Celina’s POV
LUCIEN’S HAND was warm beneath mine, but it trembled ever so slightly as I helped him out of the infirmary. His pride would never let him admit how weak he still was, but I felt it. The subtle drag of his steps. The way his shoulders didn’t square as sharply as they used to. Even the quiet hiss of breath when the bandages across his ribs pulled too tight.
“You don’t have to hold me like I’m going to collapse,” he muttered, though his arm stayed firmly linked with mine.
“You nearly bled out in front of half the pack three nights ago,” I shot back softly. “Forgive me for being cautious.”
A faint smirk tugged at his mouth, arrogant even in his frailty. “Cautious doesn’t suit you, little wolf. You’re the one who leapt into the ring like a storm. That’s what suits you.”
My
