The room was too quiet.
Not the kind of peace that soothes—but the kind that screams. Silent and suffocating. Heavy with everything left unsaid. The sterile scent of antiseptic burned Rhea's nose as she sat in the cold, dimly lit infirmary of the Bloodfang Pack. The place she once called home. The place she now felt caged.
The beeping of the heart monitor was the only proof he was still alive.
Alpha Callum.
Her mate.
The man who once shifted mid-battle just to rip apart a rogue who threatened her. The one whose hands had once trembled as he brushed her hair behind her ear. The same hands now lay limp beside him, motionless, as if frozen in time.
Rhea sat at his bedside, her hand wrapped around his. She could still feel the heat of his skin, the pulse of his life, even if his soul felt galaxies away. Her other hand rested on her belly—round, undeniable. A secret that couldn't be hidden anymore.
She was carrying his child.
Their child.
And he didn't even remember her name.
"Please," she whispered, her voice so soft it barely reached her own ears. "Come back to me…"
Twelve days ago, everything shattered. The ambush was swift, brutal, and calculated. The pack had been lured out with false intel. The trap was perfectly timed. Callum had shifted to his wolf in seconds, defending his warriors, but something went wrong—something Rhea hadn't seen coming.
He was struck down by a wolf from behind. A blow to the head so violent, it nearly crushed his skull. He was rushed back to the compound, barely alive. And when he woke the first time—he didn't recognize anyone.
Not even her.
Rhea looked down at their hands. He used to intertwine their fingers whenever he was stressed, just to ground himself. Now, his hand lay limp, unresponsive. Her heart ached at the memory.
The door creaked behind her. She didn't turn. She didn't need to.
The scent of oak and smoke gave him away instantly.
"Still here?" Beta Jace's voice was sharp, clipped. He didn't bother hiding his disapproval anymore.
Rhea slowly exhaled. "I'm not leaving."
"You should," he snapped. "He's waking up soon. And he doesn't need to see you first."
She finally turned to face him. Jace's eyes were bloodshot from sleepless nights. His jaw was clenched like always. Callum's most loyal warrior. And now… her most bitter enemy.
"I'm his mate," she said, steady and clear.
"You were," Jace shot back. "Before your betrayal."
"I didn't betray him," she hissed.
"You led him into that ambush."
"I was trying to help—"
"You trusted your brother over your mate," Jace interrupted, stepping closer. "You brought a traitor into our land, Rhea. And now Callum's memory is gone. He's vulnerable. And you? You're just a reminder of everything he lost."
Rhea stood, fists clenched. "I didn't know what my brother was planning. He tricked me too. He—he died that night."
Jace scoffed. "How convenient."
Before she could argue further, Callum stirred. A low groan escaped his lips.
Rhea's heart seized. She turned immediately, rushing to his side. "Callum?"
His eyes fluttered open. Silver and stormy, just as she remembered. Her soul lit up.
But then… his gaze landed on her.
And froze.
He stared at her like she was a stranger.
"Callum?" she said again, softer this time.
He frowned. "Who... who are you?"
Rhea felt her world tilt. Her knees almost buckled, but she gripped the edge of the bed to keep herself standing.
"It's me," she whispered. "Rhea."
The name seemed foreign to him. Like a puzzle piece that didn't quite fit.
He looked past her to Jace. "Where... am I?"
"The infirmary," Jace answered, stepping beside the bed. "You were injured. Badly."
Callum reached for his head, wincing. "I remember… darkness. Pain. A wolf… attacking me. Then nothing."
"Your memory was affected," Jace explained carefully. "You were ambushed."
Callum looked between them. "And her?"
"I'm your mate," Rhea said quickly. "We've been bonded for almost two years. I—"
His brow furrowed deeper. "I don't know you."
Rhea's throat tightened.
"I'm pregnant," she said, placing a trembling hand on her belly. "With your child."
Callum's eyes snapped to her stomach, confusion tightening his features. He looked to Jace again, then back to her. "Is this a joke?"
"It's not," she said. "You claimed me. Chose me."
He leaned back against the pillows, chest rising and falling in short bursts. "Why don't I remember any of this?"
"Because someone didn't want you to," Rhea whispered. "Someone who still does not."
Jace glared at her. "Don't start planting ideas in his head."
"I'm not," she snapped. "But he deserves to know the truth."
Callum closed his eyes for a moment. "Why does this feel… wrong?"
"Because your wolf remembers," Rhea said, stepping closer. "Even if you don't."
Callum's eyes opened again—and this time, something shifted. His pupils darkened. A growl vibrated in his throat, low and dangerous. His wolf was close to the surface.
He didn't recognize her—but his wolf did.
He looked at her belly again. Then at her eyes. And for a breath, just one, she saw him.
"Mine…" he whispered.
Rhea's heart surged.
Then he blinked, and the moment was gone.
"I need time," he said, voice cold again. "To figure out what's real."
Rhea nodded. "I'll give you time. Just… don't shut me out completely. Please."
Jace moved between them. "You've said enough. Let him rest."
Rhea stepped back, but before leaving, she looked into Callum's eyes one last time. "You said once you'd never forget me. That even if the world turned to ash, your wolf would find me in the smoke."
She turned toward the door. Her voice trembled. "I hope that's still true."
As the door closed behind her, she didn't see Callum's hand twitch slightly… or the single word he mouthed without understanding why:
"Rhea."