Hours passed, dragging with an agonizing slowness that Alex could feel in his very bones. He didn't move from his place beside Luna, his elbows propped on his knees as his broad shoulders hunched forward, weighed down by a tempest of emotions he couldn't even begin to untangle. His head rested heavily in his hands, fingers gripping his hair as if holding himself together. Every shallow breath that escaped Luna's lips was like a thread tethering him to sanity—a fragile reassurance that she was still alive, though the sight of her pale face and unmoving form filled him with dread.The room was suffocatingly quiet, broken only by the faint rustle of Miriam's tools and the low, rhythmic sound of Luna's breathing. Each inhale and exhale was a reminder of her fragility, of how mortal she had become. The goddess he had come to know—infuriating, stubborn, and unyielding—was now reduced to this fragile, mortal shell, and it shook him in ways he didn't want to admit.When the door creaked open, Alex barely registered it, his eyes fixed on the faint rise and fall of Luna's chest. Charlie stepped in, his footsteps soft but deliberate. The grim expression on his beta's face didn't go unnoticed, but Alex refused to look up until Charlie spoke."The cleanup's done," Charlie said quietly, his voice laced with exhaustion. "Rogues are burned. No survivors."Alex finally stirred, his head lifting slightly, though his gaze remained distant. "And?" he asked, his voice devoid of warmth, clipped and cold like the sharp edge of a blade.Charlie hesitated, his lips pressing into a thin line. "No one saw her leave the pack house," he admitted, each word weighted with uncertainty. "We checked the patrol logs—there was no sign of her until... well, until we found her."Alex's jaw clenched so tightly it ached. His hands fell to his knees, fingers digging into the fabric of his pants. "So she just vanished into thin air and reappeared in the middle of a massacre?" he asked, his voice dangerously low, every syllable dripping with barely restrained fury.Charlie ran a hand through his hair, the gesture betraying his own frustration. "I don't know what to tell you, Alex. But Timothy's theory—""Don't." The single word was a growl, cutting through the air like a whip. Alex's eyes finally snapped to Charlie's, blazing with an intensity that made his beta take an involuntary step back. "She didn't leave. Not willingly. Not like that."There was something in his tone—an edge of vulnerability buried beneath the anger—that made Charlie hesitate. For all Alex's commanding presence and unyielding strength, there was a crack in his armor now, a rawness that Charlie rarely saw.Charlie nodded, swallowing hard. "I'll keep digging," he offered, his voice subdued.Alex said nothing, his jaw working as if he were holding back words that refused to come. His gaze flickered back to Luna, and the intensity in his eyes softened ever so slightly.Charlie lingered for a moment longer, but when Alex didn't respond, he turned and left, his footsteps echoing faintly down the hall. Alone again, Alex exhaled shakily, his hands rubbing over his face in an attempt to calm the storm raging within him."I hate hospitals" Alex murmured to his ownself as his mind wondered over some distant memoriesHe wondered - Was this how the Alex from his memories felt when she was lying on bed conscious due to extreme cold night that day at hotel ? Was this that feeling ? It wasn't just anger or frustration—it was fear. A fear he didn't want to name, a fear he couldn't shake. She had been there one moment and gone the next, only to reappear surrounded by blood and death. The thought of her wandering into danger without him knowing, without him being there to protect her, made his chest tighten painfully.She didn't leave willingly. He repeated the thought like a mantra, clinging to it desperately. Because the alternative—that she had chosen to walk away, to face whatever horrors awaited her alone—was a possibility he wasn't ready to accept.Few Hours Later It was well past midnight when Luna stirred, her fragile body shifting on the cot as a faint groan escaped her pale lips. Alex, who had been pacing the room like a restless shadow, froze mid-step. His sharp eyes, heavy with exhaustion, snapped toward her, and for a moment, he simply stared, too afraid to move, too afraid to hope."Luna."Her name fell from his lips, raw and cracked, as though the single word carried all the emotions he'd been bottling up—fear, anger, guilt, and an aching relief.He crossed the room in an instant, dropping to his knees beside her. His large hand, rough and strong, reached out hesitantly before finally wrapping around her much smaller one. Her fingers were icy, lifeless, and yet, when he touched her, they twitched ever so slightly. That tiny, almost imperceptible movement shattered something inside him.Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing hazy, unfocused eyes that blinked sluggishly, as though trying to piece together the world around her."You're..." Her voice, barely a whisper, scraped against his ears like a fragile plea."Shh," Alex said, his voice softer than he intended, the anger and frustration from earlier dissolving into an unfamiliar gentleness. "Don't talk. You're safe."Her brows furrowed faintly, confusion flitting across her pale face as her gaze shifted, taking in the room before finding his. "What happened..."The words hung in the air, and Alex's stomach twisted painfully. He leaned closer, his eyes searching hers, desperate for answers. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice tight with a mixture of concern and suspicion. "You don't remember?"Her silence was deafening. Her lips pressed together, as though she were fighting against a memory clawing its way to the surface. For a fleeting moment, fear flashed across her face—a raw, unguarded horror that made Alex's chest constrict. But just as quickly, it vanished, replaced by a carefully constructed mask of calm."I was waiting for you," she said softly, her voice steadier now. "And I decided to go for a walk. I... I smelled rogues. I grew concerned, so I went to check."Her explanation was so simple, so matter-of-fact, yet it didn't sit right with him. Alex's stomach churned as he replayed her words in his mind."Checking?" he repeated, his tone sharp with disbelief. "What were you thinking, going out there alone?"Luna's gaze faltered, her eyes slipping shut as if the conversation was too much to bear. "I..." She didn't finish. Instead, her head turned slightly, as though trying to escape the weight of his questions.But Alex wasn't ready to let it go. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as he studied her pale, blood-streaked face. Her story didn't add up. Hundreds of guards patrolled the pack lands, and not a single one had seen her leave. No one had seen her until they found her in the middle of that carnage. And the scene—gory and precise—didn't look like a simple scuffle. It looked like a slaughter, deliberate and merciless.Did she want to leave quietly? The thought made his chest tighten painfully. But even that doesn't make sense. Not after what I saw."Luna," he said again, his voice cracking under the weight of unspoken emotions. "I don't care what's going on. If you need time, take it. But don't make up lies. If you wanted to leave, you could've just..." His words faltered, his throat tightening. "You could've just told me."His hands clenched, the frustration and pain simmering beneath his controlled exterior threatening to spill over.Luna's eyes opened again, her gaze locking onto his. There was no defiance, no anger—just a weariness that seemed to seep into her very soul. Her voice, quiet but steady, broke through his turmoil. "I didn't want to leave."Her words hung in the air like a fragile lifeline, calming him in a way he didn't fully understand. His shoulders relaxed slightly, the tension in his jaw easing."Take rest," he murmured, his voice low, almost tender.Luna's lips parted as if to argue, but she hesitated. Her head turned away, her expression unreadable.Alex exhaled slowly, the knot in his chest loosening but not disappearing entirely. "Rest," he repeated firmly. "We'll talk about this later."As her breathing evened out, her body finally succumbing to exhaustion, Alex leaned back in his chair. His eyes remained fixed on her face, searching for answers she couldn't give him in this moment.What are you hiding, Luna? Why were you there? he wondered silently, his mind racing with questions. And why do I feel like this is only the beginning?The Next Morning The first rays of dawn filtered through the heavy curtains, painting the room in a muted, golden light. Alex hadn't moved from his spot beside Luna's bed. Every shallow breath she took was a relief, though it did little to untangle the knot of worry coiled tight in his chest. He tried to distract himself, let his mind wander, but every path led back to her—pale, fragile, and so unlike the fiery goddess who could silence a room with a single glare.When Luna stirred, her eyelids fluttering open, Alex's shoulders relaxed just a fraction. He watched her closely, noting the way her fingers twitched against the blankets and her brows furrowed slightly as if trying to place herself."Morning, trouble," he said, his voice warm but laced with mischief. The words came out light, playful, but his eyes betrayed him—lingering on her face a little too long, searching for signs