Protect her

RAFAEL POV

I stood by Winter's bedside, her still unconscious form before me. Despite my unwelcome status within the pack, no one had uttered a word to me. We exchanged only weary glances as we waited for her to awaken.

Linda rose to her feet, releasing a deep sigh that shattered the oppressive silence in the room. "Who's up for a drink? Let's try to keep our spirits up while we wait. She's not on her deathbed, you know."

Though I had attempted to convince myself of the same, the effort had faltered. Winter's limp form in my hand had frightened me. At that moment, my anger had been entirely directed towards the tattered basilisk, even though I was powerless against it. Winter had vanquished it. She had saved me for the second time, yet she now lay almost lifeless.

A twinge pulsed in my heart, causing me to grunt. This sensation was not foreign to me. It encapsulated all the emotions I had strived to suppress in relation to Winter. I couldn't label it as love, but it was undeniably int