MERIDA

Dinner ended on a quiet, somber note. My mind wandered with each bite, leaving the table before I’d even stood up. Once everyone was distracted, I slipped out of the dining room, sneaking up through the hallways toward Lukan’s room. I didn't care to explain myself. My thoughts were locked on one thing only: him.

When I finally stepped into his room, a chill settled over me. He lay still, a faint rhythm in his chest the only sign of life. In sleep, he looked vulnerable, almost painfully human—so different from the powerful, untouchable Alpha everyone knew him to be. I felt a pang of something I couldn’t name,...