_Matteo's POV_
As dawn approached, I found myself waking early, the need to check on Thalassa pressing on my mind. I was impatient to talk to her and ask her some important questions. Why had she left her pack to wander the forest alone? Could there be some hidden transgressions or a dark secret that led her to flee? These thoughts wrestled with the image I had of her—a kind and gentle soul.
I couldn't reconcile the idea that she might have committed a crime, and yet the absence of a clear explanation intrigued me. Thalassa had an aura of sweetness and gentleness that contradicted the notion of wrongdoing. The need to understand her reasons fueled my determination to find out.
As I reached the hospital room, the sight of her empty bed sent a wave of concern through me. Neatly folded she
