Adrian's POV:
I ran.
The forest tore past me in a blur of shadows and rain-soaked earth, branches snapping beneath my feet as I pushed my body beyond its limits. My mate lay unconscious in my arms, her weight light but her presence heavy—so heavy it felt like my soul itself was pressed against my ribs.
For the first time in my life…
I was afraid.
Her head rested against my arm, white hair plastered to her pale face, rain mixing with blood until I could no longer tell where one ended and the other began. Her breathing was shallow. Too shallow.
"No… no, stay with me," I whispered, my voice breaking as I ran.
My wolf, Adrik, was no longer roaring for blood or control. He wasn't snarling, wasn't demanding violence.
He was whimpering.
A low, broken sound echoed through my chest, mirroring the pain tearing me apart from the inside.
"She's hurt," Adrik whimpered. "Our mate… she's hurting."
"I know," I growled back, teeth clenched as I leapt over a fallen tree. "I know."
The rain grew heavier, soaking us both completely. The forest seemed endless, every second stretching into agony. Her scent—jasmine, rain, and now blood—clung to me desperately, as if afraid to leave.
Her heartbeat was weak.
Too weak.
Kai was right behind me. I could hear him, feel him. He didn't say a word, but I didn't need him to. The fear in his eyes earlier had said enough.
The girl in my arms wasn't just my mate.
She was their future Queen.
And she was dying.
The pack hospital finally came into view, its lights glowing like a promise through the storm.
I burst through the doors, my shout echoing through the halls. "Help!"
Kai's voice rang out immediately. "Doctor! Now!"
Nurses rushed forward with a stretcher, their movements fast and trained. I gently laid her down, my hands trembling as I released her for the first time since finding her.
It felt wrong.
Like tearing my soul in half.
The pack doctor—Dr. Elias Rowan, a tall man with silver hair and sharp eyes—arrived within seconds. He barely spared me a glance before focusing on her wound.
His expression darkened instantly.
"Wolfsbane," he said grimly. "Get her inside. Now."
They rushed her away, and I moved to follow—
A firm hand stopped me.
"I'm sorry, my King," Dr. Rowan said calmly but firmly. "You can't come inside."
I rounded on him, fury exploding through my veins. "That's my mate. I'm not leaving her."
His eyes widened slightly at my words, but he didn't back down. "Your clothes are soaked in blood, and your aura is overwhelming. The nurses won't be able to function properly. You need to clean yourself and give us space."
I opened my mouth to argue—
" King," Kai said quietly, stepping beside me. "He's right."
I looked at him, betrayal flickering through my fear. Kai held my gaze steadily.
"We need to give them time."
My fists clenched. My entire body screamed to fight, to force my way in, to stay with her no matter what.
But I nodded.
Barely.
I sank onto a bench, head falling into my hands as the doors closed behind them.
Minutes passed.
They felt like years.
Kai sat beside me, silent for a long moment before speaking. " She'll survive Adrian. I know it."
I wanted to believe him.
We both went to clean ourselves, separate bathrooms, the sound of running water doing nothing to wash away the dread clinging to my skin. When I returned, Kai was already waiting.
Together, we stood outside her room.
Waiting.
My parents arrived first, followed by Elena, Maya, Kael, Lucas, and Damon. The hallway filled with tense energy and unspoken fear.
"You're all here?" I asked quietly.
My mother stepped forward, her eyes soft but resolute. "Our future Queen is here. Of course we came."
I turned to Kai slowly.
He lifted his hands defensively. "You found your mate. I had to tell them."
I exhaled and dropped back onto the bench, exhaustion crashing into me.
My father sat beside me, placing a steady hand on my shoulder. "We know this is hard. Seeing your mate like this… it would break any man."
"She'll be fine," my mother added gently. "The mate bond will protect her. Especially if you're close."
Before I could respond, the door opened.
Dr. Rowan stepped out.
"She's stable," he announced.
Relief crashed through us like a wave.
"Given the amount of wolfsbane in her system, she shouldn't have survived," he continued, disbelief clear in his voice. "Her healing rate is… unusual. Remarkable."
"When will she wake up?" I asked immediately.
"That, we can't say," he replied. "The poison spread through her body. We did everything we could. Her wounds are healing, but the toxin is keeping her unconscious."
"And…?" I pressed.
"You may see her," he said.
We didn't waste a second.
The moment I stepped into the room, my chest tightened.
She lay there, surrounded by machines, her face peaceful despite everything she'd endured. I moved to her side and took her hand in mine.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You called for me… and I came late."
A tear slipped from my eye and landed on her skin.
Her fingers tightened around mine.
My breath hitched.
"She hears us," Adrik whispered. "She feels us."
A smile broke through my pain.
A gasp sounded behind me.
I turned to see my mother, Elena, and Kael staring at her in shock.
"What?" I asked.
My mother's voice trembled. "That's… Aria."
Elena nodded. "She's the one who saved Ivy."
Kael added quietly, "A rogue."
"What?" I, my father, Kai, Lucas, and Damon all said at once.
A nurse hurried in. "Please, you can't talk like this near her. She needs rest."
We stepped back into the hall.
"This doesn't make sense," I said firmly. "She's my mate. And she doesn't smell like a rogue."
Adrik's voice echoed warmly in my mind.
"Aria," he murmured. "That's her name. Our mate's name."
Aria.
The name wrapped around my heart perfectly.
My father spoke thoughtfully. "We need to learn everything about her."
I nodded. "You can all go. Kai and I will stay."
They left quietly, leaving the hospital wrapped in silence.
---
Three Days Passed.
Three long, unbearable days.
I barely left her side, except for mandatory duties. When I finally returned to the office for a meeting, it felt wrong—like abandoning her.
The moment I stepped out of the meeting room, Kai's voice burst into my mind.
"Adrian," he said, excitement barely contained. "She's awake."
My heart stopped.
Then it raced.
I didn't walk.
I ran.
Every step toward the hospital echoed with one thought:
I'm coming, Aria.
My mate.
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