Evaline:
Rowan’s body trembled in my arms, his face pressed against my shoulder as he let his tears flow without restraint.
I held him tighter, refusing to let go, my palm slowly rubbing circles on his back as if that could lessen the weight he carried. His pain ca out in broken sobs, muffled but deep, and it cut more sharply than any knife could.
Minutes passed before the storm inside him began to quiet. His breaths grew ragged but steadier, and finally, he pulled away. His eyes were red and swollen, his cheeks streaked with tears. The mont he saw the dark patch on my coat where his face had rested, his expression twisted with guilt.
"I-sorry," he muttered, quickly wiping his face with the back of his hand, avoiding my gaze.
I shook my head before he could say more. "Don’t apologize. It’s alright, Rowan. Really." My voice ca out softer than I expected, but I ant every word.
He gave a small nod, the kind people gave when they didn’t fully believe but didn’t want to argue either. Then he cleared his throat. "I should... go wash my face."
"Okay," I said quietly.
I watched as he slipped into the bathroom, and the sound of running water followed soon after. My gaze drifted toward Naira lying on the bed, her pale face peaceful yet heartbreaking, and the small smile I had tried to wear vanished completely.
The weight on my chest grew heavier.
Taking a deep breath, I stood and pulled my phone from my coat pocket. Stepping out of the room, I walked toward the far end of the corridor, away from the ward’s door.
The hospital’s fluorescent lights buzzed faintly above , and the polished floor reflected my own anxious face as I stopped and scrolled through my contacts.
My heart was hamring so hard it felt like it would break through my ribs when I pressed the call button.
Even though I knew he must be busy, I couldn’t stop myself. I needed him.
The line rang once, twice... then on the third, his voice answered, low and warm with surprise.
"Evaline?"
I squeezed my eyes shut, my throat suddenly tight. "I-I’m sorry to disturb you, Professor. I know you are busy with work..."
He cut off imdiately, his tone firm yet gentle. "Evaline, it’s fine. Don’t worry about that. What’s wrong?"
The way he asked... it was as if he could already hear the unease in my voice, as if he was standing right in front of . I hesitated, my fingers tightening on the phone. My tongue stumbled over words.
"I... I’m sorry again for calling like this. It’s just... can you co to Greenville Hospital?"
For a heartbeat there was silence. Then his sharp inhale reached through the speaker.
"Hospital? Are you alright?" His voice had risen in panic, the worry so raw that my chest ached at hearing it.
"Yes! Yes, I’m fine," I hurried to reassure him, shaking my head as if he could see . "I promise, Professor, I’m okay. It’s not about . I just... there’s sothing I want you to take a look at."
There was another pause. Longer this ti. My heart sank. Maybe I shouldn’t have called him. He was busy, and Greenville was more than half-hour drive from the Academy. What was I thinking?
"You don’t have to co now," I blurted out quickly. "If you are busy, it’s fine. You can... you can co so other ti, when you have ti."
"No," Kieran’s voice cut firmly across my words, leaving no room for argunt. "I’m on my way."
And before I could say anything else, the call ended.
I lowered the phone slowly, staring at the blank screen as my pulse continued to race.
When I returned to the ward, Rowan was stepping out of the bathroom, his hair damp, his face freshly washed. He looked at in confusion, his brows furrowing.
I raised my phone slightly with a faint smile. "Just went out to make a call."
He nodded in understanding and didn’t press. Together, we walked back to Naira’s side and settled into our seats. The girl on the other bed was already fast asleep.
The next while passed in conversation. Rowan told about how he and Naira first t, about the small monts that grew into sothing bigger between them. His eyes softened when he spoke of her laugh, of how she used to scold him for being careless. He shared stories of their life before everything changed, of the struggles, the little joys, and finally of how he ended up joining Silver Moon.
I listened intently, absorbing every detail. It felt important... these pieces of his life, the mosaic of who he was. He also told about his first two days at his new work during the weekend.
Ti slipped away without us noticing. When he glanced at his watch, his eyes widened slightly.
"We should probably head back now," he said.
I stopped him with a small shake of my head. My fingers curled around the edge of my coat as hesitation knotted inside . His eyes narrowed in question, confusion plain on his face.
"What is it?" he asked gently.
I swallowed hard, then admitted, "I... called soone. We should wait."
His brows lifted. "Soone? One of the brothers?" His tone hinted at what he truly ant... my mates.
Before I could answer, my phone buzzed in my lap. The na on the screen made my breath catch.
Professor Kieran.
I picked up quickly. "Hello?"
"Evaline," his voice ca through, steady but edged with tension, "I’m at the reception. Where are you?"
"The last room on the seventh floor," I replied.
"Stay there. I’m coming."
The line clicked dead.
When I looked up, Rowan was studying with curiosity, questions unspoken but clear in his eyes. My chest tightened. I couldn’t explain... not yet.
"Please," I whispered instead. "Trust . I’ll explain later."
He held my gaze for a long mont before nodding without hesitation.
The room fell into silence again, broken only by the steady beep of Naira’s monitor. My heart started beating faster with each passing second.
And then... the door opened.
Kieran stepped inside. His tall fra filled the doorway, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room before landing on . In the next instant, he was in front of , his presence overwhelming yet grounding all at once.
His eyes scanned , his expression tightening as if he was searching for any sign of harm.
"I’m fine," I told him quickly, my voice soft. Then, after a pause, I shifted my gaze at Naira, "But... there’s soone I want you to take a look at."
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