Alaric’s POV:
The fire from the hearth in my chamber cast a dull glow on the stone walls, but even its warmth couldn’t burn away the restlessness clawing at my insides. I sat, elbows propped on my knees, fingers tangled in my hair. My jaw tightened as my mind reeled back to the memory—the hushed conversation Mira had with Thaila in the hallway two nights ago. I caught the way Mira's eyes darted toward me like a child caught with a secret. Something was wrong. Or worse—something was hidden.
I stood abruptly, the legs of my chair scraping against the cold floor. I didn’t have time to sit and speculate. If Mira, our most trusted healer, knew something about Thaila’s health, she damn well better tell me. I was Alpha—not just of this pack—but of order and truth. And whatever this secret was,
