozen in place, his handsome features contorting with disbelief as he watched Sarah Rivers walk away. Her parting words still rang in his ears."I would rather feed my silver coins to omega wolves than give them to anyone surnamed Silverstone."His knuckles whitened around his injured wrist. How dare a common beta wolf speak to him that way? Didn't she know who he was? The Silverstone name commanded respect throughout all pack territories."Miss!" he called after her, his voice sharp with authority. "Miss, come back here immediately!"But Sarah had already disappeared through the sliding doors of the medical center, leaving Daniel standing alone with his wounded pride and throbbing wrist."Ungrateful beta trash," he muttered under his breath.Frustration boiled over as he turned toward his luxury car. With a sudden surge of anger, he kicked the gleaming silver door panel with all his strength."Argh!"Pain exploded through his foo
(Sarah's POV)I couldn't breathe. Aria's confession about her terminal heart condition crushed me like a physical weight. My best friend, my pack sister—dying. The reality of it was too much to bear."I need some air," I choked out, though I doubt Aria heard me through her pain medication-induced haze.I stumbled out of the private healing chamber, tears blinding me as I rushed down the corridor. My beta wolf howled in anguish, the sound echoing in my mind but trapped in my chest. Wolves in the medical center turned to stare, but I didn't care.All these years, I'd been planning our futures together. Aria would be godmother to my cubs. We would travel to European pack territories. We would grow old together, two pack sisters who survived the orphanage against all odds.Now those dreams were crumbling to dust.I wiped furiously at my eyes, trying to regain some composure. What I needed was Jason. My mate. The one wolf who could comfort me now.Almost on instinct, my feet carried
(Aria's POV)I floated in a strange limbo between worlds. Voices reached me through the haze, distant at first, then gradually growing clearer. My omega wolf whimpered weakly inside me, too exhausted to do more than acknowledge the sounds."When will she wake up, Dr. Reed? It's been three days..."Sarah's voice. My pack sister. She sounded so worried, so tired."Her body needs time to recover from the silver poisoning. Combined with her... condition, it's difficult to predict."Dr. Reed. His professional tone couldn't quite mask his concern.I wanted to tell them I could hear them, that I was trying to come back. But my body felt impossibly heavy, as though I were trapped beneath the surface of a frozen lake, looking up at distorted figures above the ice.With tremendous effort, I forced my eyelids to open. The world appeared as a blur of colors and shapes. The wolfsbane-infused lights of the healing chamber were too bright, making me wince. I could make out Sarah's form sitting