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My father frowned, looking conflicted. “From what you’ve described, it certainly sounds like it. As much as it pains me to see you locked up like this, perhaps this is the best place for you until we get to the bottom of it.”

“I... I’ll be fine. I can walk in the daylight. I’m not at risk. What does it matter if I have it?”

“You could infect others. It’s a blood-borne virus. Not to mention the madness and uncontrollable strength that comes with it. I watched my mother and brother succumb to this illness, Noah. It isn’t pretty. They lost themselves to it.”

I sat down hard on the edge of my bed, my breath leaving me in a heavy whoosh. I ran a shaking hand through my hair, not ready to contemplate just what such a diagnosis would mean for me... or my mate.

Fuck. Sunday.

“What do we do? How do we confirm this?”

He sighed and dragged his palm over the back of his neck. “Your aunt Callie has a lab back at Blackthorne Manor. We’ll take a sample of your blood and test it.”