I was aware that my mouth clamped shut as soon as those words washed over me, staring at the plastered wall in front. A few seconds later, it dawned on me that Aiden was silent for a long minute as well, his face blank. Mulling over the Alpha's words, my tongue delicately touched at the split parts of my chapped lip, eyes stoically fixed on the bandages wrapped around me.

"W-Why?" I croaked finally, the question rushing out before I could stop myself. My ears couldn't believe that my ...