_Katherine's POV_
I didn’t know how long I had been sitting there, curled up on the edge of my bed, waiting.
Time passed slowly. Too slowly.
Every creak of the wooden floor, every distant noise from outside made my heart race. I kept thinking about Lucian, about the battle he was fighting. I wanted to believe he would be fine. He was an Alpha—strong, powerful. But even Alphas weren’t invincible.
I wrapped my arms around myself, whispering another prayer. Moon Goddess, keep him safe. Let him come back to me.
And then—
A voice.
"Katherine," Lucian called from the hallway.
I gasped, my breath catching in my throat.
"It’s safe now," he said, his voice warm and steady. "You can come out."
Relief crashed over me like a wave. Without thinking, I jumped to my feet and rushed to the door.
