Adina walked through the hallways, wincing at the dull throb between her legs. Her body still ached from the aftershocks of Thorne's rut. There were still bruises on her hips, bite marks on her shoulders, claw marks healed but visible. Honestly, she probably looked like she'd been dragged backward through war.

But she'd never felt better. She smiled to herself.

Two days of sleep, food, and baths had helped her recover just enough to finally step out of their quarters. Thorne hadn't allowed her out of his sight for those two days. He treated her like she was sick. Which, maybe she was.

Adina licked her lips nervously as she neared the door. She wasn't sure why she was nervous; no one would really notice she was gone for the past week and a half. But after what she and Thorne had done… maybe she should be a little anxious.

She adjusted the oversized cloak she'd thrown over herself, it was Thorne's, of course, and made her way toward the maids' quarters where she knew Kora would be.

Surprisingly, she didn't need to even get there; just as she passed the garden, she caught sight of the said woman… except, it wasn't just her.

She was standing behind Thessara, who was busy looking at some flowers. Beside the two of them was the gamma, Mason, holding a long scroll.

It was an extremely rare sight to see.

Adina stepped forward, clearing her throat to get their attention. Kora was the first to look up, and when she did… her face paled like she'd seen a ghost.

She screeched loudly as if she'd been stabbed, clutching her chest dramatically, causing Thessara and Mason to look at her. "Dear gods! Were you attacked?"

Thessara blinked slowly, her eyes landing on Adina, widening just as wide as Kora's.

"Moons! Adina, is that you?" She said, stepping forward to her. "Oh my! What happened to you?" She asked.

Adina stood still, feeling very much ashamed. They were all staring at her like she'd survived a war.

"Are those bites I see?" She asked, scanning Adina's body. "What kind of bruises are those?" She touched the hickies littered on Adina's neck. Adina's face turned impossibly redder.

"Thessara," Adina said quietly, and the woman stopped, taking a step back, her eyes still scanning Adina.

"I should make you some herbs. You need to… heal." She turned and took the basket from Kora.

"Come along, Mason, I'm done getting these plants. Help me get these oils." She paused, turning to Adina. "She'll need lots."

Adina couldn't say a word. She thought two days was enough to clear herself of what she and Thorne had done, but apparently… it wasn't.

Before Mason left, he winked at her. "Good to have you back… bruised or not."

Once they were gone, Kora rushed to her side, plastering her hand over Adina's forehead.

"Kora!" Adina whined, slapping her hand away.

"So tell me, how good was it?" Kora asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"How good was what?"

Kora frowned. "The rut, of course. Everyone in the palace knows the king was in rut all week."

Adina's eyes widened slightly. "Everyone."

Kora smirked, "Every single person. Now, tell me. How was it?"

Adina looked away shyly, shrugging. "I mean…" she drawled, gesturing to her neck.

Kora squealed loudly, one would think she won the lottery. "You look railed to perfection. Congratulations, sister."

Adina rolled her eyes at her excitement and walked forward, only to pause when she heard Kora gasp behind her. She turned to see the woman gaping.

"Are you… LIMPING?"

Adina froze.

"I—what? No." She stood straighter, which only made the ache in her thighs more pronounced.

Kora's mouth dropped open. "You are!"

"I am not limping!" Adina hissed.

"You absolutely are! You're doing that little wide-step thing like you just rode a horse through the mountains… oh gods, he broke you."

Adina groaned, pulling the cloak tighter around herself. "Please stop talking."

But Kora was already pacing around her like a scandalized old wolf. "No wonder you look like you were dragged through the four realms. You were bedridden. Literally. I mean, I heard rumors about Alpha ruts, but this—this is next-level."

"Well, he is a Lycan so…" Adina bragged, then squeezed her eyes shut. Someone sew her mouth shut.

Kora's eyes got impossibly wider. "Did he knot you? Is that why you can't walk?"

"I am literally walking right now." Adina hissed out.

"If you call that walking, then… did he give you a concussion too?"

"Kora!"

Adina turned and began to walk as fast as she could… well, limp as fast as she could, her face heated. Kora behind her, spilling so many words, Adina wanted to desperately have the ground swallow her whole.

___________

Thorne stood in the middle of the office, pulling some documents from the shelf when Caelum burst into the office.

He bowed, "Your Majesty."

Thorne's brows furrowed, seeing the urgency. "What's the matter?"

The beta took a step closer and dropped the reports on the table. "More people have been reported missing."

"More?"

"Over seventy people have been reported missing all over the realm, with forty of them from the eastern border alone. All within the last three days."

Thorne's jaw clenched, and he turned toward the reports, scanning them. "The same pattern?"

"No scent trails. No bodies. Patrols wiped clean, again. It's spreading."

A low growl rumbled from Thorne's chest as he gripped the edge of the table. "And this isn't the work of the rebels?" He asked.

Caelum shook his head. "I'm afraid so, my king."

Thorne shook his head, eyes scanning the reports again. There were three packs in total that were affected the most: Redmoon pack, Silverwater pack, and… Crystal Moon pack.

His eyes stayed glued to the last name. His jaw clenched hard as he read the name again. "Crystal Moon pack."

He glanced at Caelum, who nodded. "What's the alpha's name again?"

Caelum paused for a second, "Roman. Alpha Roman Heightens."