Drake's POV:
I admit, I was scared. Not just the kind of fear you feel in battle, but something deeper—fear of losing her. The memory of when Raphael attacked her still haunted me. That moment when she slipped away, when I couldn't protect her… it ate away at me every day. Now, knowing she was here with me, after all the pain and danger we'd faced, the thought of losing her again was unbearable.
I was scared because Leila had become more than just a mate. She was my anchor, my reason to keep fighting. I couldn't afford to lose her—not again, not ever. The world could crumble around me, but as long as I had her, I would survive. Without her, I didn't know who I'd be anymore. That realization hit me hard, and for the first time in my life, I realized that my entire being was intertwined with hers.
