Hailee's POV
The sky felt heavy.
Gray. Silent. Thick with sorrow… like even the heavens bowed their heads for my father.
Today was the day we laid him to rest.
The burial ground was full—warriors, elders, ogas, old friends, and my father's allies. Everyone dressed in black. Everyone moved quietly. Even the birds refused to sing.
But the only warmth I felt… the only steady thing holding up…
was Nathan.
He hadn't left my side since morning. Not even to breathe.
His hand stayed on my waist, firm but gentle, grounding like an anchor in the middle of a storm I couldn't escape.
Every few monts, his thumb brushed my hip—small, soft movents that said:
"I'm here… I'm not going anywhere."
"Are you okay?" he whispered, his voice low, careful.
He had asked that over and over. At least fifty tis.
I nodded slowly, even though my heart felt like shattered glass under my ribs.
"Yes… I'm okay."
He looked at like he didn't believe , but he didn't push. He just pulled a little closer, his warmth leaking into my cold skin.
The ground felt uneven beneath my feet. The world felt tilted. Like nothing was real anymore.
Nathan was the only thing keeping standing.
He had been here for the past two days, watching , protecting , steadying every ti my knees weakened, wiping silent tears I didn't even realize were falling.
And when I cried at night… he held until I fell asleep.
Peter eventually walked up to us.
But instead of glaring at Nathan… or telling him to step away from … or acting like the overprotective brother he always was…
He paused. Looked between us. Then gave Nathan a small nod.
That alone shocked more than anything.
Peter had finally accepted him.
Because he knew the truth now.
He knew Nathan was my mate.
And a brother could only fight destiny for so long.
He exhaled slowly. "Stay with her," he told Nathan quietly.
Nathan nodded once. "Always."
And for the first ti in our lives, the two most stubborn n I knew… agreed on sothing.
Peter stepped closer and whispered, "The ceremony is about to start."
I nodded, swallowing painfully as my eyes drifted to the coffin.
My father's coffin.
A wave of grief slamd into so hard I almost stumbled.
Nathan's hand imdiately tightened around my waist, supporting again before I even fell.
I inhaled shakily.
"Thank you…" I whispered.
He pressed a soft kiss against the side of my head.
"I will always be here," he whispered back.
Those words hit sothing deep and fragile inside .
The burial began. People moved forward one by one to pay their last respects. The priest spoke. Warriors bowed. The drums humd lowly in the background—slow, heavy beats that sounded like a dying heartbeat.
Peter stood like stone. Mother cried loudly. People whispered prayers.
But I didn't hear any of it.
All I felt was pain.
And Nathan's hand holding mine through that pain.
When it was over, people began to leave slowly—talking in soft voices, hugging one another.
I took a deep breath and turned—
Only for my stomach to drop instantly.
I saw him.
Callum.
Standing a few feet away. Watching . Silent. Still. Expression unreadable.
My heart jumped painfully.
I hadn't expected him. Not today. Not so soon. Not when my entire world was collapsing and rebuilding at the sa ti.
Nathan's hand paused on my waist. His jaw tightened just slightly. But he didn't pull closer possessively like he would have days ago. He didn't growl. He didn't act threatened.
Because he knew.
He was my mate. My wolf had chosen him. Nothing could change that.
Still… I gently turned to Nathan.
"Can we talk later? I need to speak with him privately."
Nathan studied my face for a mont… then nodded.
"Go," he said softly. "I'll be right here when you co back."
I stepped away slowly… my heart pounding with unease.
When Callum reached , his eyes dropped imdiately to my waist—where Nathan's hand had been monts earlier. Sothing dark flashed in his stare.
"Callum… can we talk?" I whispered.
His throat moved. "Yes."
I led him to a quiet corner behind the large gray stones, away from the crowd.
The mont we were alone, he looked down at —anger, pain, confusion all swirling in his eyes.
"What is going on?" he asked quietly. "Why was he touching you like that?"
I swallowed.
The words felt heavy.
"Callum… Nathan and I… we're mates."
Silence.
Complete, deep, painful silence.
His entire body went still.
Like he couldn't breathe.
"W-What?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Our wolves confird it," I said, my voice trembling. "It's real."
For a long mont… he just stared at .
And then—his expression changed completely.
Fury.
Not the loud kind. Not the reckless kind. But the quiet, dangerous, burning fury that lived deep in Callum's bones.
