Emma's pov

　　"Except that won't be necessary, Miss Ava. As I mentioned earlier, my beautiful mate, Emma, is here to take care of that for me," Matthew responds with a hard, dry voice. I notice the irritation in his tone. "You can leave now."

　　Ava's eyes widen in shock at Matthew's treatment, and for a few moments, she's stunned. I feel a sense of satisfaction witnessing this. The jealousy I feel with Ava's presence is new to me, and I try to push the sensation away. The room is immersed in a new tension, the air thick enough to cut with a knife.

　　After she returned to the Moonshadow Pack, she never came to talk to me, nor even congratulate me on starting my own wolf pack. I realize now, with the months that have passed, that our friendship has also drifted apart. I can no longer see her as my best friend. Her absence during the most crucial moments of my life planted a seed of distrust in my heart.

　　"Well, I guess my work here is done then," Ava says, embarrassed and awkward, gathering the first aid kit.

　　She passes by me with her head down and murmurs a reluctant goodbye in my direction. I stand by the door, watching Ava descend the stairs until she's out of sight. The sound of her footsteps echoes down the hallway like an unspoken farewell.

　　The hallway is silent, as is the room. When I turn my attention back to Matthew, I notice his face is tired and sullen. Ava's presence disturbed my mate in a way I didn't think possible. His green eyes, normally bright and alert, are now almost dull, filled with fatigue and frustration.

　　I close the door to Matthew's room behind me and lock it, not wanting any interruptions for the next few hours with my mate. The room smells familiar, the scent of Matthew, a comforting blend of strong woody cologne and pinewood. I notice that his leg dressing needs care and know that there's a first aid kit in the en-suite bathroom.

　　Without exchanging any words yet, I go to the bathroom and grab the first aid kit. When I return to the room, Matthew is still sitting in the same spot, his shoulders tense. The silence in the room is almost tangible, dense, and suffocating.

　　"Do you want to tell me what you're thinking?" I ask softly, before kneeling in front of my mate. The cold floor against my knees is a reminder of how far we are from true peace between the Moonshadow Pack and the Night Howlers Pack.

　　I look up at Matthew, and his green eyes are darker than usual. His hands grip the edges of the mattress tightly, the knuckles white from the pressure. Matthew takes a deep breath, and I calmly watch his chest rise and fall, a visible effort to calm himself.

　　"I love you so much, Emma," Matthew declares with a dry voice, his jaw clenched and prominent. The words seem to be torn from within him as if it's painful to say them. I gently remove the tape securing Matthew's bandage, trying to be as delicate as possible.

　　"You say that like it's a struggle," I comment with a bit of humor, hoping to elicit a laugh from him, trying to ease the tension hanging over us.

　　"No! It's not that, I just…" Matthew responds quickly, but the sentence dies for a few moments as if he's trying to find the right words. His eyes meet mine, and I see the storm of emotions he's trying to hide.

　　I remove the bloodied gauze and start cleaning around the wound. The stitches have helped the deep cut heal faster, but there's still a line of fresh blood running from Matthew's thigh to his shin. The fresh blood against his pale skin is a painful reminder of how much danger Matthew was in during the recent battle.

　　"After what happened yesterday, I realized I love you more than anything in this world, Emma," Matthew declares with a sweeter voice, and I notice his fingers relaxing and letting go of the mattress edge. His voice carries a rare vulnerability, an open window to his deepest feelings. The room fills with reverent silence as if the very space around us is listening.

　　I apply antiseptic ointment to Matthew's wound with my fingertips. I see the hairs on his leg stand up at my gentle touch, an involuntary response that brings as much comfort as healing. The medicinal scent of the ointment blends with the familiar smell of the room.

　　"Then why do you look like that? Did Ava say something?" I ask, worried, looking at my mate with eyes full of uncertainty.

　　Matthew shakes his head as if trying to dispel his own thoughts, his gaze almost lost in a void. The shadows of a concern that piques my curiosity still linger on his face, contrasting with the soft light of the room.

　　"I don't even know why she came here. But she mentioned some things about you and her brother, and I…" Matthew swallows hard, supporting himself on the mattress with his hands, and leaning back. His still tense and defensive posture causes me even more concern. "I got jealous, that's it. Because I love you so much it hurts to think about what your life was like before me."