Chapter 145

Lake POV

“I know,” he said, but I wasn’t sure he believed it. Ramon had always been the protector, the strong one, the alpha who took care of everyone else. Letting himself be vulnerable—that didn’t come naturally to him.

“I have good news,” I said, changing the subject because I could feel him pulling back again, retreating into whatever thoughts were haunting him. “Rhodes examined me yesterday while you were meeting with your brothers. Did a full checkup, made sure everything from—from what Samuel did—was healing properly.”

Ramon tensed against me. “And?”

“And I’m okay,” I said quickly. “Some bruising still, some tenderness. But nothing permanent. Nothing that won’t heal. Rhodes said I was lucky—that Samuel could have done much worse damage but didn’t. And the—the other thing—” I swallowed hard, forcing myself to say it. “The sexual assault. Rhodes said there’s no tearing, no internal damage. Samuel didn’t actually—he didn’t finish. You stopped him i