Elena’s POV:
After that night, I took things one step at a time. I didn’t rush to heal, didn’t push myself to pretend I was fine. It was slow—painfully slow—but at least I was trying.
Rachael had found me just in time. I hadn’t even realized she was still nearby until she came running back. I was already on the ground by then, barely conscious. I remember the worried look on her face, the way she shook me gently, calling my name over and over.
I woke up in the pack clinic, staring at the pale ceiling, my body sore and weak. The pack doctor said I had fainted out of exhaustion, but thankfully, it had nothing to do with my heart condition. Just overworked. Just drained.
It should have comforted me, but it didn’t. Because deep down, I knew the real reason—I had been breaking for a
