VALIK POV
I wake to the sound of my own heartbeat.
It thuds loud in my ears, slow but heavy, like it’s dragging weight behind every pulse. The ceiling above me is unfamiliar—too white, too clean—and the smell hits a second later.
Iron. Antiseptic. Burned flesh.
My wolf stirs, restless and furious, pacing the inside of my skin like it’s been caged too long.
Maethys.
I sit up too fast. Pain lances through my ribs, sharp enough to steal my breath, but I don’t stop. Wires pull taut. Something beeps in protest. A hand presses against my shoulder.
“Valik—”
Heather.
Her voice is steady, but her eyes aren’t. They’re red-rimmed, exhausted, like she hasn’t left this room in hours.
“How long,” I rasp. “How long was I out?”
She hesitates. Just long enough to tell me the answer won’t sit wel
