Clara's POV
I kept my breathing even, my body perfectly still as I listened to the sound of retreating footsteps.
My pulse raced despite my outward stillness. The ketamine in my system was an inconvenience, nothing more. I'd felt its effects during the fight—the slight blur at the edges of my vision, the delayed reaction time—but I'd trained and been through worse.
"They've gone," Darius said softly from beside me. His hand rested on the edge of the bed, inches from mine. "Just Samuel checking supplies in the next room."
I kept my eyes closed, my breathing measured. Waiting.
"I'll be back shortly, Alpha," Samuel called from the doorway. "Need to get more healing herbs from the storehouse. She's stable."
"Take your time," Darius replied.
The door closed and footsteps faded.
Once I
