Thunder crashed violently across the castle skies. The sound dragged Aire slowly back toward consciousness.

Heavy pain reached her first before her consciousness.

Aire frowned weakly beneath the blankets. Her body felt distant from her own, and even breathing felt exhausting somehow.

Rain hammered against distant windows.

Another crack of thunder rolled through the tower.

"Aire."

The soft voice reached her gently this time.

Aire’s lashes fluttered slowly before finally lifting.

Warm candlelight blurred above her vision at first. The room swayed faintly around her until shapes slowly settled into place.

Madam sat beside the bed. Relief crossed the older woman’s face immediately when she saw Aire awake.

"There you are."

Aire swallowed weakly. Even that hurt. Her throat burned, and she couldn’t tell what was going on.

Madam carefully adjusted the blanket higher around her shoulders. "You frightened everyone half to death."

Aire blinked slowly toward the ceiling. Her memories returned in pieces. She remembered the balcony, the storm, the music, and then nothing.

Her chest tightened faintly. "How long?" she asked.

"Several hours."

Madam reached toward the small table nearby before lifting a steaming cup carefully. "You look worse." Her voice softened gently. "Do you want more honey water?"

The scent alone nearly made Aire nauseous.

She shook her head weakly.

Madam studied her face carefully. Worry deepened immediately.

Aire looked pale. Too pale to be considered alive. The strange silver tint beneath her skin had returned faintly again around her temples and collarbone.

Madam set the cup down quietly. "You should eat something at least."

Aire closed her eyes briefly. "Later."

Thunder rumbled again outside. The storm had not stopped once.

Madam hesitated briefly before speaking again. "Should I call the Alphas in?"

Aire’s eyes opened immediately. "No." she refused.

The answer came too fast.

Madam paused.

Aire looked away toward the rain-streaked windows weakly. "I don’t want them to see me like this."

Something painful crossed Madam’s expression instantly.

"Oh, child." She whispered.

She would never wish ill on Aire, no matter what. She had given her the tonic until recently, to avoid all of these but looking at it now, she realized its probably best if Aire powers do not get suppressed.

Aire swallowed faintly. "I look terrible."

"You collapsed after touching whatever world tried reaching for you," Madam corrected gently. "You are allowed to look unwell."

Aire gave no answer.

The blankets shifted faintly around her trembling fingers.

Madam watched her quietly for a moment before leaning closer carefully. "Nothing could ever make you less beautiful."

Aire’s throat tightened unexpectedly. She looked away immediately afterward. The older woman’s kindness felt almost unbearable, considering they haven’t been in the best place lately.

Outside the chamber doors, three wolves stood waiting, and tension had already begun thickening through the corridor long before sunrise.

Nate leaned against the wall nearest the doors with both arms folded tightly across his chest.

His expression remained unreadable, which was somehow worse. Everyone there knew Nate only went silent when his emotions became too dangerous to speak aloud.

Xander paced once near the far windows before turning sharply back again.

"She’s awake." He sensed.

Nate did not look at him. "I know."

Xander’s jaw flexed faintly.

Alaric remained quieter than both of them tonight. He stood near the torchlit pillar while watching the chamber doors carefully.

The bond pulsed strangely beneath all three of them.

Nate felt every bit of it most clearly.

He could feel Aire trying to pull inward emotionally, and away from being seen.

His wolf understood immediately.

Which was precisely why he had stopped Xander from barging through the doors three separate times already.

Xander dragged another frustrated hand through his hair. "She collapsed. I need to be in there."

"She woke up exhausted." Nate answered flatly.

Xander stared at him. "I don’t know that." He reminded. "Now, leave the door."

Nate finally looked toward him slowly. He replied evenly. "I think you don’t know when to stop pushing."

The atmosphere tightened immediately.

Alaric exhaled quietly beneath his breath.

Xander stepped forward slightly. "You can’t decide when I see her."

Nate’s expression never changed. "She doesn’t want you inside yet."

That stopped Xander instantly. He could see clearly that Nate wasn’t guessing.

The bond carried emotions in strange waves now that the mating connection had deepened.

And right now, he could feel that Aire felt raw, and ashamed almost.

Xander’s voice lowered slightly. "She said that?"

"No."

"Then how would you know?"

Nate stared at him calmly for several long seconds. He finally replied when he saw that Xanden wouldn’t believe him without an answer. "Because I can feel her."

