ch4. The King Beneath The Scars
1148 Words
A soft knock echoed through Magnolia's chamber just as she finished laying out the herbs from the basket Evander had provided.
She looked toward the door.
"Come in."
The door opened slowly, and Evander stepped inside alone.
Gone was the fearsome Alpha King surrounded by warriors.
Gone was the black armor that had made him look almost invincible.
He wore only a simple black linen shirt, now soaked with blood across one shoulder and down his back.
Magnolia's healer instincts immediately took over.
"Sit."
Evander obeyed without argument, lowering himself into the chair beside the fire.
She crossed her arms.
"You've been pretending that wound wasn't serious."
"I've had worse."
"So you keep saying."
She walked to the basin, pouring warm water into a bowl before adding crushed willow bark and antiseptic herbs.
"I've also treated warriors who insisted they were fine until they developed a fever."
Evander chuckled.
"I suppose I won't win this argument."
"No."
She turned with a small smile.
"You won't."
Magnolia carefully cut away the torn fabric around his shoulder.
The moment she peeled the shirt back, her breath caught.
His back was covered in scars.
Old sword wounds.
Claw marks.
Arrow scars.
Burns.
Some were years old.
Others had barely healed.
The fresh wound stretched from his shoulder blade across his ribs where a blade had narrowly missed his spine.
"You've fought a lifetime of wars," she whispered.
Evander stared into the flames.
"A king usually does."
She gently dipped a clean cloth into the warm water.
"This is going to hurt."
"I've been told I have a high pain tolerance."
"We'll see."
The instant she cleaned the wound, his muscles tightened.
She raised one eyebrow.
"High pain tolerance?"
"I didn't say it wouldn't hurt."
She couldn't stop the quiet laugh that escaped her.
For the first time in what felt like forever...
She laughed without forcing it.
As Magnolia continued cleaning the injury, silence settled between them.
Not uncomfortable.
Peaceful.
Finally, she asked the question that had been lingering in her mind since the battle.
"Why did you save me?"
Evander didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he watched the fire.
"When I entered the Wolfbane fortress..."
His voice was quiet.
"...I expected to find an arrogant Luna hiding behind her warriors."
Magnolia spread healing salve across the wound.
"And instead?"
"I found a woman covered in blood."
Her hands paused.
"You weren't fighting."
"No."
"You were treating wounded warriors."
She swallowed.
"They were my people."
He nodded.
"I watched while everyone ran toward the battle."
His eyes lifted to meet hers.
"You ran toward the injured."
Magnolia looked away.
"I was only doing my duty."
"No."
His voice was firm.
"You were protecting those who couldn't protect themselves."
He smiled faintly.
"That's not duty."
"That's character."
She wrapped a clean bandage around his chest, trying very hard not to notice how broad his shoulders were.
"Hold still."
"I am."
"You moved."
"I breathed."
She rolled her eyes.
"I suppose I'll allow that."
Another laugh escaped him.
"You smile more than I expected."
Magnolia tied the bandage securely.
"You laugh more than I expected."
Their eyes met.
For one brief moment...
The war outside disappeared.
A knock interrupted them.
"My King?"
"Enter."
A large warrior stepped inside.
His face immediately changed when he saw Magnolia standing so close to Evander.
"My apologies."
Evander waved him forward.
"What is it, Gideon?"
"The northern scouts have returned."
Gideon finally noticed the fresh bandages.
"You actually let someone patch you up?"
Evander answered without looking away from Magnolia.
"She insisted."
Gideon grinned.
"I like her already."
Magnolia blinked.
"You don't even know me."
"I know anyone who can convince Evander to sit still deserves a medal."
Evander sighed dramatically.
"I may reconsider keeping you as my Beta."
Gideon laughed.
"You've threatened that for fifteen years."
After Gideon left, Magnolia began cleaning the bloody cloths.
"You trust him."
"With my life."
She nodded.
"I had friends like that once."
"What happened?"
She stared at the crimson water.
"I became Luna."
He frowned.
"They stopped seeing Magnolia."
She wrung out another cloth.
"They only saw the title."
The room grew quiet.
Evander finally spoke.
"I still see Magnolia."
Those four words struck something deep inside her.
She turned slowly.
"What?"
"I don't care about your title."
His voice remained steady.
"I care about the woman standing in front of me."
Magnolia quickly looked away, suddenly unable to meet his eyes.
No one...
No one had ever said something like that to her.
Later that evening, Lily appeared carrying a tray of tea and fresh bread.
"I brought snacks!"
Magnolia smiled.
"Thank you."
Lily climbed onto the bed beside her.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Why do you look sad sometimes?"
Magnolia hesitated.
Children noticed everything.
"I miss... who I used to be."
Lily frowned thoughtfully.
"My daddy used to say that flowers look dead in winter."
Magnolia smiled softly.
"He sounds wise."
"He said they aren't dead."
Lily grinned.
"They're just getting ready to bloom again."
Magnolia felt tears prick her eyes.
Out of the mouths of children...
That night, Evander couldn't sleep.
He stood alone on the fortress wall, staring toward the distant Wolfbane territory.
Gideon joined him.
"You're thinking about her."
"Yes."
"You've known her for two days."
Evander nodded.
"I know."
"So why?"
The Alpha King rested his forearms on the stone.
"I've conquered dozens of packs."
"I've met hundreds of Lunas."
"I've seen warriors twice my size."
His expression grew distant.
"But I've never met someone who continues to care for people after they've broken her heart."
He looked toward Magnolia's lit window.
"They ignored her."
"They forgot her."
"They left her standing alone."
His jaw tightened.
"And somehow..."
"She still chooses kindness."
Gideon smiled knowingly.
"I think you're in trouble."
Evander huffed a quiet laugh.
"I think I am."
Across the fortress, Magnolia stood on her balcony beneath the full moon.
The cool breeze lifted strands of her dark strawberry honey-blonde hair as she looked across the Bloodfang lands.
She had expected to find monsters.
Instead, she had found laughter.
Children.
Loyalty.
Respect.
And a king who thanked his healers, protected his people, and accepted care without demanding obedience.
None of it made sense.
Her entire life, she had been told Evander Bloodfang was ruthless.
Perhaps he was.
She had no doubt he could be terrifying on a battlefield.
But beneath the armor...
Beneath the scars...
Was a man carrying burdens no one else could see.
As she rested her hand on the balcony railing, Magnolia realized something that unsettled her.
For the first time since she had been taken from Wolfbane...
She didn't feel like a prisoner.
She felt... safe.
The realization frightened her more than the war ever had.
Because if the stories about Evander had been wrong...
What else had she been taught to believe that wasn't true?
- Writer
