Half an hour later, Henry Caldwell's boots on the porch-summoned by Alpha Sean.

He rushed to the bedroom, his healer's satchel thudding on the nightstand. I drifted in and out, feeling his cool hands on my forehead, his thrumming softly as he checked my pulse.

Before Henry could speak, Alpha Sean's voice cut through the haze:

"What's wrong with her?"

His tone was as flat as a frozen lake.

Henry cleared his throat.

"Alpha, she fainted from grief-pure and simple. The kind that drains a wolf's life force. Plus, she hasn't rested in days."

Grief.

The word hung in the air, heavy as silver.

I slipped deeper into the nightmare.

Back to Ellie's last day.

Her fever burned like wildfire, her little body shaking in my arms.

The healer had said the words I'd never forget: "The donor heart was rerouted."

In that moment, I'd called him a hundred times: "Alpha, please-our pup needs that heart. You're the alpha; you can make them listen."

But his connection was blocked. Later, I'd find out he was at Lillian's "get-well" party, feeding her cake while our Ellie coughed blood into my lap.

Henry was still talking: "Should I send for a home nurse?" But Alpha Sean dismissed him with a growl.

The door clicked shut, and for a moment, it was just us-him standing over my bed, me trapped in memories.

I could almost taste the antiseptic smell of the hospital, feel Ellie's tiny hand going limp in mine.

"Stubborn she-wolf," he muttered.

No answer.

I was still in my dreams.

Ellie couldn't hold on.

When her pup's small hand slipped from mine, my heart shattered.

I clung to Ellie, sobbing until her soul felt torn apart, refusing to accept the truth.

I called my pup's name over and over, pleading with her not to leave.

I rubbed Ellie's tiny body, desperate to keep her warm.

But no matter how hard I tried, Ellie grew colder, stiffer in her arms.

My Ellie was truly gone.

I woke in a cold sweat, the nightmare's claws still sunk in my throat.

Alpha Sean's scent flooded my senses, and his hand clamped around my arm.

"Olivia, what's with the-" His growl cut off as he saw my face.

Tears had soaked the pillow, my cheeks burning with the memory of Ellie's last breath.

I was murmuring again, the same plea that had echoed in my mindlink for days: "Don't leave me, pup. I can't do this alone."

His grip softened, and for a second, the alpha command in his scent faded.

I felt his palm on my cheek-rough, familiar, but hesitant.

"Olivia, wake up."

His voice was stiff, like he'd forgotten how to speak softly.

"Stop crying."

But I couldn't.

The tears came in waves: Ellie's first howl, her tiny hands grabbing my finger, the way she'd nuzzle into my neck when she was scared.

Alpha Sean muttered something, then reached for the nightstand.

I felt tissues dabbing at my cheeks, his touch awkward but... intentional.

"Alright, enough. I'm here."

His gruffness should have repelled me, but the mate bond-though frayed-thrummed at his nearness. Then his fingers were on my chin, tilting my face up.

The kiss was sudden, a command more than a caress.

He meant to silence me, just like he'd silenced my mindlink pleas.

But something shifted.

His scent deepened, mingling with mine, and the kiss turned hungry.

It had been years since he'd touched me like this, since his mouth had moved over mine with anything but impatience.

I should have pushed him away. Instead, my wolf responded instinctively.

The air grew thick with heat-his scent, my panic, the lingering ghost of a kiss.

Alpha Sean pulled me closer, his arms like iron bands around my waist.

I stirred from the nightmare, gasping as my eyes fluttered open to the bedroom ceiling.

For a heartbeat, the grief felt so tangible I thought Ellie's loss was a fresh wound, not a festering scar.

Then his presence hit me, overwhelming my senses.

Without thought, I shoved at his chest.

"Let me go, Alpha Sean."

For half a decade, he'd ignored my pain, my pleas, my very existence.

I'd swallowed my pride for Ellie, hoping to stitch together a family that was never meant to be.