of pain or unease.Luna blinked at him, her hazy gaze sharpening slowly. "Trouble?" she repeated, her voice hoarse from disuse."Yeah," Alex leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You've been out for hours. Had me thinking you'd decided to ditch me in my own pack lands."Her lips twitched into a faint smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I didn't—""I know," he interrupted softly, leaning back in his chair. The teasing edge in his tone shifted, but he wasn't ready to dive into the deeper conversation just yet. Instead, he smirked, tilting his head as if an idea had just struck him. "You know, I've been thinking. Maybe I should just mark you."Luna's expression faltered, her brow knitting in confusion. "Mark me?"Alex grinned, a boyish charm lighting his features. "Yeah, mark you. That way, the next time you get it into your head to wander off, I'll know exactly where to find you. Saves me the trouble of sending out half my pack."Her confusion deepened, her lips parting as if to speak but hesitating. "You're joking," she said, though her voice lacked conviction."Dead serious." He leaned forward, propping his chin on his hand. "Think about it: one bite, one little mark, and bam—instant Luna-tracker."She stared at him, her gaze searching his face for the punchline, but he met her eyes with an unyielding smile."And what do you get out of it?" she asked, narrowing her eyes."Oh, just the satisfaction of knowing my favorite troublemaker is safe. And maybe," he added, his grin widening, "it wouldn't hurt to remind everyone else that you're mine."Luna's lips parted, but no sharp retort came. Instead, she grew quiet, her gaze dropping to the blanket draped over her. The silence stretched, growing heavier by the second."Luna?" Alex's voice softened, the playful glint in his eyes fading.She looked up, her expression unreadable. "If you mark me... you could find me if I went missing?""Of course," he replied, his tone lighter than he felt. "It's what mates do. Not that I'm saying we're—""Do it."The words struck him like a blow, stealing the air from his lungs. He sat straighter, his brows lifting in surprise. "Wait, what?""Mark me," Luna repeated, her voice steady. Her gaze locked onto his, a strange intensity burning in her eyes. "If it means you'll find me when I go missing or when i need you... then do it."Alex's jaw slackened, and for a moment, he couldn't find the words. "Luna, I was kidding," he said, his voice quieter now. "I didn't mean—""I know," she cut him off, her tone calm but resolute. "But I'm serious."The room fell silent. Alex leaned back, running a hand through his hair as he studied her. Something felt... off. This wasn't the Luna he knew—the sharp, unyielding goddess who met the world head-on, who never let anyone see her vulnerable. This was someone else."Luna," he started cautiously, "you don't have to do this. I was just messing around. You've had a rough night—hell, a rough couple of days. Let's not—""I'm serious," she interrupted again, her voice firm. "If it means you'll find me—keep me safe—then I want you to."Alex's heart twisted painfully. She wasn't joking. The vulnerability in her voice, the rawness in her expression, cut through him like a blade."Luna..." He softened his tone, trying to find the right words. "This isn't like you. Is something wrong ? "She met his gaze without hesitation, her voice steady despite the weight of her words. "Maybe..." She paused for a moment before continuing, "but I like the sound of Luna-Tracker."Alex felt his chest tighten. He wanted to argue, to promise that he'd protect her no matter what, but the resolve in her eyes held him back. It wasn't the time for arguments."Alright," he murmured, his voice softer now. He reached out instinctively, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. "If this is what you want... we'll do it. But only when you're ready."Her gaze dropping to her lap, her voice quieter than before as sh simply nodded. "Luna—" Alex started, but his words faltered as he studied her face. This wasn't about love or trust; it was something deeper, something raw. Desperation clung to her every word, and it was that, more than anything, that stopped him from speaking further.He exhaled slowly, the sound heavy with unspoken thoughts. After a long pause, a faint, almost bittersweet smile tugged at his lips. "You really are something else."Her lips twitched, a hint of a smile teasing her features, but it never quite formed.As Alex watched her, a dull ache settled in his chest. Something between them had shifted—a boundary they hadn't even known was there had been crossed. And whether it was for better or worse, he couldn't say. All he knew was that things wouldn't be the same.