On the morning of the 21st day, my wolf fell completely silent. I could no longer hear her voice or feel my mate mark.
Every breath tasted of blood.
The system told me the death conditions had been met. All that remained was for this body to stop.
Not long after the mate mark went dark, the cottage door burst open.
Kane rushed in. The moment he saw me curled beside the bed, he froze.
He clutched his chest with one hand, breathing hard.
Perhaps only then, through the mate bond on the verge of snapping, did he finally realize I was dying.
"Evelyn?"
I had wasted away to skin and bone. Blood from my coughing covered the sheets and floor.
He dropped to his knees and seized my hand, his fingers shaking uncontrollably.
"How did this happen?"
At last, he performed a full examination, ch
