Majori's POV:
Seeing him angry made my heart ache but there was no other way.
"Let's get to the point," I said, afraid of him. Afraid he'd see how much worse I truly was than the version of me he already despised. Afraid that if he knew everything, he'd not only hate me, but resent me enough to wish me dead. Afraid that seeing me again might make him want to kill me rather than sit here with me like this.
I promised myself this would be the last time I'd ever ask for his help, the last time I'd reveal anything about my life. Staying away from him was the only way I might ever be allowed near him again. I didn't want us to be enemies.
Vincent said nothing. His eyes darkened, fathomless. Then, his voice broke the silence, low, steady, a mixture of challenge and curiosity.
"And what exactly do you want me to do?"
"Find them," I said, my voice trembling as I finally spoke the words I feared most. "Even if it's just to know whether they're still alive."
I looked straight into his eyes. He leaned forward slightly then suddenly moved closer.
"This is within my reach…" he murmured, drawing out the last word like reciting a verse. His breath was so close that for a fleeting moment, I thought I might dissolve into it into him. Then, just as suddenly, he leaned back, laced his fingers together, his expression shifting to that of a man at the negotiating table.
"Being asked for help by an ex," he said evenly, "especially by one as terrible as you were, normally, I'd refuse without hesitation. But you said it yourself: you're not asking for your own sake but for your parents. They did nothing wrong. In fact, they treated me very kindly once."
That was the only thing I could cling to because truly, I had nothing left to offer him in return and no other excuse that made sense.
"You really have no right to ask me for anything, Majori," Vincent said quietly, reaching out to touch the edge of my jaw, tilting my chin upward.
"But fine," he continued slowly, "since you helped me catch that spy today, since you were injured because of me and for the sake of your parents, I'll agree. But this won't be simple, so I have a condition."
My heart nearly stopped. "What condition?"
Vincent's hand tightened slightly, his forefinger brushing lightly across my lips.
"Helping you find your parents means stepping into Brian's territory and crossing him. You understand what that entails, don't you? My condition is simple."
I honestly didn't know what I still possessed that could possibly interest Vincent, what he might see as worth the risk. But he'd said it and I knew that no matter what the demand, even if it meant walking through fire, I'd do it.
"Say it," I told him firmly. "I won't refuse."
My family, my parents were all that mattered now.
Vincent gave a faint smile then released my chin and stood. He walked to the window, slipping his hands into his pockets. Outside, snow was falling softly, each flake landing on the glass and melting into silver droplets. His voice, when it came, was low and cool.
"You'll must rest. Properly. Until you've fully recovered, I won't begin the search."
That… was the condition?
My eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"Yes." He turned to face me, his gaze stern. "Don't misunderstand, I'm not doing this out of concern for you. I just don't want the future Luna of the Snow Moon pack dying on my territory. You're my guest and I intend to return you to Brian as a flawless gift untouched."
So that was it. My heart swelled then deflated. Of course that was the real reason. He just didn't want anyone thinking he'd harmed me out of personal spite, that an old grudge had sparked a war between packs.
I nodded faintly. "All right. I promise."
"And one more thing," he said, stepping closer. The distance between us vanished; I could hear his breathing, smell the faint trace of pine and frost on his skin. "Next time you need help… don't wait until you're half dead to ask."
I looked up. The chandelier light caught in his amber eyes, turning them into twin shards of sunlight shining through ice.
My heart, which had just begun to settle, hung suspended again. What did he mean by that?
But before I could decipher it, he turned away leaving my thoughts in chaos. His expression unreadable a moment ago was gone before I could catch it.
"Get some rest," he said over his shoulder. "If I hear from the doctor that you're not being obey, I'll stop the search immediately. Whether you see your parents soon or not, it's up to you. I can be just as frightening as Brian."
…
In the days that followed, Vincent visited less often. He was likely busy with pack affairs and, I hoped, searching for my parents. Things were different now. He no longer belonged to me. He was the Alpha of an entire territory, burdened with duties far beyond one woman.
During those days of waiting, not a single night brought me peace. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep deeply. Every meal the servants brought, I forced down mechanically. I was terrified that if my recovery was too slow, Vincent would stop looking for my parents altogether.
Each night, in restless sleep, I dreamed of them of my childhood, of days when they were still beside me… and of Vincent. Back then, we were all truly happy. But sometimes the dreams turned dark, my parents standing in the shadows, their bodies covered in wounds, their clothes torn and filthy. They'd call out to me, their voices breaking, begging me to stay away from Brian.
Those dreams cut into me like blades each one tearing deeper until I woke drenched in cold sweat, heart pounding, gasping for air.
The longer Vincent took to find them, the more I feared the truth: that they were in danger or worse. That Brian had hidden them somewhere unspeakable. That maybe… they were already gone.
When those thoughts swarmed like insects gnawing at my flesh, I forced myself to fight them off with reason. They were just nightmares but the pain they left behind was real. Please, I prayed, let my parents be safe. I'd give anything for that.
On the seventh night, as usual, after taking my medicine, a maid helped me change into my nightgown and settle into bed. The lights went out, the door closed, and everything fell into a calm, heavy silence.
No matter how restless my heart was, I couldn't deny the peace Vincent's protection had given me. I closed my eyes, ready to drift into sleep when suddenly, from the hallway outside, a frantic female voice rang out:
"Please, let me see Miss Majori! I have urgent news, I must speak with her right now!"