I hauled a large bag of rabbit supplies home, wanting to surprise Asher.

But the living room was pitch black.

He was nowhere to be seen.

"Asher?"

A faint response came from the corner,

"Luna, I'm here."

Turning on the light, I saw the tall figure curled up in the corner, exuding an aura of dejection.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

He lowered his gaze, his face full of gloom. His crimson lips pressed tightly together.

"I heard... what happened at the Institute today."

My stomach dropped. "How?"

"The news spread. Someone posted about it on the Institute forum — 'Werewolf goes berserk after being dumped by his trainer.'"

He paused, his voice barely audible.

"The comments said you were cold. That you abandoned him. That you're already... replacing him with a lesser beastkin."

His hands were gripping his knees so hard his knuckles had turned white.

"Asher—"

"Am I the 'lesser beastkin' they're talking about?"

The question hung in the air like a blade.

I set down the bag and crossed the room. I crouched in front of him, meeting those ruby eyes that were fighting so hard not to cry.

"You are not lesser. Not to me."

"But compared to a wolf—"

"Compared to a wolf, you're kind. You're gentle. You cook me dinner and leave flowers on the table and make me origami rabbits." My voice cracked. "You've never once made me cry."

His lower lip trembled.

"Caleb Shaw was powerful. But he used that power to hurt me. You — you use your gentleness to heal me. Don't you dare let anyone tell you that's lesser."

A single tear escaped down his cheek.

I reached out and brushed it away.

He flinched — then leaned into the touch, closing his eyes, his rabbit ears slowly unfurling like flowers after rain.

"Luna?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I... show you something?"

He held out his hand. In it was a small, round object — a seed, glowing faintly with a pale green light.

"What is this?"

"Rabbit beastkin have a healing gift. It's in our nature — we nurture things. This seed... if I plant it and pour my energy into it, it'll grow into a moonflower. It only blooms once, but its nectar can cure almost any ailment."

He turned the seed over in his palm.

"I've been saving my energy since I arrived. I wanted to grow one for you. For your birthday."

My birthday. The one Caleb had planned to ruin.

"Asher, you don't have to—"

"I want to." His eyes met mine, steady and luminous. "No one's ever given you something just because they wanted to see you happy. Right?"

I opened my mouth. Closed it.

He was right. Every gift I'd received came with strings. Caleb's attention came with conditions. Vivian's kindness came with knives.

But Asher was offering a moonflower — a one-time bloom that would drain his energy for weeks — just to make me smile on a day I'd been dreading.

"Plant it," I whispered. "But promise me you'll rest after."

He smiled — the kind of smile that made his whole face glow, his ears standing tall and proud for once.

"I promise."

That night, Asher planted the seed in a small pot by the window. He cupped his hands around it, and a soft green light pulsed between his fingers.

I watched from the couch, the bag of rabbit supplies forgotten at the door.

I'd bought him treats and toys and a new blanket.

He'd given me a miracle.

Some trades aren't measured in value. They're measured in heart.