Chapter 268: Episode 268.

The room remained silent.

“And he listened.” Her eyes became distant. “He told me stories.”

“What kind of stories?” Xander asked softly.

Aire’s expression changed. It hardened. “About places I had never seen.”

She swallowed. A tiny smile appeared. “He told me about human cities.” Aire’s smile faded. “And I told him about the Wolf Realm.”

Xander glanced at Nate.

She closed her eyes.

Nate stepped closer.

Aire opened her eyes.

“He listened.” She shook her head. “He always listened.” Pain clouded her voice. “I thought…”

She stopped.

“What did you think?” Xander asked. His voice remained gentle.

Aire looked at him. “I thought I had finally found someone who understood me.” Her voice became barely audible. “And then one day…”

She stopped.

Nate waited.

Aire stared into the distance. “One day, he was gone. He just disappeared. I went to the corner where we always met.”

Aire’s eyes grew wet. “I waited.” She looked down at Alaric. “I waited all day.” Her voice trembled slightly. “He didn’t come.”

The room seemed to grow smaller.

“I went back the next morning.” Aire gave a tiny shake of her head. “And the day after.”

Her lips trembled. “I thought something had happened to him.” She breathed out. “I thought perhaps the wolves had found him.”

Aire’s eyes closed. “I didn’t know.” She opened them again. “I didn’t know he had never been human.”

Xander spoke quietly. “How did you find out?”

Aire’s face became pale. “In the dark fae realm, I was summoned to a chamber that was supposed to be the chamber of a dark fae, just to hear him humming a sound just me and Lyse made up.”

Nate’s voice was careful. “How much later?”

Aire looked at him. “The dark fae timeline is different from the timeline here.”

Aire looked down at Alaric. Her fingers gently brushed his cheek. “I remembered him then.”

Her gaze drifted toward the window. “I felt a pull. I don’t know what to call it but everything went downhill after the kiss. It all happened so fast.”

Xander stepped closer.

Nate sat down in the chair beside the bed. He leaned forward. “Tell us.”

Aire stared at him.

Nate’s voice softened. “Whatever you remember.”

Aire hesitated. Then she looked at Alaric. For a long moment, she watched him breathe. “It all ended badly. I saw myself.”

Nate frowned.

“Not the me you know.” Aire touched her chest. “Another me.” Her eyes became distant. “She had the same hair.”

She looked at her own hair. “Lyse wore my skin. To know me from the inside to benefit the dark fae.”

She stared at him. “What if I was the villain?” The question came out of nowhere.

Nate shook his head. “You aren’t.” He countered immediately.

“You don’t know that.”

“I know the person sitting in front of me.”

Aire’s eyes softened.

He looked at her steadily.

Aire looked down.

A tear slipped down her cheek. She didn’t wipe it away.

Help me complete this. I need Nate to wipe her tears, and Xander should pull her I to a soft hug alongside Nate.

“It almost all went dark.” She cried into their shoulders. “I didn’t want to live anymore. I didn’t ask to be born in the circumstance I found myself in.”

Then, Aire lowered herself carefully against the pillows after the hug.

Alaric remained beside her.

She pulled the blanket higher over him. Then she looked at Nate. “There is one more thing.”

Nate waited.

Aire’s voice became almost inaudible. “When I saw Lyse…” She paused. “I wasn’t afraid of him.”

Nate frowned. “Why?”

Aire looked toward the dark window. “I was more afraid of remembering him.” She swallowed. “Because some part of me…”

Her eyes lowered. “Some part of me still loved him.”

No one spoke.

Aire closed her eyes. And beside her, Alaric’s fingers slowly curled around hers.

For the first time, his hand held hers back.

Aire’s eyes flew open. “Alaric?”

His eyes remained closed, but his fingers tightened around hers weakly, and deliberately.

Aire stared at their joined hands. Her breath caught. “Alaric…”

Nate stepped forward.

Xander turned sharply.

Aire didn’t look at either of them. She only looked at the man beside her. And for the first time since she had returned, she smiled.

“I knew you were still in there.”

Alaric’s fingers tightened around hers again. Then went still.

Aire bowed her head.

A tear fell onto their joined hands. Her thumb moved slowly over the back of his hand, and her eye soften.

He was the first person who did not outrightly treat her so badly when she first got here.

His fingers didn’t move.

Aire smiled through her tears. Her voice broke. “I knew you wouldn’t leave me.”

Nate looked away for a moment.

Xander swallowed hard. Neither of them wanted to interrupt whatever was happening between them.

Aire lowered her forehead against Alaric’s hand.

“Thank you.” Her eyes closed. “Come back now. It’s time.”

A faint breath left Alaric’s lips.

Aire lifted her head. “Alaric?”

Nothing.

She waited.

Then, his breathing changed. It was subtle. So subtle that she almost thought she had imagined it.

His chest rose, fell. Then rose again.

Aire’s eyes widened. “Alaric?”

Nate immediately stepped forward.

Xander did the same.

Aire didn’t move. She watched him.

His face tightened slightly, and his fingers twitched. Then his brows pulled together.

A small sound escaped his throat. It was barely more than a breath, but it was enough.

“Alaric.” Aire touched his cheek. His skin was warm. “Alaric, can you hear me?”

His eyelids moved.

Aire leaned closer. “I’m here.”

His eyelids trembled again.

“I’m right here.”

Alaric’s lips parted. A broken breath escaped him. Then his eyes slowly opened.

At first, they were unfocused.

He stared at the ceiling as though he couldn’t understand where he was.

Aire didn’t breathe.

Alaric blinked twice. Then his eyes moved slowly. Until they found her.

Everything stopped.

Aire stared at him.

Alaric stared back.

His brows pulled together. “Aire…?”

Her lips parted. A sob escaped her before she could stop it. “Alaric.” She touched his face with both hands.

He winced faintly.

Aire immediately pulled back.

“Sorry.” Her tears fell faster. “I’m sorry.”

Alaric looked at her. His voice was weak. “Why are you crying?”

Aire laughed through her tears. “You almost died.”

Alaric’s brows furrowed. His eyes closed briefly, then opened it again. “I couldn’t feel anything.”

Aire’s face crumpled.

Alaric tried to lift his hand.

It barely moved.

Aire immediately caught it. “Don’t move.” She gently placed it back against the mattress. “You don’t have to move.”

His eyes remained on her. His lips curved faintly. “It’s really amazing to see you again.”

Aire laughed softly.

Alaric’s fingers moved weakly against hers. He breathed out, and his eyes began to close again.

Xander’s eyes widened. He turned to Aire. “Aire?”

She looked at him with a soft smile. “Call the Alpha. Alaric is alive.”