When I woke slow and groggy the second time, the chamber’s heavy air pressed thick against my skin, carrying faint traces of healing salves—sharp mint and bitter willow bark—and the distant clamour of palace life echoing beyond the thick stone walls—guards’ boots clomping marble halls, servants’ murmurs like bees in a hive.

My one good eye fluttered open to hazy focus, the swollen black orb still a useless slit of throbbing agony, vision in the other blurred like fogged glass smeared by relentless tears, no mercy yet from the healers’ endless herbs and poultices.

Afternoon light slanted golden through tall arched windows draped in deep indigo velvet embroidered with silver griffins, casting long, wavering shadows across the carved oak bedposts that snarled like frozen beasts.

Elaine sat rigid in the high-backed chair she’d dragged close to my bedside, her broad frame—an unyielding warrior’s silhouette against the glow, blonde braid coiled neat and tight over one armoured shoulder like a coiled golden whip ready to strike.

Her ice-blue eyes fixed on me watchful, unblinking, hands clasped tight in her lap as if guarding some fragile secret clawing to escape her chest.

Panic flickered quick and sharp in my chest as I shifted faint under the heavy silk sheets—my clothes had changed while I slept.

The stiff, old, and sweat-filled clothes were replaced by a loose healing tunic of softest spun linen, bandages fresh and crisp against my skin, hugging every purple bruise, jagged gash, and tender swell like a lover’s too-tight embrace.

My expression soured anxious, cheeks heating instant crimson at the invasive thought of her hands on me—peeling away those soiled layers slow, exposing my petite, vulnerable frame inch by humiliating inch, her calloused alpha grip brushing sacred places no one should touch without shattered trust rebuilt first.

She must have guessed the storm brewing wild in my gaze, those piercing eyes softening just a fraction, shoulders easing minutely under her half-plate as she spoke first, her voice low and steady gravel cutting clean through the quiet hum of the room.

"The maids changed your clothes," she said plain and direct, no frills, nodding toward the empty doorway arched in polished ebony where two young omegas had likely fluttered in and out like nervous sparrows, their scents lingering faint on the air—lavender soap sharp, nervous sweat musky underneath.

"What?" I echoed faint and hoarse, throat a raw scrape of fire as I propped myself up weak on bandaged elbows, ribs protesting vicious with a deep, throbbing ache that stole my breath mid-gasp, world tilting dizzy.

"I said the maids changed your clothes," she repeated patient, a ghost of something pained flickering quick across her sharp, angular features—high cheekbones tightening like drawn bowstrings, full lips pressing thin as if the simple words cost her a pound of flesh.

Her reassurance hit like cool spring water dashed on fevered skin, easing the worst clawing dread from my gut. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

But shame burned hotter underneath, spreading roots deep—imagining even those wide-eyed maids witnessing my utter broken state, naked and helpless as a swaddled babe tossed in a storm, tiny frame laid naked with all its omega softness, faded scars from old trainings, and fresh arena ruin.

I looked away quick and sharp, silver hair sticking damp to my forehead in sweaty, matted strands, blush crawling hot up my neck to stain my bruised cheeks vivid rose.

"Is that so?" I murmured small and cracked, voice barely above whisper, fingers twitching restless against the cool silk sheets, nails picking at a loose thread.

She leaned forward slight then, armoured pauldrons creaking faint like old leather under strain, her scent wafting closer, intimate.

"You hate my touch, don’t you?" she asked direct, no dancing around, gaze piercing through my instinctive flinch like a honed blade through fine silk, depths searching hungry for truths I’d buried deep under layers of forced smiles and courtly poise.

I met her stare brief, just one pounding heartbeat, before nodding honest and raw, my petite shoulders hunching instinctive under the crushing weight of that naked truth.

"Yes... in a way,"

I admitted soft, the words tasting bitter like ash on my tongue, good eye dropping quick to the intricate embroidery on the sheets—star-lilies twining delicate silver threads amid emerald leaves, mocking my own shattered poise and wilted fire.

"Why?" she pressed gentle but insistent, her larger fingers twitching restless on her knee like she ached bone-deep to reach across the scant space between us but held back by invisible chains forged of her own making.

Her blonde braid caught the slanting light like spun gold threads woven by sun gods, a stark, beautiful contrast to the deep shadows pooling bruised under her eyes—had she sat vigil all night, unmoving sentinel?

"Do I have to explain it?" I shot back tired and sharp-edged, voice cracking thin as overstrained lute strings plucked too hard, sinking back into the mountain of feather pillows with a sharp wince as my ribs throbbed vicious protest, each shallow breath a fresh knife-twist grinding bone.

"No... I know," she murmured low and heavy, regret shadowing her angular face like storm clouds rolling over polished marble, blonde head tilting slight as she exhaled slow and shuddering.

"...I don’t care..."

"I know exactly why, Alexander. That night I pinned you down—forcing you to have sex with me without a whisper of want. Gods above, I’ve earned that hate, that fear—carved it into you myself."

The admission hung heavy between us, thicker than the chamber’s curling incense haze from the brass censer on the mantel, sweet myrrh cloying the air.

"Elaine, just go," I said weary, voice drained, waving a small, bandaged hand dismissively toward the towering double doors banded in iron griffins, the feeble motion sending fresh fire lancing hot through my wrist and stitches.

"I can’t."

"Why? Do whatever crown work needs you. Council meetings dragging on about grain taxes. Border patrols sniffing orc raiders. You’re the alpha, who they like—you don’t belong haunting a sickbed like some ghost."