~Samantha~

Diana clutched his sleeve. “Please.”

The doctor looked from me to them and wisely kept his mouth shut.

Killian stepped in again. “Let them stay by the door. If you shut them out right now, they’ll imagine worse.”

Damn him for being sensible while I was busy losing pieces of myself.

“Fine,” I bit out. “By the door. You whine or complain near me and I’ll throw you out.”

For once, I couldn’t find a hint of stubbornness on their faces and it relieved me.

The doctor cut Dominic’s shirt open fully. One of the healers cleaned the wound while the other tried to slow the shadow traces left behind under the skin. I stood at the bedside pouring in blood when asked, stopping when ordered, starting again when told the corruption was resisting.

“How bad is it?” I demanded.

His hands stilled for one second before he forced himself to meet my eyes. “He survived the impact, which is good.”

“I know that already, tell me something else.”

“I can’t say anything now for certain, Luna.”

“Give me a few hours.”

That was a lot to ask but I accepted.

Hours passed like a breeze. When the twins slept off at some point, Killian took the upstairs to rest.

Eventually the doctor stepped back from Dominic’s bed, sweat on his face, exhaustion dragging at his shoulders. “He’s stable for now.”

Good news but it wasn’t enough.

“When does he wake up?”

The doctor hesitated again.

I swear, if that man had a hobby, it was hesitating until I wanted to commit crimes.

“I don’t know,” he admitted.

“The last time I asked, you told me the same thing. Are you sure you even know what you’re doing? Do I need to replace you?”

He stiffened. “He took shadow energy directly into his chest.”

“And you’re our pack doctor. Use your degree for something meaningful.”

“We’re trying our best, you’ve to be patient with us.”

“My mate’s life is hanging on the line, there’s no way I can be patient!” I yelled.

He sighed and signaled for me to calm down. “Luna, please don’t yell. You’re going to alert him.”

“That’s exactly what I want. Tell me, what do I have to do to make him conscious? Talk to him? Cry? Scream? Drag his body?”

“Nothing but to wait.” The doctor answered before walking back into the room and shutting the door.

At that moment, I had lost my will to be strong. I needed a shoulder to cry on but who exactly?

And that’s when I noticed Killian remained by the doorway.

“You should sleep,” he said.

“Do I look like somebody who can sleep?”

“You look like somebody two breaths away from fainting.”

“I would want that.”

“It will be like a mini reunion with Dominic.”

“That’s not how it works.” He frowned.

I would give up anything just to escape this terrifying reality.

He pulled me to the dining table. “The kids are still asleep.”

“At least, they are not so worried.”

“They will be when they wake up and don’t find their daddy.” He replied.

I buried my face in my palms. “Then the goddess better perform a miracle. Fast.”

I should have thanked him again for helping us. For keeping the twins together while I held myself together with spite and blood. For stepping in every time I was too busy drowning to parent properly. Instead I said, “Devon didn’t mean what he said.”

“I thought we were over that.”

“I know but not when you keep acting like certain things don’t affect you.”

“Kids can say anything. I would too if I was about to lose my dad to some guy he hated.”

“Dominic doesn’t hate you. I think he just likes banter.” I defended him.

“That’s what you believe but I’m a guy and I know how we act and think. Black Moon is gone now and when Dominic wakes up, he would want to enjoy a nice family vacation.”

Huh? Where were all these coming from? And where was he going with it?

“What are you saying?”

“I came to tell you something before the kids wake up and make it harder.”

I hated suspense. “What?”

“I’m leaving in the morning.”

It felt like he had punched me in the face.

“So that’s it?”

His face hardened slightly. “My work here is done.”

“That’s absolutely crap.”

“Samantha, you have to understand why I’m doing this..”

“No, spare me that speech. My children are traumatized, my mate is unconscious, shadow residue is still in the air, and you pick now to leave? After what Devon said?”

His eyes flicked to mine properly then. “This is not about that.”

I laughed under my breath. “You expect me to believe the timing is random?”

“I was already thinking about it.”

“Of course you were.”

He took a step toward me. “Dominic is alive. Black Moon is dead. My staying makes everything harder.”

“People would soon start talking that I am trying to steal his family and pack.”

“So?! Let them talk! Nobody cares as long as we both know that’s not true.” I shot back.

Or was it!

“I care, alright? It doesn’t just feel right and it’s been a long time away from my pack.” He explained.

Killian looked away first. “The twins need their parents with someone third wheeling.”

“One of them is unconscious.”

“The other is right here.”

“Don’t do that. Don’t reduce yourself into some side role because tonight turned into a nightmare.”

“I think you just want to run away fast before I find out what you’re truly keeping from me.”

“You really want to know why I’m doing this?” He asked.

“Aside the lame excuses you mentioned, yes.”

“I’m tired,” he said. “Tired of watching Dominic get what he almost destroyed, then still somehow keep it. Tired of feeling like every useful thing I do comes with a reminder that there’s a line I’m not allowed to cross.”

My throat went dry.

He shook his head once like he regretted saying even that much. “So yes. I’m leaving.”

I wanted to tell him he could not.

Instead I said, too sharply, “You should have told the twins yourself.”

“I will.”

“They’ll think it’s because of tonight.”

“Then I’ll tell them it isn’t.”

Suddenly the loneliness that had been eating me up since the clearing got even worse. Because Dominic was here without being here, and Killian was already halfway gone while still standing in front of me, and I was so tired of men making decisions around me and calling it protection or logic or sacrifice.

“Fine,” I added coldly. “Do whatever you want.”

“I can visit from time to time or you can too.”

“I’d be too busy taking care of Dominic. You know we don’t know yet when he will recover.” I refused, giving into the ache in my chest.

“Sure, I understand.”

He knew I was lying through my teeth. “Get some sleep, Samantha.”

“I’d rather fight another shadow cult.”

“It’s for the best,” he stated.

“For who? Because you and Dom seem to be the ones benefiting this.”

He caught himself against the edge of the table, eyes widening for a second, probably because even I had not known I was about to do that.

I pushed the chair back so hard it scraped. “I’ve lost my appetite, my peace, my mind, and maybe my husband, and now you’re standing there telling me your exit is somehow good for everybody?”

He took a step forward. “Yes, it is and you’re only acting this way because you’re in denial.”

“Don’t fucking act like a therapist. You want to leave? Fine! Use the exit as soon as you can.”

I turned before he could say anything else and walked out of the dining room on pure rage and panic. By the time I got back to Dominic’s room, my chest was tight enough to hurt.

I shut the door behind me and stared at him lying there.

“I hope you’re happy now,” I announced. “The guy you hate the most is leaving, so congratulations. You won. You might as well wake up now because there’s no way I can do this alone.”

“I can’t handle sad children, a half-dead husband, and a friend leaving me in the same breath. Do you hear me?” I demanded, tears already falling hard. “You don’t get to lie there while everything around me keeps falling apart. Wake up and fix your mess!”

My voice turned into a real scream at the end.

The door flew open.

Killian rushed in, grabbed me from behind before I could lose it worse, one arm locking around my waist, the other covering my mouth.

“Shh. Shh,” he whispered against my hair. “The kids will hear you.”

I fought him for half a second out of pure frustration, then collapsed back against him because I had nothing left. His warm hold tightened. Way too comforting for a moment I did not know how to survive.

“You need to breathe,” he murmured.

I shook my head against his hand.

“Yes, you do.” His mouth brushed too close to my temple when he leaned down. “Come out of the room with me before you wake everybody.”

And God help me, for one weak, humiliating second, I wanted to stay right there in his arms.