Elara POV:

Over the next few weeks, I carefully studied the habits of the spirit wolf.

I observed that he paced only when boredom gnawed at him, and he tended to curl near the window when a wave of hopelessness washed over him.

I began to time my actions to his moods, crafting an illusion of coincidence.

One afternoon, I heard the spirit wolf groaning loudly.

"I am so sick of smelling these high-class, sanitized perfumes," he complained, scratching at the sterile floor.

"My Inner Wolf is starving. I just want a damn Blood-Fruit."

I paused my reading.

Blood-Fruit was a rare, wild fruit that grew in the darkest parts of the forest.

It smelled of raw earth, copper, and overripe wild berries.

Modern, civilized wolves in high society feigned a hatred for it, calling it a barbaric and pungent food.

But our primal instincts secretly craved its intense, feral energy.

*The next day, I diverted a portion of the stipend intended for Kaelen's linens, pressing the coins into the grimy palm of a kitchen boy who ran deliveries to the outer territories. For a few extra bills, he was persuaded to venture into the deep woods for a Blood-Fruit.*

When I brought it into the room, the pungent, heavy scent immediately saturated the air.

I took a knife and sliced it open right in front of Kaelen's bed.

The spirit wolf leaped to his feet, his tongue lolling as he stared at the dark red fruit.

"Oh, Goddess, that smells amazing," he whined, pacing excitedly around the bed.

I took a piece of the fruit and ate it myself, letting the rich, wild flavor explode in my mouth.

Then, I sat down and picked up Kaelen's large, motionless hand.

I began to massage his wide palms and thick knuckles, working the stiff muscles.

At first, the spirit wolf growled.

*"Such familiarity is not for an Omega to take," he huffed, the sound a low vibration against the floorboards, though his pride was warring with a deeper instinct.*

But as I continued the deep, rhythmic pressure, the wolf's ears relaxed.

He let out a soft sigh, and his translucent tail began to wag slowly against the floor.

Suddenly, the heart monitor beside the bed began to beep with an accelerated rhythm.

The potent scent of the Blood-Fruit and the physical touch were triggering his primal survival instincts.

His heart rate spiked, showing the first real signs of internal brain activity.

I looked at his peaceful face and decided to take a risk.

"You know," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly. "This is the first time I've ever eaten a whole Blood-Fruit."

The spirit wolf stopped wagging his tail and looked at me, tilting his head.

"In my house, Omegas eat only the scraps left by Betas," I continued, staring at his pale hands.

"My parents used to lock me in the basement if I so much as looked at Selena's plate. I was just their punching bag."

I took a shaky breath, the heavy weight in my chest releasing with the words.

"Thank you, Kaelen. Because of you, I get to sleep in a warm room and eat food that gives me strength."

The spirit wolf let out a heartbreaking whimper.

He walked over and pressed his large, ghostly head against my lap, though I could feel none of his weight.

"I swear to you, little Omega," the beast growled, his eyes blazing with protective fury.

"When I wake up, I will tear those Betas limb from limb for what they have done to you."

The bond between us shifted that day, growing thicker and heavier.

Four months passed in a blur of reading, massaging, and talking to the silent Alpha.

One rainy evening, as I was pressing my thumbs into his palm, I felt it.

Kaelen's index finger twitched.

It was not a machine-induced spasm. It was a deliberate, voluntary contraction of muscle.

I gasped, dropping his hand.

The spirit wolf jumped onto the bed, staring at his own physical body in absolute shock.

"I felt that!" the wolf roared in triumph. "I felt the warmth of her hands!"

Tears of joy spilled down my cheeks. I slammed my hand on the emergency call button.

"Luna Seraphina! Healers! Come quickly!" I yelled into the intercom.

The door burst open, but it was not the Healers who entered first.

It was Selena.

She stormed into the room, her face a mask of ugly rage.

Before I could speak, she grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my skin, and yanked me away from the bed.

Smack!

Her hand connected with my cheek, the sharp report echoing in the quiet room.

"Get out of my way, you dirty Omega!" she hissed, her eyes wild with panic and greed.

She knew he was waking up, and she intended to steal the credit.

The spirit wolf lunged at her, snapping his massive jaws, but his teeth passed through nothing but empty air.

He roared in useless, helpless rage as Selena pushed me toward the door.