Page 6 of Marked By the Alphas
His gaze softened a fraction. He crossed the room with surprising swiftness and walked to the other side of the bed,where a glass of water was sitting. “Here,” he said, holding it out to me.
I hesitated for a moment, my eyes fixed on his face. There was a flicker of something in his grey eyes that might have been concern. The coldness and intensity that had sat in his grey orbs were no longer there and had been replaced by something different. Taking a deep breath, I reached out gingerly and accepted the glass.
As I sipped the cold water, enjoying the way the coolness ran down my parched throat, the fog in my mind cleared slightly, and I pulled the quilt higher up my body, suddenly aware of my dress that had been torn in several places during my escape.
“Elara. My name is Elara,” I finally said, my voice soft, almost as if I was hoping he wouldn’t hear me. I didn’t have such luck, however, becausehe only nodded his head.
“I’m Kai. Alpha of the Golden Moon Pack. You’re currently in my guest room. Do you remember what happened last night and how you got into the cave at the border of our territory?” he asked, and my heart sank into my stomach as I struggled to think of the right words to say.
“My men had found you in a pretty bad state and…” Kai trailed off when someone knocked at the door.
He looked in its direction, the coldness returning to his eyes. He released a frustrated sigh before stalking toward the door.
I sank back against the pillows, the encounter leaving me completely drained. This strange, beautiful place offered a temporary reprieve from Silas but for how long? How long before the Alpha found out the truth about who I really was?
One thing was certain: I couldn’t let that happen or it could be my death.
Chapter 4
Elara
Kai pushed the door open to reveal a woman who was a complete and stark contrast to his imposing figure. Her grey hair was pulled back in a neat bun, and wrinkles drew a map of experience on her kind face. A gentle smile softened her features.
“Alpha Kai.” The woman bowed her head in respect before looking in my direction.
“Hello. I’m Anyah. I’m the pack healer. I was here to check on you yesterday as per Alpha Kai’s instructions, but you looked like you needed to sleep more and I didn’t want to disturb you, so I only cleaned your injuries. How are you feeling?” she asked. I immediately felt relaxed in her presence.
It was easier to feel calm in the healer’s presence. The word itself resonated with a comfort I hadn't felt since the moment I opened my eyes. Here was someone who practiced the same art that I did, someone who understood the power and responsibility that came with wielding herbs and tools for healing.
My upbringing had been a brutal composition of seduction, brutality, and apathy. Every facet of my existence was honed to make me the perfect weapon for destruction. The very notion of healing was contradictory to my purpose. It required empathy, a forbidden emotion within Silas' domain. It also carried a restorative energy that was the opposite of the destructive darkness that we were taught.
Stealing moments to learn healing had always been a tightrope walk. I had devoured any scraps of knowledge I could find. Thankfully, Silas had a very vast library and it was one of the only places where we had the freedom to explore. I practiced on my friends and the rush of joy that I felt with each successful patient was enough to keep me going through the years.
The healer bustled over, her movements surprisingly agile for someone of her age. As she drew closer, I noticed the worn leather satchel strapped across her hip. The air around her was faintly tinged with the earthy scent of healing herbs. It was all so familiar and I felt most of the tension l my body.
“My head hurts,” I responded, and she nodded, holding out a hand to feel my forehead.
“You look a little pale, child,” the healer said, concern etching deeper lines on her forehead. “It seems you must have hit your head pretty hard. Do you remember how you ended up in the cave last night?” she asked softly. My eyes strayed to Kai, who was standing by the foot of the bed.
His face held a blank look, and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking about at the moment. His eyes could pierce a hole through me if he continued to watch me like that. I let out a shaky breath before turning back to the healer in front of me. The woman's presence was a balm after Kai's intimidating aura.
I shook my head gently, avoiding her questioning eyes as I did so.
“That’s okay. I can tell you’ve had a pretty rough night, so I’ll give you something for your head. Maybe it will all come back to you once you’ve had a good rest. Let me take a look at the rest of you,” she offered.
She propped me higher up on the pillows so I was sitting straighter, and I winced when my sides protested at the movement. She gently pulled the quilt off my body and I immediately wrapped my hands around me, hoping to hold onto my dress that was falling apart and exposing part of my body.
“I need to check on those injuries, child,” the healer said, when it seemed like I was determined to remain curled up. For the umpteenth time, I found my eyes straying in Kai’s direction, except this time, the healer seemed to follow suit.
“Would you mind stepping out for a moment, Alpha?” Anyah requested. “I need to sort this out privately,” she pressed when Kai only continued to watch us both.
Kai remained rooted to the spot, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that made my cheeks burn. It was unnerving, the way he seemed to pierce through me with his stare, yet a strange comfort settled in my chest beneath it. It was almost like a reassurance that I couldn’t understand.
“I'd rather stay,” Kai said, his voice low.
Anyah’s smile strained slightly. “While I appreciate your protectiveness, it's not necessary. I assure you, I mean her no harm.”
“It's not you I'm worried about,” Kai countered, his voice firm and I raised a brow.