51

POV - Kyle
“DO NOT EVER SAY THAT. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR. EVER. ARE WE CLEAR?” All of us men roared, our voices echoing, but the moment the words left our mouths, Kai-Lea bolted.
Damn it. Why did she run?
Her mates were on her heels, but I stood frozen, rage and confusion swirling in my chest. How could she think she owed anyone an apology? My daughter—so strong, yet still carrying burdens she never should’ve.
“What’s wrong?” I demanded, barely keeping my voice steady as pride warred with fury, watching my sons-in-law give chase.
“She’s having a panic attack.” Luna Krysta’s voice was low, sad, like this wasn’t new to her.
A panic attack? My fists clenched, my heart pounding harder than it should. How many times had she suffered like this, quietly, without me knowing?
“They may have to force her to shift. I’ll be right back,” Tomas said, his voice grim, and he took off after his sons.
I didn’t think twice. My brother and I were right behind them. As we closed in, I could see her—shaking, barely holding herself together, but thankfully wrapped in their arms. It wasn’t helping. I could see it, feel it. She passed out, limp in their hold.
“At least we didn’t have to make her shift,” Tomas muttered, but it wasn’t enough to calm me.
“Yeah, but now she’s going to retreat. Again. For who knows how long.” Stuart’s voice broke through, his worry echoing my own.
I gritted my teeth. How had I missed this? The panic, the weight she carried. She wasn’t supposed to break. Not like this. Not ever.
After watching her mates help her with what she was currently struggling with, helped as I made way back to the dining hall.
“What the hell did they do to our child?” Kelly's voice trembled with barely contained rage as she turned to me, her eyes searching mine for answers I didn’t have.
“There truly is no telling,” I muttered, my chest tight with helplessness. “We’ve got her seeing a therapist for moments like this... but when she wakes, she’s going to need another session.”
“Haven’t you asked the therapist? What does she say?” Kelly pressed.
“NO!” Tomas snapped, the words coming out sharper than he intended. “So much of Kai-Lea’s choices have already been ripped away from her. I refuse to be part of that. When she’s ready to tell us, we’ll know. Until then... no. It’s out of the question.”
Kelly’s shoulders sagged as her own helplessness mirrored mine. “You’re right... I just—I’m at a loss. My own daughter, and I don’t know how to help her. She looked like she was in so much pain... like she couldn’t breathe.”
“That’s what panic attacks do to you,” Dr. Ayonna said as she entered the room, her expression solemn. “The twins alerted me the moment she ran. I’ve just checked on her, and it’s as you feared. Her body shut down, overwhelmed.”
My fists clenched. How much more was my daughter supposed to endure?
“She hasn’t even had a moment to cope,” Dr. Ayonna continued. “From the attack to almost dying, to meeting her parents and this massive family all at once. And then there’s her constant worry that we’ll kill her mates. Asena forced memories to the surface that Kai-Lea has spent years refusing to acknowledge—memories she didn’t want to relive or tell anyone about. Some of the most painful ones.”
My heart sank further. Painful memories? What had she been hiding from us?
“I don’t even know the full extent,” Dr. Ayonna admitted, her voice quiet. “And until she’s ready, none of us will.”
“But she’s alright now... right?” I asked, hoping against hope.
“She’s stable. Physically, she’ll recover.” The doctor’s pause weighed heavy. “Mentally, though, she’ll be dealing with this for the rest of her life.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” I muttered, my voice low. But inside, the anger boiled. How could I have missed this? How had I failed her so badly?