Austin's POV
After Gerry's court hearing concluded, Lara and I returned to campus together. The weight that had been pressing down on both of us for weeks finally seemed to lift.
"It's over. It's actually over," she breathed out, her relief palpable through our bond.
"Now you can finally rest. You haven't been sleeping properly, barely touching your food. I've felt every wave of your distress this past week. Seeing my mate suffer like that has been killing me."
"There wasn't any other choice, Austin. You understand that."
"I do. But now we can move forward. Focus on our pack, our classes, getting me onto the C-Squad, building our future together."
"That sounds perfect," I murmured, pulling her closer.
Knowing how much strain she'd been under, I kept her tucked against my side on our small couch while we attempted to study. But even the following morning, she woke up with that same queasy feeling that had been plaguing her.
