LIAM

The soft, consistent beeping of the machines was turning into a monotonous nightmare. It seemed that Azalea and Damien were in sync because their machines beeped to the same rhythm over and over.

Lily and I took turns leaving the room, but only about once a day. It was unspoken, yet one of us always remained. Nurses would come in and push food toward us, but neither of us ate much. I sat by Azalea’s bedside, continually praying to the Moon Goddess to give her back to me.

Gavin was a pitiful, moping mess in my head. He cycled from pained howling to overwhelming stress about Azalea and Azly, then to bitter silence—over and over again. All I could feel was an icy fist clenched around my heart. If Azalea didn’t open her eyes soon, it was sure to shatter.

Missy was an angel, bringing Azly to see Azalea and me every day. Gavin wanted our pup, and I wanted her, too, but every time I held her, my body ached for Azalea even more. If any of our children were the spitting image of my mate, it was Azly. Missy had even picked such a perfect name for her.

After everything we had been through over the years, I had never felt this way when Azalea wasn’t conscious. Scared and worried, sure—but I had never felt this cold defeat endlessly clawing at my chest. The longer she slept, the further I sank.

The same thought had been playing on repeat since we made it back to the pack: What if she doesn’t wake up again?

I sighed heavily for the millionth time in just a few short hours. My eyes wandered over her soft, sleeping form for the hundredth time that hour. Azalea looked so calm and peaceful, as if she hadn’t been kidnapped and given birth in a medical field tent outside a raging species battle.

While she was forever pale and small, her surgical scars were slowly healing. My uncle said that was a good sign—her body was functioning well. Damien had also healed from all his cuts and bruises except for the bite mark; that still lingered. Theodore had done everything he could to remove the venom from Damien’s system, but I hadn’t seen him since that night. It wasn’t safe for him to stay within the pack right now, not after everything that had transpired at Warwick’s estate.

“Azalea, sweetheart, please wake up,” I whispered into my hands as I held her limp one. She was cold, no matter how many blankets I put over her. Most nights, I picked up her small frame from the bed and held her as I slept.

What scared me most was the diminishing feeling of our bond through our touch. Every time I touched her, the familiar sparks of our bond felt weaker.

I laid my head on the bed next to her, closing my eyes and letting the vexing sound of the monitors fill my head.

What if she doesn’t wake up again?

What if she doesn’t wake up again?

What if she doesn’t wake up again?

I looked over at Lily, who was half-laying over Damien. She wasn’t doing much better than I was. Damien had never been in this kind of danger, so the feeling was foreign to her. My guilt only deepened, knowing he was lying in that bed because of me.

A stuttering of the machine struck my ears, jerking my attention to the monitor. Azalea’s heart rate fluttered. I held my breath, watching. It happened again.

“Azalea…” I breathed.

Movement across the room told me Lily had heard it, too. The machine stuttered once more with Azalea’s changing heartbeat.

“Baby, wake up,” I whispered.

“I’ll get someone,” Lily murmured before dashing out of the room.

I squeezed Azalea’s hand in mine, kissing her fingers lightly.

“Come on, sweetheart. Just open your eyes,” I pleaded.

Her fingers twitched in my grasp. My heart raced, watching for any other signs that she was coming back to me.

Her eyebrows scrunched slightly, the tiniest wrinkle appearing between her eyes.

“Azalea, baby, open your eyes,” I begged again.

Her whole body began to stir, and my heartbeat quickened. It felt like years since I had seen those perfect green eyes—I needed her to open them.

A weak moan escaped her lips. I dropped her hand and cupped her face.

“Azalea, sweetheart,” I tried again.

Her eyelids fluttered.

“Liam…” Her voice was almost inaudible.

“I’m right here, baby. Wake up. Come back to me,” I chanted.

Finally, her eyes cracked open. She flinched slightly as the bright light reached them for the first time in weeks. A torrent of relief crashed into me as her gaze met mine.

“Azalea.” Her name was my lifeline, the only thing holding me to my sanity.

“Liam,” she whispered, her voice rough and quiet. Warm tears streamed down my face.

“Azalea,” I sobbed. My fingers slid down the sides of her face, watching as she reacted to my touch. I leaned forward and kissed her forehead, my tears falling onto her.

“Azalea,” I repeated her name as the sun finally rose once more.

A hand rested on my shoulder.

“All right, nephew, let me take a look,” my uncle said softly. I looked up, realizing a nurse stood on the other side of the bed, holding a glass of water. My uncle gave me a warm look.

I nodded and turned back to my mate. “I’m not leaving,” I promised.

She nodded slightly. I kissed her head once more before stepping back to let them check her over. The nurse immediately swooped in, holding the cup’s straw to Azalea’s lips while my uncle adjusted the bed into a more upright position.