Valen couldn’t shake off the tension weighing heavily on his chest as he approached Ella’s room. Her scent lingered in the air, a comforting reminder that she was still here. But he knew this peace wouldn’t last. The news Lucian had brought earlier replayed in his mind like a haunting melody—Alpha Derek was here, searching for her. The mere thought of losing Ella to another man, even if that man was her mate, churned his insides with an emotion he rarely allowed himself to feel: fear.

As he reached her door, he paused, his hand hovering over the handle. For a moment, he debated leaving her to rest, but the...