I was out of the hospital in less than 24 hours, but it didn't feel like a victory. It was almost time to face the one thing I dreaded the most—
Rose.
Judging by the past few hours, I could tell she hadn't told anyone about what she saw. When Julian and Lily came to visit, neither of them acted differently toward me. If they knew, I was sure their expressions, their energy, would have changed.
Jillian was still his goofy self, cracking jokes and making me laugh. And for the first time, I realized something—I had never really had relationships like this before. Friends. People who actually cared about me, who made me laugh without expecting something in return.
I wasn't sure how to handle it.
But I wanted to try.
"We're hereee!" Julian called, pulling me out of my thoughts as he and Lily walked in.
No Rose.
My heart sank.
I wasn't sure what I had expected. She had been shocked—anyone would be. But a part of me had hoped she'd be here anyway.
"How are you feeling, dearie?" Lily asked with a soft smile.
"Yes, Rex, how are you now? We were so worried," Julian added. "Especially Rose. But she couldn't come with us. You'll see her when you get to the pack house later."
"Alright then," I murmured, not feeling particularly enthusiastic.
Of course, Julian couldn't let the mood stay serious for long.
"Sooo, Rex," he said, smirking as he leaned against the bed rail, "what exactly do you have going on with the Alpha?"
I blinked. "What?"
"Oh, don't act clueless. He personally carried you here. Refused to let anyone else touch you. It was—" he clutched his chest dramatically "—magical."
I was about to reply when— SMACK.
Lily hit Julian over the head.
"Watch your mouth, Julian," she scolded. "You know he was just being helpful. Don't put weird ideas in her head."
Julian grumbled, rubbing his head, but I barely heard them.
Because just like that, Lily had shut down the thought before it could even fully form.
"Aries is always like that," she continued. "He's just doing his Alpha duties."
My heart fell.
So that was it? Just… duty?
I didn't know why it stung. I shouldn't care. But for a split second, Julian's words had made me feel special. Like Aries' actions meant something more.
But of course, that was ridiculous.
I had far bigger things to worry about than frivolous feelings—especially ones I wasn't even sure were real.
Before I could dwell on it too much, Aries' mother entered the room.
"You're free to go now, Rex," she announced.
I really needed to ask her name one day.
"Finally," Julian sighed dramatically. "It feels like we've been here for days."
I rolled my eyes as he stretched like he had been trapped in a dungeon.
"Alright, little Rex," he grinned, "let's hit the pack house!"
Lily had left earlier, so it was just me and Julian.
"What happened after the attack?" I asked as we walked.
"Oh, that?" He waved a hand dismissively. "The hunters were a small group, so we handled them pretty quickly. You should've seen me—I was legendary."
I snorted.
"Anyway," he continued, "after that, Aries called a meeting. Apparently, our pack wasn't the only one attacked. There's a meeting with the Association of Alphas next week to discuss it."
I nodded, absorbing the information.
"That's about it, your Highness," Julian added with a playful bow.
I rolled my eyes again. "You're such a drama queen."
"Ah, but you laughed!" He pointed at me, grinning. "Which means my mission was successful. You've been out of it since earlier, so I figured you needed a good distraction."
I hesitated.
"You mind telling me what's wrong?" His voice softened. "I know we haven't known each other long, but sometimes it's easier to talk to a stranger. Especially one as ridiculously handsome as me."
I smiled a little at his attempt, but I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth.
He didn't need to carry my burdens.
"I'm fine, Julian," I finally said. "At least, for now. But thanks—I'll hold you to that offer someday."
"Your loss," he sighed dramatically. "You just missed out on some life-changing advice."
I chuckled.
"But hey, no rush. We'll keep talking, getting closer—you seem like my type."
I raised a brow. "Your type?"
"Yeah," he grinned. "The type I love making fun of."
I gasped in mock offense. "Oh, it's on, Julian!"
We both burst out laughing.
And for a moment—just a moment—everything felt okay.
Maybe Rose would understand. Maybe I could actually settle here. Maybe—
But then we reached the pack house.
And Julian said something that shattered my brief moment of peace.
"Oh, I forgot one tiny detail, Your Highness."
I rolled my eyes. "What now?"
"The meeting? It's happening at one of the biggest packs there is."
I frowned. "Okay…?"
"Well, not bigger than us, obviously, but still, you get what I mean."
I stopped walking.
"Julian, what pack is it?"
He turned to me, oblivious to the weight of his words.
"The Blue Crescent Pack."
The world tilted.
My stomach dropped.
My heart pounded so fast it drowned out all other noise.
"Not again," I whispered.
"Not again."