Theodore's POV
Seraphine's body went slack against me. One moment, those golden eyes stared up at me, wide with terror and something that looked almost like relief. The next, she crumpled forward, her slight frame going completely limp in my embrace.
Ice shot through my veins. Cold, brutal fear unlike anything I had experienced in decades. My chest constricted, my heart hammering so violently I thought it might tear free from my ribs. For the first time since becoming Alpha, genuine panic clawed at my composure.
I pulled her closer, supporting her dead weight as if my grip alone could anchor her to consciousness. Her skin radiated fever heat, her breathing far too rapid and shallow. Nausea twisted in my stomach. The world around me seemed to tilt dangerously.
"Open your eyes," I commanded, giving her a gentle shake as I carried her toward my vehicle. Nothing. Not even a flutter of her lashes.
