The healer's room
1189 Words
The halls of the Blackthorn stronghold were quiet as Alpha Darius Storm carried Selene toward the healer’s room. The loud voices from the celebration hall slowly faded behind them.
Ragnar walked beside Darius like a dark shadow. His large paws made soft sounds against the stone floor.
Selene felt light in Darius’s arms. Too light. Her body was weak, and every breath she took felt painful. She tried to keep her eyes open, but everything around her felt blurry.
Darius noticed.
“Stay awake,” he said gently.
Selene gave a small nod, though she was not sure he saw it.
At the end of the hallway, a wooden door opened quickly.
An older woman stepped out.
Her name was Mira, the healer of the Blackthorn Pack. She had silver hair tied into a long braid and calm green eyes that had seen many battles and injuries.
When she saw Darius carrying the injured girl, her expression changed immediately.
“Bring her inside,” Mira said.
Darius entered the room.
The healer’s room was warm and filled with the smell of herbs and medicine. Shelves covered the walls, holding jars of dried plants, bottles of healing oils, and clean cloths.
A large wooden bed stood in the centre of the room.
Darius carefully placed Selene on the bed.
She winced softly when her body touched the mattress.
Mira stepped closer and began examining her injuries.
Her calm face slowly turned serious.
“She has been hurt badly,” Mira said quietly.
Darius stood beside the bed, his arms crossed as he watched every movement.
“I know,” he replied.
Mira gently lifted Selene’s arm, studying the deep bruises and cuts.
“How long has she been like this?” the healer asked.
“Three days,” Darius said.
Mira looked up sharply.
“Three days without treatment?” she asked.
Darius’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
Mira shook her head.
“Whoever kept her in that prison did not care if she lived or died.”
Selene slowly opened her eyes.
Her violet gaze moved between the two people standing near her.
“Why… are you helping me?” she whispered weakly.
Mira smiled gently.
“Because you are hurt,” she said.
Selene looked at Darius.
“And because he ordered it,” Mira added with a small smile.
Darius ignored the comment.
“Can you heal her?” he asked.
Mira began preparing cloth and medicine.
“Yes,” she said. “But it will take time. Her body is weak from hunger and injury.”
Selene tried to sit up slightly.
Pain quickly spread through her body.
She gasped and fell back onto the bed.
“Don’t move,” Mira said softly. “You need rest.”
Selene looked toward the door.
“Victor…” she whispered.
Darius’s eyes darkened.
“You don’t need to worry about him right now,” he said.
Selene slowly shook her head.
“You don’t understand,” she said. “He will come for me.”
Ragnar let out a quiet growl from near the door.
The giant wolf had lain down, but his eyes never left Selene.
Mira gently began cleaning the cuts on Selene’s arms.
“This may sting,” she warned.
Selene nodded weakly.
The healer carefully applied a strong herbal medicine to the wounds.
Selene clenched her teeth as the pain spread across her skin.
“You are stronger than you look,” Mira said.
Selene gave a tired smile.
“I had to be,” she whispered.
Darius remained silent as he watched.
Something about Selene bothered him.
Not in a bad way.
But in a way that made his wolf restless.
She looked fragile, but something powerful was hidden inside her.
Something old.
Something dangerous.
Mira finished wrapping a bandage around Selene’s arm.
“You also need food,” she said.
Selene looked uncomfortable.
“I’m not hungry,” she said quietly.
Mira gave her a knowing look.
“You haven’t eaten properly in days,” she said.
Darius turned toward the door.
“I’ll bring food,” he said.
Before leaving, he looked back at Selene.
“Don’t go anywhere.”
Selene blinked slowly.
“I’m chained to a bed,” she said weakly. “Where would I go?”
For the first time that night, a small smile touched Darius’s face.
Then he left the room.
Outside the healer’s room, the hallway was empty.
But Darius could feel tension in the air.
The other Alphas would not accept his decision easily.
Especially Victor.
Darius walked through the hallway toward the kitchen.
Servants quickly moved out of his way as he entered.
He grabbed a tray with bread, soup, and water.
When he returned to the healer’s room, he noticed Ragnar standing now.
The giant wolf was staring at the door.
Growling.
Darius frowned.
“What is it?” he asked quietly.
Ragnar’s ears were forward, alert.
A moment later, footsteps approached in the hallway.
Heavy footsteps.
Darius opened the door.
Inside the room, Selene looked nervous.
Mira was still preparing medicine.
Then the door suddenly opened wider.
Alpha Victor stepped inside.
Two warriors stood behind him.
Victor’s eyes immediately locked onto Selene.
“Well,” he said coldly.
“I see the prisoner is awake.”
Selene’s body froze with fear.
Darius stepped forward slowly.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said.
Victor crossed his arms.
“She belongs to my pack,” he replied.
Selene shook her head weakly.
“No…”
Victor ignored her.
“She is dangerous,” he continued. “I came to take her back to the prison.”
Ragnar moved forward with a deep growl.
Victor’s warriors stepped back nervously.
Darius’s voice became colder.
“No.”
Victor frowned.
“You cannot protect her forever,” he said.
Darius took one step closer.
“I don’t need forever.”
The room became silent.
Victor looked angry now.
“You are making a mistake,” he said.
Darius’s grey eyes were calm and deadly.
“No,” he replied quietly.
“You did.”
Victor stared at him for a long moment.
Then he turned and walked out of the room without another word.
The door closed behind him.
Selene released the breath she had been holding.
“He won’t stop,” she whispered.
Darius placed the tray of food beside her.
“I know.”
Selene looked at him with worry.
“You should send me away,” she said softly. “Before this becomes a war.”
Darius looked down at her.
His voice was calm.
“Too late.”
Selene frowned slightly.
“What do you mean?”
Darius leaned against the wall.
“My enemies are already watching,” he said.
Selene looked confused.
“Why?”
Darius’s expression became serious.
“Because,” he said slowly,
“I just told every Alpha in that hall that you are my mate.”
Selene’s eyes wid
ened.
And for the first time since she had been rescued, she realised something.
Saving her had just started something much bigger than both of them.
- Writer
