Fury falls to his knees.

    “I was toote,” he whispers, voice barely holding itself together before it shatterspletely and his shoulders shake.

    My chest twists painfully as I watch him grieve. Once a proud warriorb, /bnow a mighty Alpha–reduced to a broken boy. He makes no attempt to hide it, no effort to be strong in front of us. Not when the woman who gave him life is gone.

    A sob rips from his throat, raw and full of agony. He cries like a baby.

    And gods, I cry too.

    I can’t stop the tears streaming down my face as I move closer, not touching him–just being near. The Queen, my mother, dabs her eyes with trembling fingers, her usualposure faltering under the thick sorrow filling the room. Jasmine, already at his side, is sniffling her eyes red and swollen. Without hesitation, she sinks to her knees and wraps her arms around his shaking frame, holding him as if she can shield him from the pain.

    “It’s okay… it’s okay…” she murmurs, though it’s not. Nothing about this is okay.

    Fury buries his face in her shoulder like a wounded child and clutches her gown like a lifeline. He cries until there’s nothing left –just heavy breaths and silence.

    Gently, Jasmine pulls back, brushing away the damp strands of hair clinging to his forehead. He doesn’t speak, just looks up at the Queen with swollen, bloodshot eyes.

    The Queen moves gracefully, kneeling before him. She ces a hand over his and offers a softb, /bsad smile. “Your mother may no longer walk this realm, my child,” she says, “but her love will never leave you. You carry it in your bloodb, /bin your heart. She will always be by your side, Fury.”

    He nods slowly, jaw clenched, eyes filled with pain.

    “I want to see my father,” he rasps. “Please… can you take me to him?”

    The Queen squeezes his hand gently. “Of course,” she replies. b“/bI’ve already sent word. He knows you’re alive… and he’s waiting for you.”

    A long, shaky breath escapes him. Relief, maybe. Or fear. Or both.

    “I’ll have a carriage prepared,” she continues. “You won’t have to go alone–Maya and Jasmine can go with you, if you’d like.”

    “Thank you,” Fury says hoarsely, his voice nearly gone.

    The Queen rises, smoothing her gown. “I won’t be able to apany you,” she says regretfully. “I’ve begun an investigation into what truly happened–how you both vanished all those years ago. I need to get to the bottom of it.”

    Her gaze locks on his, “Send my greetings to your father. And tell him… justice will be served.”

    Fury bows his head in quiet respect. “I will. Thank you for taking bsuch /bgood care of my father.”

    A shadow of wistful sadness passes over the Queen’s eyes. “It’s not me you should thank but the omega girl who gave up he. ufe to care for him. She treated him like her own father… and never once gave up hope.”

    Fury’s breath hitches slightly, his eyes dimming with something close to guilt. He nods, lips parting to speak, but no words

    The wind is warm as we step outside. The sun is setting, spilling gold and blush across the sky. A carriage waits in front of the pce, the horses shifting restlessly as if they can sense that something important is about to begin.

    Fury walks beside metall, proud. It’s hard to believe that not long ago he’d been on his deathbed, every limb broken. Nowb, /bbhe /bmoves blike /bba /bman reborn, as if his bones have forgotten the agony they bonce /bendured. There’s a spark in his eyes again…. ba /bspark

    that had been missing since the day he woke up.

    He exhales slowly, gaze fixed on the carriage. “I won’t lie I’m grateful to Alpha Jack for giving me his blood,” he bsays/bb, /bvoice low but sincere. “I never thought I’d say that… but I am. And I’m d you broke our promise. If I’d had to see my father crippled

    or worse, if I’d died… he would have been the one to bury me ”

    I ce a hand on his arm, stopping him before we climb in. “You deserve to be here, Fury. And if breaking our promise a thousand times is what it takes, then so be it. You’ve saved me more times than I can count. And Jasmine too–especially when she was at her weakest. Jack and I will always be grateful to you for that.”

    My eyes flick to Jasmine, who’s practically glued to Fury’s side, bearing up at him like he hung the stars. She’s blushing, giddy, telling him for the fifth time how happy she is that he’s alive.

    “You don’t know how scared I was,” she says breathlessly, fiddling with the ends of her hair. “I thought we’d lost you… forever.”

    Fury chuckles and turns to her with a smile that could melt steel. Of course not. I’ll always be here to protect you. You’ve always been like a sister to me.”

    Sister.

    The word hangs in the air like a p.

    Jasmine’s smile drops like a stone. Her entire face shifts–like someone drained all the color out of her. She flinches as if he just scorched her skin, and then slowly, quietly, lets go of his arm. Fury ever clueless, doesn’t notice. He’s already turned toward the carriage door.

    I notice.

    And gods, it hurts to watch.

    Jasmine forces a small, polite smile and looks away, but I know that expression too well–the disappointmentb, /bthe quiet ache. She’d been hoping for something more. Needing it, even. After all, falling in love–and being loved in return—was the only way she could get her wolf back.

    And Fury… sweet, loyal, utterly clueless Fury… didn’t even see it.