"Truth can wound as deeply as betrayal, but it is only through truth that the heart begins to heal."
The healing warmth of the bath and the quiet presence of Kael were the only things preventing a total collapse. Kael treated my body and soul with the clinical efficiency of a doctor and the unconditional love of a mate. He washed away the grime of the containment chamber and the psychological residue of Elara's confession, preparing me not for rest, but for the next, inevitable confrontation.
"I am steady now," I announced, pulling the thick, dry robe tightly around myself. I felt the familiar, cold precision of my Beta nature reasserting itself, taking control of the chaos. "The emotional shock is contained. I need to brief Kael on Elara's intentions one last time, and then I need to find Riven."
