Chapter 36

AUBREY'S POV Sleep had become my enemy. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw them die again—my parents, my pack, everyone I loved torn apart while I hid beneath that table. The dreams felt more vivid than ever, more immediate, until I could barely tell where memory ended and nightmare began. "You need rest," Aria warned, her presence weak from our shared exhaustion. "We can't go on like this." I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, hardly recognizing the woman looking back at me. Dark circles shadowed my eyes, my skin pale and drawn. Even my wolf form felt sluggish, weighed down by constant fatigue. "Aubrey?" Caroline's soft knock barely registered. "Can I come in?" I managed some sound of assent, not trusting my voice. Caroline slipped in, her face creasing with concern when she saw me gripping the sink for support. "This has gone on long enough," she said firmly. "You need proper rest." "I'm fine." The lie came automatically, though we both knew better. "You're not fine." Ca