_Matteo's POV_
I gently made her stand up, looking into her eyes with sincerity. "Thalassa, I won't let anyone harm you. You're completely safe here," I assured her, emphasizing my determination to protect her. "Why would your own pack members harm you?" I asked, seeking to unravel the mystery that surrounded Thalassa.
She hesitated for a moment, her eyes reflecting the pain of her past. "I ran away from the Crystal Pack because I couldn't bear the abuse any longer," she finally admitted, her voice carrying the weight of a painful truth.
"They would punish me severely if they found me," she continued, the fear evident in her eyes. The heaviness of her words sank in, and I couldn't fathom the kind of suffering she must have endured to choose fleeing over staying.
A mixture of anger and
