Unable to sleep, I lay in bed, my mind muddled and heavy. The faint scent of my mate bond with Julien still lingered, but it felt distant, like a fading memory. I rose to take some cold medicine, but soon after, a sharp pain shot through my stomach. Shaking, I dialed Julien’s number. He picked up at the last moment, his voice dripping with irritation:

"Layla, didn’t I say I’d be home late tonight? What’s going on?"

"Camryn finally fell asleep after her fever meds. You woke her!"

Suppressing the ache in my stomach, I spoke with a hint of desperation, “Julien, I’m not feeling well. Could you...?”

Before I could continue, a woman's voice cut through from his side:

"Julien, it's late. Who’s calling?"

The sound of the phone hitting the ground echoed in the background, and his voice grew distant as he soothed Camryn:

“Camryn, you just got over a fever. Stay in bed. Rest up.”

“Julien, why do you always treat me like a pup?” Camryn giggled, "Who's calling at this hour?"

Julien dismissed her with ease, “Just a telemarketer. Ignore it.”

Overwhelmed by his repeated dismissals, I couldn’t bear it any longer. My hands shook as I ended the call. With my stomach tied in painful knots, I was about to contact emergency services when Julien’s call came through again.

Answering grudgingly, I was met with his voice, sharpened by irritation:

"Layla, you're being ridiculous!"

Trying to suppress my frustration, he added, “Why call so late? What’s urgent? Tell me.”

I curled my lips into a bitter smile, holding back tears as I retorted:

“Julien, you’re truly heartless.”

Cutting the call before he could respond, I found the constant callbacks barring me from reaching out for help. He finally resorted to messaging:

[Layla Ramos, I've spoiled you. You don't even learn from your mistakes!]

At that moment, any leftover affection for Julien vanished completely. The mate bond that once felt so strong now felt like a frayed thread, ready to snap.

The phone finally quieted, but the pain surged, leaving me on the brink of losing consciousness. Fighting through the agony, I managed to call for emergency assistance.

By the time the Healers arrived, I had succumbed to unconsciousness. The last thing I remembered was the faint howl of my wolf, a sound of both pain and defiance, as the world faded to black.

When I woke up, I found myself lying on a hospital bed with an IV drip attached to my arm. Even at this early hour, the emergency room of the New York Pack’s hospital was bustling with activity. The scent of antiseptic and the faint floral aroma of the Healer’s potions filled the air, mingling with the low hum of urgency that seemed to permeate the space.

Seeing me awake, Healer Gibson, a tall, broad-shouldered Alpha with a calm demeanor, approached and instructed me to keep an eye on my IV bag before returning to his rounds. My mind was still hazy, and I almost drifted back to sleep when a sudden commotion jolted me awake.

The sound of raised voices carried through the sterile hallways, and I instantly recognized one of them—Julien Morrison, the Beta of the Silvermoon Pack. His tone was sharp, laced with frustration and anger, cutting through the otherwise orderly environment.

"How can you discharge my mate right now? She still has a fever!" Julien’s voice echoed, his words heavy with Alpha authority, though it lacked the true command of an Alpha’s tone.

My stomach churned. I was here, receiving treatment, yet Julien hadn’t even noticed me. The mate he was referring to could only be Camryn Hoffman. A bitter laugh threatened to escape my lips, but I swallowed it down, unwilling to draw attention to myself. Instead, I quietly slipped out of bed, holding onto my IV stand, and shuffled toward the door to observe the scene.

Healer Gibson, ever the professional, raised his hands in a calming gesture. "Beta Morrison, we have a patient with acute appendicitis who urgently needs this bed. Your mate’s fever has subsided, and she’s stable enough to be discharged. The hospital is willing to waive her fees as a gesture of goodwill."

Julien, his back to me, was visibly shaking with anger. His broad shoulders tensed, and his fists clenched at his sides. "I won’t agree to this," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "If something happens to Camryn, can your hospital take responsibility?"

Despite Healer Gibson’s attempts to reason with him, Julien continued to argue, his Alpha aura flaring, causing a nearby patient—an Omega from the looks of it—to faint from the overwhelming pressure.

Healer Gibson rushed to assist the fallen patient, but Julien grabbed his arm, his grip firm and unyielding. Before the situation could escalate further, Theodora Hernandez, a Healer known for her no-nonsense attitude, stepped in. Her presence was commanding, and her voice cut through the tension like a knife.

"Beta Morrison," she said firmly, her tone laced with authority, "your mate didn’t require hospitalization in the first place. You insisted on it. Now, given the critical nature of this situation, we ask for your cooperation."

Julien’s anger flared, and he turned sharply to face her, his eyes blazing. But before he could respond, Camryn stepped forward, her delicate frame trembling slightly. Her pale face was flushed with a mix of vulnerability and defiance as she spoke.

"Julien," she said softly, her voice wavering, "did you bring me here just to see Layla? You don’t have to lie to me. I know she’s your true mate."

Julien froze, his gaze snapping to me as I stood in the doorway, still clutching my IV stand. His dark eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, the anger in his expression softened. But it was fleeting, replaced by a flicker of guilt that he quickly masked.

Before he could respond, Camryn continued, her voice trembling. "Layla, I understand you’re upset because Julien stayed to care for me tonight instead of being with you. You don’t need to fake an illness to get his attention. Just tell me, and I won’t keep him from you."

Julien’s gaze shifted back to Camryn, his jaw tightening. He opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted, my voice calm despite the storm raging inside me.

"Camryn," I said, meeting her tear-filled eyes, "you’re mistaken. I’m not faking anything. I’m here because I need to be."

Her face crumpled, and she turned to Julien, her voice barely above a whisper. "I’m the problem, aren’t I? I’ll leave now."

With that, she turned and ran down the hallway, her footsteps echoing in the quiet corridor. Julien hesitated for a moment, his gaze darting between me and the direction Camryn had fled. Then, with a frustrated sigh, he turned back to me.

"Layla," he said, his voice heavy with something I couldn’t quite place—guilt, maybe, or regret. "Wait here. I’ll take Camryn home, and then I’ll come back for you."

I nodded, though I had no intention of waiting for him. As he disappeared down the hallway, I leaned against the doorframe, my legs trembling beneath me. My wolf stirred in the back of my mind, her presence a comforting reminder that I wasn’t alone. But even she couldn’t ease the ache in my chest as I watched Julien chase after Camryn, leaving me behind once again.