---- Every day at three o'clock, you'd appear in our courtyard wearing your training gear. I'd find excuses to walk past, just to catch a glimpse of you. " His confession was so honest, so vulnerable, that it made my heart ache. "T planned everything perfectly," Sebastian continued, his voice taking on a note of regret. "I bought you the most beautiful roses I could find. I rehearsed what I'd say when we finally met properly." "What happened?" I whispered. Sebastian's expression darkened. "The next day, you didn't come. I waited all afternoon, but you never appeared." I could see the pain in his eyes, even after all these years. "Later, I learned your school had organized that research trip," he said. Despite my family's furious objections, I insisted on joining the expedition." ---- My blood ran cold as I began to understand. "you were there," I breathed. "At the rogue wolf attack." Sebastian nodded grimly. ''When those wolves surrounded your group, I couldn't think about anything except keeping you safe. I didn't care about protocol or family politics or anything else." His hands clenched into fists at his sides. "All I knew was that you were in danger, and I would die before I let anything happen to you." Iremembered that terrifying day. The chaos, the blood, the silver blade cutting through the air toward me. "After I blocked that blade meant for you," Sebastian continued, ''my family's medical team carried me away immediately. The wound from the silver weapon... it wouldn't heal properly. I remained unconscious from blood loss for weeks." "How long?" I asked, my voice cracking. ---- "Two months," Sebastian said quietly. "When I finally awakened, you were safe-but another boy was by your side." The pain in his voice was devastating. "Kieran had stolen my story. Taken credit for saving you." I felt like I couldn't breathe. All these years, I'd believed Kieran had been my savior. I'd fallen in love with him because of that heroic act. But it had been Sebastian all along. "Why didn't you tell anyone?" I demanded. "Why didn't you fight for the truth?" Sebastian's smile was heartbreaking. "Because you looked happy. When I saw how you smiled at him, how you trusted him... I couldn't bring myself to destroy that." Tears were flowing freely down my cheeks now. "T kept sending people to check on you," Sebastian admitted. "I needed to know if he was treating you