Almost an hour had passed before the doctor finally arrived. The entire time, Kael never moved from where he sat at the edge of the bed.
His golden eyes remained fixed on the woman lying peacefully beneath the blankets. Caroline hadn't woken up again after briefly opening her eyes earlier. Her breathing had settled into a slow, steady rhythm, and if not for the ugly bruise darkening the side of her neck, she almost looked as though she were simply sleeping after a long day.
Kael listened carefully to every heartbeat, only then did the tightness in his chest ease slightly.
His gaze drifted back to the bruise and his jaw clenched. The memory replayed itself over and over again.
A dangerous growl rumbled low inside his chest before he quickly forced it back down.
A knock sounded on the b