Silence followed immediately afterward.

Nate’s jaw tightened faintly afterward like he already regretted admitting that aloud.

Xander studied him carefully.

The possessiveness between Nate and Aire had grown frighteningly strong after the dungeon.

Stronger than any of them expected this quickly.

Alaric finally spoke quietly from the side. "How bad is it?"

Nate’s eyes lowered briefly toward the floor. "Tired," he answered first. His voice softened. "She’s frightened."

Xander looked away sharply toward the rain outside.

That answer affected him more than he wanted visible. She still doesn’t feel fully safe with them.

Alaric’s expression darkened slightly too. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

All three of them knew Aire had spent most of her life surviving fear silently.

Inside the chamber, Madam carefully brushed damp strands of hair away from Aire’s forehead.

"You should sleep again."

Aire stared weakly toward the fire instead. "I saw something." She decided to soften up, and open up to Madam.

Madam’s movements slowed slightly.

"The forest?"

Aire nodded faintly. It wasn’t just that. While she slept, she saw Madam adding liquids to her meals before bringing them to the breakfast hall but that would be a conversation for another time.

Madam remained quiet for several moments. "The fae world rarely touches ours gently."

Aire’s eyes shifted slowly toward her. "You know about it?"

Madam smiled sadly. "I know enough to know about the faes."

Thunder cracked again outside.

Aire flinched faintly beneath the blankets before catching herself.

"You’re cold."

"I’m fine."

Aire looked down toward her hands weakly.

The trembling had worsened slightly. She felt like her body itself still remained partially somewhere else.

Madam slowly reached for her wrist.

The moment skin touched skin, Aire gasped softly.

A sharp pulse rushed through her vision, and for one terrifying second, she saw flowers blooming beneath snow.

Aire jerked her hand back sharply.

Madam startled immediately. "Aire?"

Her breathing quickened faintly.

The visions were becoming easier now. That frightened her more than the prophecy ever had.

She no longer needed emotional overload fully to trigger them. Sometimes touch alone became enough.

Madam’s expression sharpened carefully now. "What did you see?"

Aire shook her head quickly. "Nothing."

Lie.

Madam clearly knew it was a lie too.

But before she could push further, the chamber doors suddenly rattled softly, and Nate walked in.

Aire recognized his presence instantly even before he spoke.

The bond stirred warmly beneath her chest despite her exhaustion.

Madam glanced toward the doors knowingly. "Nate," she called softly. "One moment."

Silence followed them outside briefly.

"Is she alright?"

Even through the doors, his voice sounded strained, and Aire could hear him. She closed her eyes briefly.

Madam looked back toward her carefully. "Do you still wish to avoid them?"

Aire hesitated.

She wanted them near, especially Nate. However, she hated feeling weak in front of them again.

She hated knowing they looked at her like something fragile now.

The future Luna who might destroy kingdoms could barely remain conscious tonight. The irony almost made her laugh.

Xander’s voice came through the doors. "Aire?"

Aire swallowed softly beneath the blankets.

Alaric spoke next, quieter than the others. "We only wish to know you’re alright."

That nearly hurt worse. None of them sounded angry like the first time she passed out under the trees.

Madam watched Aire carefully.

Very slowly, Aire nodded once.

The older woman softened immediately before rising carefully from the bedside chair.

Outside the doors, Nate straightened the moment the handle moved. Madam stepped into the corridor quietly, and all three men looked toward her instantly.

"She’ll see you now."

Xander moved first automatically.

Nate’s arm blocked him immediately.

Xander looked sharply toward him.

Nate’s expression stayed hard. "Slowly."

Xander looked deeply offended by the gesture.

Nate did not move his arm away. "Do not overwhelm her the moment you walk inside." He reminded.

Alaric almost looked amused briefly despite the tension.

Xander scoffed quietly. "You’re becoming unbearable."

Nate ignored him completely. His focus remained fixed entirely on the room beyond the doorway.

He could still feel her emotions brushing faintly through the bond. He could feel her nervousness, embarrassment, and beneath all of it, she felt relief that they were still there.

Nate’s throat tightened. He had never belonged to anyone this quickly before.

Madam stepped aside fully afterward.

For several seconds, none of the Alphas moved.

Then finally, Nate slowly entered first.