54. Weight of Silence-II

|| Alaric’s POV || I glanced at Lilac again, my gaze softening as I took in the curve of her cheek, the way her lashes brushed against her skin when she blinked. She was so beautiful, so strong in ways that had nothing to do with her wolf. She had survived so much, endured so much, and yet she was still here, still fighting. I wouldn’t let her face anything alone. Not now, not ever. Reaching over, I gently took her hand in mine, my thumb brushing over her knuckles. She turned to look at me, her eyes wide and questioning, and I gave her a small smile. “Everything okay?” she asked, her voice soft, like a melody I never wanted to end. “Yeah,” I said, squeezing her hand. “Everything’s perfect.” She smiled back, her eyes lighting up in a way that made my heart skip a beat. But beneath the warmth of her smile, I could see the faintest hint of something else— something fragile, something she was trying to hide. It only made me more determined to protect her, to shield her from whatever darkne