Now our pup was ashes in an urn-what right did he have to ignore the bond I'd broken?

"Did you hear me? Let go!"

I thrashed harder, my wolf snarling at the violation.

When his mouth descended again, I bit down on his lip-hard.

Copper filled my mouth, his blood mixing with my tears.

He jolted back, stunned, and I seized the chance to shove him off, rolling free.

I scrambled to my feet, ragged breaths tearing at my throat.

Days without food left me dizzy, black spots dancing in my vision, but I held the blanket like a shield.

My stance must have been a sorry sight-half-starved, wild-eyed-but it doused whatever fire had flared in him.

He rolled out of bed, dressing in silence.

His phone slipped from his pocket, screen lighting up with a dozen missed calls from Lillian.

Without a backward glance, he was gone, the door clicking shut like a final nail in the coffin.

The moment he left, my legs gave out.

I collapsed onto the bed, then forced myself up, stumbling to the side room.

My fingers closed around Ellie's urn, cool against my skin.

"He's gone, pup," I whispered, tears spilling over.

"But we're still here."

Downstairs, his car engine rumbled to life.

I knew where he was going: to Rosewood Gardens, where Claire and Lillian waited.

I could almost hear Lillian's little feet pattering to meet him, her squeal of joy as he lifted her up.

My wolf howled silently.

Alpha Sean's pov

When Lillian saw me climb out of the car, she turned her nose up with a dramatic huff.

"My little princess is in a mood?" I walked over, scooping her into my arms.

She wrapped tiny hands around my neck, tilting her chin with a pout.

"Kiss me, Daddy, and I'll forgive you."

I pressed a kiss to her cheek, and her face lit up, giggles vibrating against my throat.

She nuzzled into my neck, all warmth and adoration.

This was how a pup should be-bright, quick to smile, her temper as fleeting as summer rain.

Claire had done well with her.

Not like Ellie, who'd learned from Olivia to brood over every missed promise.

"Dinner's ready," Claire called from the doorway, untangling her apron strings.

As I approached, she gave a helpless laugh.

"Lily heard me calling this morning and got excited. When you didn't come, she kept dialing-couldn't stop her. I hope we didn't interrupt..."

"Just got delayed," I said flatly, carrying Lillian inside.

Under the kitchen lights, Claire's gaze flickered to my split lip.

The bite mark was obvious.

Her smile wavered.

She thought Olivia had kept me there with her body.

Let her think what she wanted.

At nine-thirty, I tucked Lillian in with a bedtime story.

She burrowed into my arms, voice soft.

"Daddy, stay tonight. Sleep with me and Mommy, please?"

Claire emerged from the bathroom, frowning. "Lily, don't be rude."

The pup's lip trembled, tears welling.

"I'm not being silly! I just want to sleep with Daddy and Mommy."

Tears fell, plinking down her cheeks.

Sobbing, she asked, "Why can other pups sleep with their parents, but I can't?"

My heart softened.

Claire hurried to the bed, bending to soothe her.

Her focus was entirely on her crying pup, her voice gentle as she coaxed, "Lily, hush now, don't cry. The healer said you can't get too worked up, remember?"

Lillian shook her head wildly, tiny fingers clutching my sleeve.

"Daddy, please stay!"

Normally, I'd cave-her pouts were impossible to resist-but something held me back.

Claire's smile faltered, though she tried to hide it.

"Don't mind her, Alpha Sean. She's just tired."

When I pried Lillian's hands off me, her wails turned desperate, like a pup separated from its pack.

"Just one night! I'm begging you!"

Her little body shook, and I remembered the healer's warning: stress could relapse her condition.

"Fine," I relented, "I'll stay."

The air grew thick with heat-his scent, my panic, the lingering ghost of a kiss.

Alpha Sean pulled me closer, his arms like iron bands around my waist.

I stirred from the nightmare, gasping as my eyes fluttered open to the bedroom ceiling.

For a heartbeat, the grief felt so tangible I thought Ellie's loss was a fresh wound, not a festering scar.