"So what about the baby inside of you?" he whispered sharply. "What happens to our child? You heard what the healer said."
I tightened my fingers together.
"Nothing will happen to our baby," I said softly.
"How are you sure?" he snapped. "How do you know? How do you KNOW that being with him won't hurt my child?"
"Callum—"
"No!" he growled, stepping closer. "You think I don't hear things? I know the risks. I know what mating bonds can do to unborn pups when the father is another wolf!"
My heart clenched painfully.
I understood his fear. His anger. His confusion.
But my wolf… my wolf had already chosen Nathan. I had already chosen Nathan.
"Callum, please calm down—"
"Calm DOWN?" he whispered in disbelief. "HOW?"
His anger was building—wild and unstoppable.
But before I could answer—
A scream cut through the funeral grounds.
Then another.
Then—
A sudden stabbing pain tore through my chest, so sharp and brutal I gasped and clutched my heart.
My knees buckled.
"Hailee?" Callum reached for . "What's happening? Are you okay—?"
"Mate…" my wolf howled inside .
My blood ran cold.
"Nathan."
I ran.
I didn't think. I sprinted back toward the crowd—shoving past people, ignoring every shocked face.
When I reached the center—
My world shattered.
Nathan was on the ground. Gasping. Choking. Eyes wide with shock.
A long black arrow was buried deep in his chest.
Right over his heart.
"No… no… NATHAN!" I scread as I fell to my knees beside him.
People were shouting.
Running.
Crying.
I grabbed his face with trembling hands.
"Nathan! Nathan, look at ! Stay with —please—stay with !"
His lips trembled as he fought for air.
Then his eyes rolled back suddenly.
He fainted in my arms.
I scread.
"HEALERS!" Peter roared behind . "MOVE! CLEAR A PATH! NOW!"
The warriors lifted Nathan and rushed him into the healing chamber.
I followed, crying so hard I could barely see.
When they placed him on the healing table, blood spread across the sheets instantly.
The healers worked fast, cutting open his shirt, applying pressure, shouting orders.
"What happened?" I cried. "WHO DID THIS?!"
Peter ran in monts later—breathing heavily, face pale, hands shaking.
I grabbed his arm.
"Did you catch the shooter? Peter—tell —PLEASE!"
Peter's voice broke.
"Hailee… please forgive ."
My heart dropped.
"Wh-What? Forgive you for what?"
He swallowed hard.
"That arrow…" Peter said, voice trembling. "It wasn't ant for him."
My blood turned to ice.
"What do you an?"
"It was ant for ," he whispered.
I froze, staring at him, unblinking.
Peter rubbed a hand over his face, shaking in guilt.
"I was talking to Nathan. And right when the shooter was about to strike… Nathan saw it. He pushed aside—and the arrow hit him instead."
My knees nearly buckled.
"Nathan…" I whispered, my voice cracking. "He… he saved Peter…?"
Peter's jaw clenched.
"He saved my life."
Suddenly—
"WE NEED HELP!" a healer shouted.
Everyone turned.
"It's poison!" the healer cried. "A deadly one. We don't have much ti!"
My heart dropped completely.
"No. No. Please—NO!"
The healers worked faster.
Nathan wasn't moving.
His breathing was faint.
His skin turning colder.
Tears blurred my vision.
Then—
Callum stord into the room.
"What happened?" he demanded, his eyes wide.
The healer answered quickly. "Alpha Nathan was struck with a poisoned arrow. We need an antidote—an extrely rare one. We must find it FAST. We can only sustain him for a day."
"What kind of antidote?" Callum's voice lowered.
The healer explained the ingredients—so were mythical, so ancient, so impossible to find.
As she described them…
I noticed Callum's expression change.
His eyes darkened.
His body stiffened.
He stood silent for a long mont.
Then he exhaled.
"My pack has that antidote," he said quietly. "It's one of our oldest dicines… locked away in our family's ancestral vault."
Hope surged through my heart so violently I choked on my breath.
"Callum, please—PLEASE—we need it NOW!"
He turned toward slowly.
And his voice changed.
Calm.
Cold.
Steel-like.
"I will bring it," he said.
I sagged in relief.
"But on two conditions."
My heart stopped.
"What… what conditions?" I whispered.
His eyes t mine—sharp, intense, hungry, possessive.
"Condition one," he said slowly.
"You marry ."
Blood rushed out of my face.
"And condition two," he added, his voice dropping into sothing dark.
"You bear my mark."
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