Derrick's POV
I swallowed hard. "Yes, I know that."
She nodded solemnly. "No inner wolf means no natural resistance to cold or pain. No healing factor. He's adapting to a life far more brutal than his body is prepared for. And the emotional strain—it's breaking him."
I stared at her. "Strain?"
She exhaled, brushing Nathan's damp hair back from his forehead.
"He's traumatized, Alpha. Severely. The signs are clear—emotional shutdown, physical withdrawal, a disturbing level of obedience that suggests he's suppressing his own identity just to survive."
My hands curled into fists. The idea of him just surviving under me—under my roof—made my stomach twist.
"He's been through too much," Liora continued, her tone softening. "And your sudden shift… letting him into your room, then back to the cold, then calling him back again—it's confusing his mind. He doesn't know where he stands. He's trying to follow unspoken rules to avoid punishment, but it's tearing him apart."