Then his presence hit me, overwhelming my senses.

Without thought, I shoved at his chest.

"Let me go, Alpha Sean."

For half a decade, he'd ignored my pain, my pleas, my very existence.

I'd swallowed my pride for Ellie, hoping to stitch together a family that was never meant to be.

Now our pup was ashes in an urn-what right did he have to ignore the bond I'd broken?

"Did you hear me? Let go!"

I thrashed harder, my wolf snarling at the violation.

When his mouth descended again, I bit down on his lip-hard.

Copper filled my mouth, his blood mixing with my tears.

He jolted back, stunned, and I seized the chance to shove him off, rolling free.

I scrambled to my feet, ragged breaths tearing at my throat.

Days without food left me dizzy, black spots dancing in my vision, but I held the blanket like a shield.

My stance must have been a sorry sight-half-starved, wild-eyed-but it doused whatever fire had flared in him.

He rolled out of bed, dressing in silence.

His phone slipped from his pocket, screen lighting up with a dozen missed calls from Lillian.

Without a backward glance, he was gone, the door clicking shut like a final nail in the coffin.

The moment he left, my legs gave out.

I collapsed onto the bed, then forced myself up, stumbling to the side room.

My fingers closed around Ellie's urn, cool against my skin.

"He's gone, pup," I whispered, tears spilling over.

"But we're still here."

Downstairs, his car engine rumbled to life.

I knew where he was going: to Rosewood Gardens, where Claire and Lillian waited.

I could almost hear Lillian's little feet pattering to meet him, her squeal of joy as he lifted her up.

My wolf howled silently.

Alpha Sean's pov

When Lillian saw me climb out of the car, she turned her nose up with a dramatic huff.

"My little princess is in a mood?" I walked over, scooping her into my arms.

She wrapped tiny hands around my neck, tilting her chin with a pout.

"Kiss me, Daddy, and I'll forgive you."

I pressed a kiss to her cheek, and her face lit up, giggles vibrating against my throat.

She nuzzled into my neck, all warmth and adoration.

This was how a pup should be-bright, quick to smile, her temper as fleeting as summer rain.

Claire had done well with her.

Not like Ellie, who'd learned from Olivia to brood over every missed promise.

"Dinner's ready," Claire called from the doorway, untangling her apron strings.

As I approached, she gave a helpless laugh.

"Lily heard me calling this morning and got excited. When you didn't come, she kept dialing-couldn't stop her. I hope we didn't interrupt..."

"Just got delayed," I said flatly, carrying Lillian inside.

Under the kitchen lights, Claire's gaze flickered to my split lip.

The bite mark was obvious.

Her smile wavered.

She thought Olivia had kept me there with her body.

Let her think what she wanted.

At nine-thirty, I tucked Lillian in with a bedtime story.

She burrowed into my arms, voice soft.

"Daddy, stay tonight. Sleep with me and Mommy, please?"

Claire emerged from the bathroom, frowning. "Lily, don't be rude."

The pup's lip trembled, tears welling.

"I'm not being silly! I just want to sleep with Daddy and Mommy."

Tears fell, plinking down her cheeks.

Sobbing, she asked, "Why can other pups sleep with their parents, but I can't?"

My heart softened.

Claire hurried to the bed, bending to soothe her.

Her focus was entirely on her crying pup, her voice gentle as she coaxed, "Lily, hush now, don't cry. The healer said you can't get too worked up, remember?"

Lillian shook her head wildly, tiny fingers clutching my sleeve.

"Daddy, please stay!"

Normally, I'd cave-her pouts were impossible to resist-but something held me back.

Claire's smile faltered, though she tried to hide it.

"Don't mind her, Alpha Sean. She's just tired."

When I pried Lillian's hands off me, her wails turned desperate, like a pup separated from its pack.

"Just one night! I'm begging you!"

Her little body shook, and I remembered the healer's warning: stress could relapse her condition.

"Fine," I relented, "I'll stay."