“It begins,” Jade murmured softly, his voice barely a whisper in the heavy silence.
Beta Cedric closed his eyes, pain and regret darkening his features. "We cannot halt it now. Oh, goddess, grant me mercy."
Vargr, his body heavy with exhaustion, sat up on the bed. He reached for the water on the nearby stand, but as his hand brushed the vessel, a sharp pain shot through him. His breath caught in his throat as a groan escaped his lips, his hands instinctively pressing against his throbbing skull.
Cedric heard it. Jade heard it.
They rushed into the room, their concern etched across their faces.
"You're awake," Cedric breathed, a nervous laugh escaping him, though it was tainted with uncertainty. "He's awake."
Vargr's groans grew louder, his body trembling with the raw agony surging th
