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And thinking of that word in the context of my sister, of Mylah—it makes me sick.

“So that’s why I took her there.” Aurora swipes the tears from her face, crosses her arms over her chest. Takes a step back from me and turns her head, like she can’t bear to look at me. “And you’re right—it was dangerous, and it turned out to be a mistake. The doctor I went to, she wasn’t there. I don’t know what happened—”

“The doctor you went to?” My heart drops into my stomach. The idea that Aurora could have been in that exact situation, and I never would have known. “When did this happen?”

She frowns at me. “Ages ago. I go back periodically to get it redone. I haven’t had a heat in years.”

I just stare at her. It’s not like I would be paying attention to her heats, but shouldn’t I have noticed? If a person under my care altered her biology so drastically?

“Is it permanent?”

Aurora shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t really care.”

That can’t be true—growing up, she always used to talk about having a family. I open my mouth to ask her about that, about what she might have sacrificed, but my sister has more to say.

“Imagine being treated like nothing, like you don’t have a brain, just because you’re biologically wired for having children? A couple of organs, a hormone cycle that triggers a heat, a scent that attracts alphas, and all of a sudden, I’m not a person? I’m more fertile—which, apparently, is a gift from the goddesses—and instead of celebrating that, we treat omegas like they’re nothing.”

I can’t deny the logic there.

Had this conversation happened a year ago, I would have already shut Aurora down. Would have told her that the topic was inappropriate. That she should stop reading so many fanciful books.

But now, after meeting Mylah, having her, seeing her…it makes my chest hurt, to think of her being treated that way.

Then I think of Mylah strapped to that cot, the doctor between her legs.

You aren’t in control, Augustus, I hear my father say, the ghost of him still alive in the back of my head. This is what happens when you lose control. Of your body, of your family. Of your pack. They walk all over you. If you lose control, you will lose everything.

The fury, the fear—they return.

“As true as that may be,” I growl, letting the anger flood in and take the reins. Letting my father’s voice dictate the rest of the scene, I say, “You put Mylah in danger.”

Aurora presses, “And why does that matter so much to you, Augustus? Some mega from the outlands? Why is it so bad that it was her?”

I pause, sucking in a breath, having nearly just admitted it because she is my mate! To my sister, which would have been a big mistake. Although I was ready to tell Noemi earlier.

Maybe I should just tell her the truth.

I could tell her.

Just not here, not in the throne room.

“We can talk about this later.”

Aurora opens her mouth, “But—”

I give her a meaningful look. “Later, Aurora.”

She presses her lips together angrily, then sucks in a quick breath, nods, and stands. Before she leaves the room, she says quietly, “For what it’s worth, I am sorry. And…thank you. For coming. Is she…okay?”

I stare at my sister, who can barely tolerate anyone. Apparently, she has made a friend in Mylah.

And that thought makes me strangely happy, despite the conversation we’ve just had.

“She is.”

Aurora nods, lets out a latent sigh, and turns for the door.

Once again, I stand, ready to return to Mylah. But the moment my sister is out the door, Kellen and the other advisers are returning. I open my mouth to tell them off, to leave.