"Alpha Damon, you’re awake!" Nicole exclaimed, immediately hurrying over to check on his vitals. She flashed a light into his eyes, causing him to flinch.

"What’s that for?" Damon complained weakly. "I’m perfectly fine."

"I’ll be the judge of that," Nicole said firmly, but there was no denying the smile that bloomed on her face.

However, as if the Moon Goddess herself wanted to humble Damon, he began to let out a series of wretched watery coughs that had his body spasming on the infirmary bed. Bits of red splattered on the inside of the respirator.

"Oh god! Nicole, is he going to―" I panicked, but Nicole merely stroked Damon’s front gently, waiting for him to calm down.

"His throat is too dry, but I need to examine him to see if he can drink," Nicole explained. Eventually, Damon stopped coughing and stared up at the both of us in disgruntled exhaustion.

"Gross," Damon grumbled. "I want a drink." He raised his hand, wanting to pull off the respirator, but Nicole and I smacked his hands to stop him.

"Don’t you dare. This is keeping you alive," I said shakily,my heart racing wildly as I gazed down at him. Damon was alive. He was paper pale and he could barely breathe, but he was awake, blinking owlishly up at me with those icy blue eyes of his, as though he could barely believe what he was seeing.

"You’re alive," Damon said softly. "Good. Well done, my little wolf."

"Same to you," I smiled tremulously, tears beading in my eyes at his words.

I could not feel his emotions at all, but perhaps I didn’t need the bond after all. We would work things out like humans did.

I loved Damon, whether he was a man or wolf. I reached out to gently stroke his cheek. Damon stared up at me, the irritation in his eyes softening at my display of affection, replaced with a tenderness that was almost too precious to bear.

He loved me too.

Then Damon frowned, as though he could sense that something wasn’t quite right inside him. My face paled, as I realized that he would have to confront his new reality immediately.

"Where’s my―"

"You fucking bastard, you scared the shit out of me!" Blaise’s voice was hoarse, interrupting Damon’s train of thought. I jumped in surprise as the door slammed open, and Blaise strode inside.

I heaved a sigh of relief, thankful for Blaise’s distraction. He stormed over to the bed to yell at his brother, but not before giving me a quick hug, pressing a thankful kiss to my cheek.

"I knew you could do it," he murmured adoringly. "If there’s anyone he would listen to, it’s you."

Meanwhile, Damon looked like he wanted to roll his eyes at Blaise’s dramatics, but he couldn’t muster enough energy to do so.

"It’s not my fault you scare easily. I’m hard to kill," was Damon’s instinctive reply to his brother’s concern. He frowned. "How badly were you hurt that you ended up crying?"

"I wasn’t crying! Maybe I just doused pepper into my eyes for a change!" Blaise declared hotly, but his eyes were red and swollen. This, paired with his hoarse voice and blocked nose, clearly proved that he had been crying like me when he underwent his examination with Nicole. He must have gone to the toilet to freshen up, which explained his delay.

However, Blaise wasn’t going to admit it.

"And I don’t want to hear this from someone who’s stuck in the infirmary bed," Blaise continued. "You nearly turned into a human popsicle! Damon, what were you thinking!"

"I had to save you and Harper," Damon said with frank honesty. He wanted to shrug, but he couldn’t hide the flinch of pain as he tried to shift his shoulders. Both Blaise and I lunged, pushing him down back to the bed. "I regret nothing."

My lower lip wobbled at his confession.

"Even if... my wolf has to pay the price for it," Damon continued, in a quieter voice. The infirmary plunged into silence.

"You... you already know?"

"Of course. I’m not a fool," Damon scoffed, but there was no heat in it. "There’s nothing at the end of our bond, Harper. I can see you right in front of me, but I can’t feel it."

I sniffled. I could only prod at the cavernous hole in my soul that Damon had left behind. In the past, I would have been able to detect the faintest sense of jealousy through the bond at Blaise’s display of affection.

However, now there was nothing from him. It was as though I was left hanging, screaming into the abyss, desperate for an answer. If this was difficult for him, it must be excruciating for Damon. I bit my tongue, wondering how I could console him. Words seemed paltry.

To my surprise, Damon merely turned his head to address Blaise.

"You’re going to have a tough time, Blaise," Damon continued. "You’re going to be the Alpha from now on. But at least I don’t have to worry. It’s you, after all."

"No, no, no― this is only temporary," Blaise insisted, shaking his head frantically. "We’ll find a way to get your wolf back. If Harper can connect to her wolf after years of absence, it should be possible for you. Even Darach believes you can regain your wolf."

Damon snorted and then choked.

"Well. He’s your problem now," Damon said wryly. "This must be my karma for bullying him in the past. In the end, we’re in the same boat. Bet you he’s thinking the same."

Before Blaise and I could scold him for his uncharitable thoughts, Damon gazed back at me, sorrow lining his face.

"Harper, I’m sorry."

"Whatever for?" I exclaimed, aghast. "I should be the one sorry! You wouldn’t have been in this state if not for me!"

He closed his eyes.

"You will be a luna, but you won’t be my luna now. You’re free to go with Blaise. I’ll stay out of your way."