"I’m glad to hear that," Apollo said softly. "Now that your brother is here, you don’t have to be afraid. Whatever’s troubling you, just tell me, I’ll take care of it." His hand came to rest on Ashley’s head again, gentle and reassuring as he gave it a light pat.

The words he said were familiar; she had heard the same promises before from Nathan, Blake, and even Brent, but somehow, this felt different. When Apollo said it, there was a warmth that spread quietly through her chest, steady and real.

It wasn’t just comfort; it was something deeper, something that settled into her bones. Perhaps, without realizing it, she had already begun to accept that Apollo and the others were truly her brothers.

That the bond between them wasn’t just words, but something rooted in blood, quietly making itself known.

Ashley nodded, a soft, genuine smile blooming across her face. Seeing it, so unguarded, so freely given, Apollo, Daemon, Archivalt, Gage, and Ace all found themselves smiling in return, even Aunt Lavinia’s expression easing with quiet relief. For a brief moment, the tension that had lingered between them seemed to dissolve.

But then something stirred in Ashley’s mind, a detail from earlier that refused to be ignored. Her smile faltered just slightly as she looked toward Apollo. "Um... Brother Apollo," she began, her voice careful, "you mentioned earlier that Ace called you here. Are you on a business trip somewhere far away?"

She hesitated, then continued, "And... you said that Ace came here for a camping trip with his classmates, and that he wanted to get close to Clarissa because he suspected she might be your missing sister... only for it to turn out to be me." Her fingers curled subtly at her sides. "Does that mean... we won’t be living in this city? Or even nearby?"

There was a trace of nervousness beneath her words, one she couldn’t quite hide. Because the answer mattered more than she let on. Staying here, so close to Nathan’s territory, would mean living in constant fear, every step shadowed by the threat of being discovered.

She was still far too weak to stand against him and his pack; confronting them now would be nothing short of suicide. Until she grew stronger, distancing herself from them wasn’t just preferable, it was necessary.

Apollo smiled, first shaking his head before giving a small nod. "Yes, we actually live quite far from this city," he said lightly. "Honestly, I still don’t know why Ace and his classmates chose to come all the way out here."

"It’s a large city, sure, and its commerce is growing fast, but it’s still a long way from home. It took us quite some time to fly over, and where we live is several cities away; it was practically the distance between the edges of the east and west." There was a hint of humor in his tone, as if trying to keep things casual.

But beneath that easy smile, a quiet concern lingered. He didn’t know where Ashley had lived before, nor where their mother had taken her all those years ago. This city might be the only place she recognized, the place that might help her out of her amnesia.

And because of that, he couldn’t help but wonder, would she hesitate to leave it behind?

Contrary to Apollo’s unspoken concern, the moment his words sank in, Ashley’s eyes lit up. A quiet spark of relief flickered within them, followed by her strong resolve.

The distance he spoke of wasn’t a loss to her; it was an opportunity. Being far away meant putting space between herself and the Black Mountain Pack... between herself and Nathan.

That distance would buy her time, time to grow stronger, to sharpen herself, and to build something of her own.

Perhaps even gather forces that could stand where she currently could not. No matter how she looked at it, this was the best possible outcome. For now, distance wasn’t an escape, but it was the best strategy.

When Apollo looked at Ashley again, the eagerness shining in her eyes caught him off guard. It eased the tightness in his chest, his earlier worries loosening as his heart softened at the sight of her quiet excitement.

He couldn’t help but wonder if it was her amnesia and if the blank slate of her memories made her more willing, even eager, to leave this place behind and see more of the world beyond it.

They still didn’t know where their mother was, nor what condition she might be in, but for now, the weight they had carried for so long felt just a little lighter. They had found Ashley.

That alone was enough to give him hope, that finding their mother was only a matter of time. For now, their priority was clear, and that is Ashley’s health, her recovery.

And perhaps leaving this place sooner rather than later was the right choice. The longer they stayed, the more a faint unease lingered at the back of his mind.

Seeing that Ashley held no resistance to leaving, Apollo turned his gaze to Daemon. No words were exchanged between the brothers, yet they understood each other.

Daemon gave a subtle nod before stepping out of the room, heading first to settle the remaining bill at the cashier, then toward the doctor’s office to arrange a transfer request.

Even so, they couldn’t act recklessly; they needed the doctor’s assessment, needed to know whether Ashley’s body could endure the long journey, or if they would have to wait a few more days before moving her.

After Daemon left, Aunt Lavinia’s gaze drifted around the room until it settled on a small collection of items placed neatly on the tray to the side that contained everything the doctors and nurses had recovered from Ashley when she was brought in.

Among them lay her torn, blood-soaked clothes, cut apart by surgical scissors so the staff could treat her injuries and dress her in a patient’s gown. Resting beside the ruined fabric was a single pendant, the one Ashley had managed to grab from her mother before she was dragged away by Maddison’s people.

The moment Aunt Lavinia saw it, something inside her broke. A choked sob escaped her as tears welled in her eyes. That pendant wasn’t just an object; it was an heirloom passed down through their mother’s lineage, unmistakable and deeply tied to their family.

Her sudden sobbing drew everyone’s attention at once, their gazes snapping toward her. With trembling hands, she reached out, gently lifting the pendant as if it were something fragile beyond measure. Then she turned, tears still streaming down her face, and held it out for them all to see.

The moment they saw what Aunt Lavinia was holding, Apollo and the others went still, their gazes sharpening with recognition.

"It’s... Mom’s," Apollo whispered, his voice unsteady, his Adam’s apple bobbing as emotion tightened his throat.

Hearing that, Ashley’s grip on the blanket tightened until her knuckles turned pale. So it really was their mother’s. The confirmation struck deeper than she expected, and she lowered her head, letting her hair fall forward to hide the guilt flooding her expression.

The woman they had spent nearly two decades searching for... was gone. And in Ashley’s mind, the blame settled squarely on her shoulders.