Ash lay trembling, stretched across the chilled stone, frost gathering faintly beneath him as if the ice itself fought to soothe the fire inside. His core, fractured from the drain of mana, left him hollow and weak. Soft, broken words escaped his lips.
"Adrian...I miss you. Lucien...are you okay..."
Adrian and Lucien froze, their eyes locking on him, confusion clouding their faces. Before either could move, footsteps echoed from the hall.
"I'll make it clear again. I just want you to bond with him once, then it's over. I'll pay what we agreed."
The two Alphas snapped their heads toward the door. Aster stood there, another Alpha beside him. His aura marked him clearly as one of their kind, though faint, lacking the weight and authority of theirs.
Aster's face paled in shock.
"You...what are you both doing here?"
