Lucas''s shoulders stiffen, and he turns to look at the healer with a frown. "Still no answers?" he asks, his voice rough with disuse.

Vanessa sighs, her expression sympathetic. "I''m sorry, Alpha. We''re doing everything we can."

Lucas nods curtly and turns back to Ava, his brow furrowed in thought. Vanessa catches my eye over his shoulder and gives me a subtle shake of her head.

At first, I''m confused. But then it hits me—she must be trying to tell me that Ava isn''t pregnant. A wave of relief washes over me, followed immediately by a pang of guilt. I shouldn''t be happy about this, not when Ava is still lying there unresponsive.

But at least it''s one less thing to worry about. One less complication in an already tangled web.

I slump back in my chair, suddenly exhausted. It''s been a long day, and the emotional roller coaster has taken its toll. I close my eyes, just for a moment, and let the steady rhythm of Ava''s heartbeat lull me into a light doze.

I''m not sure how much time passes before I''m startled awake by a soft knock at the door. Vanessa pokes her head in, her expression apologetic.

"Sorry to disturb you," she says, keeping her voice low. "But I thought you might want to know—Kellan just arrived with Ava''s dog."

I sit up straighter, blinking the sleep from my eyes. "Selene''s here?"@@@@

Vanessa nods. "He''s got her out in the waiting room. I can bring her in, if you''d like."

I glance over at Lucas, gauging his reaction. He''s still staring at Ava, but I can see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands clench and unclench around her hand.

But he''s not protesting.

But then, miraculously, he takes a step back. His eyes never leave Selene''s, but he lowers his hand, his fingers uncurling from the fist he''d been making.

"Fine," he grits out, his voice tight with barely contained rage. "The dog can stay. For now."

My knees almost buckle with relief, but I manage to keep standing, walking to the other side of the bed to get away from Lucas.

But Selene doesn''t move. She stays right where she is, her body curved protectively around Ava''s still form. And when she finally lowers her head to rest it on Ava''s chest, I swear I see something flicker in her icy blue eyes.

"Good girl," I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper. "You stay with her, okay? She needs you."

Selene''s ear twitches in my direction, but she doesn''t lift her head. It''s like she''s telling me she knows.

Rage simmers around Lucas, but he sits down and holds onto Ava''s hand again, as if he didn''t just cause a ruckus.

This fated mates shit is for the birds. I thought it was kind of hot before; now, I want to take Ava and run far from this place.

Possessive alphas sound hot in theory, but in real life, they''re a mess.

I sink back into my chair, my legs suddenly feeling like jelly. I''m exhausted, physically and emotionally drained from the events of the past few hours. But I know I can''t leave Ava''s side. Not now. Not when she needs me most.

So I settle in for the long haul, my eyes fixed on the rise and fall of Ava''s chest beneath Selene''s watchful gaze. And I pray to whatever gods might be listening that my best friend will wake up soon.

Because I don''t know what I''ll do if she doesn''t.