Ash's body went limp, and Adrian caught him just before he hit the ground.
Lucien dropped to his knees, shaking. His eyes were wide, unfocused. Tears slid down his cheeks as blood trickled from his nose. The doctor's words rang again in his head, We tried our best.
Ash's mother broke into a wail, her body trembling as Adrian's father wrapped his arms around her up.
Moments later, Aster came rushing in, breathing hard. "What happened?" he demanded.
Between muffled sobs, Ash's mother managed, "Mother...she's gone."
Aster froze, his expression empty for a moment before disbelief struck. His lips trembled. "No..." he whispered, but the tears had already started falling.
Adrian gathered Ash into his arms and hurried him into the emergency room.
Then Aster noticed Lucien, still kneeling on the cold floor, his head lowered, blood staining the tiles beneath him.
"Alpha Lucien!" Aster called, running toward him. But Lucien didn't respond, his gaze lost somewhere far away.
