The sharp, piercing alarm from the healing center sliced through the night like a rogue’s howl. Bella shot up from the window seat, her heart slamming against her bruised ribs. The sound echoed through the villa corridors, distant but unmistakable—Elias’s emergency signal.
She rushed to the door, yanking on the handle only to find it still locked from the outside. Panic clawed at her throat.
“Open this door!” she shouted, pounding her fist against the heavy oak. Her voice cracked with desperation. “Please! He needs me!”
Footsteps approached from the hallway, but they were measured, not hurried. The lock finally disengaged, and a stern-faced guard stood there, blocking her path. “The Alpha has ordered you remain here unless escorted. He’s already on his way to the center. After he gets
