Thest night has arrived, and Saphira can hardly believe how quickly the days have passed.


    Over time, she and Niks have settled into a semi-functional routine-something resembling normalcy. And since the night of her nightmare, he has stayed with her every evening on the sofa. It’s not just about proximity; it’s about the quiet reassurance his presence provides.


    Not only has it drawn them closer, but it has also kept the nightmares at bay.


    She has started to see a different side of him-one that is less guarded, more steady.


    And every night, without fail, whenever she stirs from sleep, he is instantly alert, checking to make sure she is okay.


    It’sforting in a way she never expected. Because with him there, she feels safe.


    Saphira watches Niks move effortlessly through the small kitchen, cooking dinner for what will be thest time in this ce.


    Freedom is so close now-just hours away-and yet, she can’t shake the quiet sadness settling in. As much as she longs to leave, there is a part of her that will miss this routine, this strange but steady familiarity.


    The way he carries himself, with a quiet grace and unspoken authority, feelsforting in a way she didn’t expect.


    She wonders if she’ll see much of him once they’re out. At Silvermoon, the Alpha was rarely present unless a major event called for it. Would Niks be the same? Would this connection, this unexpected understanding between them, fade into the background once they stepped beyond these walls?


    Her thoughts scatter as his voice pulls her back.


    “Dinner is ready,” he announces, carrying two tes, a rare but genuine smile tugging at his lips.


    She takes him in for a moment-he seems lighter today, more at ease. After so long trapped here, knowing tomorrow marks the end of it, she can only imagine what that must feel like.


    Saphira steps toward the table and settles into her seat. “This looks amazing, thank you,” she says as Niks ces her te in front of her before sitting down himself.


    For a moment, silence lingers between them, the meal untouched. Then, his voice cuts through the quiet.


    “I was going to wait, but… any thoughts on your decision abouting to my home?”


    She blinks, momentarily thrown. Thest time he asked, the conversation had veered off course, slipping into something else entirely. She had almost forgotten.


    But she’s known for days-her answer hasn’t wavered.


    She exhales, meeting his gaze. “Things have been weird… but yes. I’d like to join you and your pack.”


    There. The decision spoken aloud.


    And with it, the weight in her chest lifts just a little.


    Niks’s smile is warm, confident. “That’s great news. You’ll be happy, I promise.”


    His words are meant to reassure, but they do little to ease the knot of anxiety twisting in Saphira’s chest.


    She nods, forcing a smile in return. “Thank you.”


    Wanting to shift the focus, she asks, “So, what’s the first thing you’ll do when you get out tomorrow?”


    The change in his expression is immediate-anger shes across his face, sharp and unrestrained. “Find my sister and kill whoever took her.”


    The intensity of his response catches her off guard, but suddenly, everything clicks. His earlier mood, the tension that seemed to linger-it all makes sense now. He’s been stuck here all this time, knowing his sister is missing.


    “When was she taken?” she asks softly.


    Niks exhales deeply, the weight of the memory evident in his posture. “The same day they took me.”


    Saphira’s breath catches. “Oh, shit.”


    She can’t begin to imagine the hell he must have endured, trapped here while his sister was out there, lost.


    And now, she understands why he can’t risk a mating. If he loses even a fraction of his power, he might never get her back.


    The stakes are higher than she ever realized.


    Niks’s voice isced with frustration, his expression clouded with defeat. “I think it was an inside job. They got to me without me knowing-and that shouldn’t be possible.”


    His hands clench slightly, as if reliving the moment. “I heard her screaming. When I ran to her, they ambushed me… on my ownnd.”


    Saphira watches him carefully, taking in the weight of his words.


    “The problem is,” he continues, exhaling sharply, “ournd is well protected. For them to cross the border and ambush me like that, only someone who knew the area well could have orchestrated it.”


    The realization sits heavy between them.


    Whoever did this wasn’t just skilled-they were familiar.


    She watches him carefully, searching for any flicker of certainty. “Do you know who it might be?”


    Niks exhales, shaking his head slightly, the movement almost weary. “I’ve thought about it since the day I woke up here. I have my suspicions-but ultimately, I have no idea.”


    The frustration in his voice is unmistakable, a deep-rooted bitterness beneath the calm exterior he usually maintains. Saphira can hear it, feel it-the helplessness of being trapped, of knowing something is wrong but never having the answers to fix it. The weight of that uncertainty must be unbearable.


    Her brow furrows as she considers the obvious. “What about your family? Are they looking for her? Maybe they’ve even found her?”


    The idea that no one would be searching feels impossible. He’s been here for nearly a year-surely someone, somewhere, is still looking. She can’t just be


    gone.


    Niks sighs, rubbing his temple, the movement slow, exhausted. “Jed did, for a while. But for me to get information in and out of here, he has to stay close. And every lead has failed.”


    Saphira hesitates, watching him. Every lead has failed. That means they’ve tried-again and again-only toe up empty.


    She doesn’t know what’s worse-the fact that his sister is still missing, or the fact that he’s had to sit here, powerless, while it happens.


    The thought unsettles her more than she’d like to admit.


    Because if Niks, with all his power, all his resources, couldn’t find her… Then maybe she really is gone.