Nathanie had already taken several strides away when he slowed.
For a second, it seemed like he might come back.
Instead, he half-turned, his expression distant. “You’re a healer, Adriana. It’s not that bad. You can treat it yourself, can’t you?”
Not that bad?
Only moments ago, he had insisted it was serious.
Or maybe seriousness depended on who was hurt.
A quiet laugh almost escaped her. In his world, some wolves bled gold. Others barely registered.
The memory that surfaced next made her throat tighten.
Years ago, during one lazy summer evening in the Alpha manor, she had sliced her finger while cutting fruit in the kitchen. It hadn’t even broken skin properly—just a thin red line across her nail.
Nathanie had reacted as if she’d been gravely wounded.
He had lifted her onto the couch, scolded her for being careless, and insisted on cleaning and wrapping the tiny cut himself. He had hovered for the rest of the night, refusing to let her move.
Back then, she had believed that kind of care meant forever.
Now, standing with a swelling ankle and watching him hesitate over whether she was worth the inconvenience, she felt something inside her quietly fracture.
Her eyes stung. She turned her face away before he could see.
As she shifted her weight, her gaze fell on the edge of his coat—one button missing.
The sight dragged her back to another night.
Just a week ago, the Healing Division had hosted a gathering in a neighboring territory. She had drunk more berry wine than she intended. By the time it ended, the roads were nearly empty, and the transport wolves had long since retired for the night.
After waiting in the cold for what felt like hours, she finally used her communication stone.
“Nathanie,” she had said, her words slightly blurred. “I can’t find a ride. Could you come get me?”
On the other end, she could hear him running—his breathing steady, controlled.
Olivia’s laughter drifted faintly in the background.
“I’m out with Olivia,” he had replied briskly. “It’s late, and I can’t let her return alone. Wait a couple of hours. I’ll escort her back first. If you can’t wait, take whatever transport you find and tell me the cost.”
He hadn’t even paused to consider that she had already said there was no transport available.
Olivia’s safety had been immediate.
Adriana’s had been optional.
In the end, she walked.
Twenty kilometers through dim forest paths, her heels blistered and her wolf exhausted.
Headlights eventually cut through the darkness behind her—an expensive black Audi A8 gliding to a halt.
Nathanie stepped out, furious.
“Are you trying to be dramatic?” he snapped. “I circled the spot you mentioned three times. You weren’t there.”
“I waited—I couldn’t—” she began.
He didn’t let her finish. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her into the car, and slammed the door shut hard enough that something metallic scattered across the floor.
Later, she realized one of the buttons from his coat had broken off during his outburst.
From that night onward, she stopped telling herself stories.
She knew where she stood.
Forcing her thoughts back to the present, she looked at him calmly.
“I’m part of the Healing Corps too,” she said gently. “I’ll manage. You should go. Don’t keep… whoever it is… waiting.”
Whatever faint flicker of hesitation he might have had disappeared at her easy tone.
He stepped forward, brushing a quick kiss against her forehead. “Alright. Rest. I’ll come by later.”
The gesture felt routine—automatic.
She nodded just as lightly.
Without another glance, he turned and strode down the corridor toward the manor exit.
Only after he vanished from sight did she lift her head fully. Her fingers moved instinctively to the corners of her eyes, wiping away the dampness before anyone could notice.
She tried to count how many times he had left her mid-conversation for Olivia.
She gave up halfway through.
And Olivia’s sweet, breathy voice earlier? Any trained healer could tell it carried no trace of illness. There had been no weakness in her tone.
Yet Nathanie always responded as though summoned by instinct.
Adriana adjusted her balance and made her way back toward the infirmary wing, her limp pronounced now that the adrenaline had faded.
A few pack members lounging near the entrance spotted her and grinned.
“Well, Luna-to-be,” one of them called teasingly, “you and the Alpha need to save that energy for the full moon. Don’t overdo it during daylight hours.”
Another chimed in, laughter in his voice. “Careful, Adriana. If our Alpha gets exhausted and can’t lead the next border patrol, the elders might hold you responsible.”
She managed a tight smile and raised both hands in mock surrender.
“It’s nothing like that,” she said, lifting her trouser leg slightly to reveal the swelling around her ankle. “I wasn’t watching where I was going and paid for it.”
They chuckled sympathetically, their assumptions unchanged.
Adriana lowered the fabric again and stepped inside her office.
The door closed softly behind her.
In the quiet, she allowed herself one long breath.
Very soon, she told herself, none of this would matter anymore.
