Nasya's POV
The sterile hospital lights hummed overhead as Harper's fingers tightened around mine with desperate strength. "Austin had been concealing his condition for years to maintain stability within the pack," she explained, her voice fraying at the edges. "But the truth couldn't stay hidden any longer. That's why the entire council has gathered here today." A brittle smile touched her lips. "My father would have come too, but he's completely overwhelmed managing pack affairs in Austin's absence. Your return... it's truly a blessing for all of us."
Her grip was painfully tight, as though I might vanish if she loosened her hold for even a second. We both knew the unspoken truth - my presence meant absolutely nothing to Dark Wood Pack. I was merely a ghost from the past, an omega who had abandoned her responsibilities. Yet seeing the fragile hope in Harper's exhausted eyes, I found myself nodding faintly, unable to crush what little comfort she'd managed to scrape together.
