The Broken Wolf

(8) Elodie

Theres a knock on the cabin door the next morning, a red haired green eyed woman stands on the other side holding a muffin and a mug filled with hot coffee. She grins at me as she introduces herself. Kara, the Hallow Night Lands Healer.

“Thank you for the food.” I tell her anxiously tapping the outside of my mug as we sit on the porch. She said something about Dominic not wanting anyone in his den when I invited her in. I was too confused to ask what she meant. “You really didn’t have to. I’m sure I could have figured something out.”

“Knowing Dominic his kitchen is probably empty.” She snorts. “He’s a ‘hunt what you eat’ type. Beyond that he usually has dinner at the lodge.”

“You seem to know a lot about him.” I keep my tone light despite the sudden spark of envy in my chest.

Her green eyes seem to flash knowingly and she hums, “He’s stressing about various things which is why you won’t see him much.”

I think back to my conversation with Sarah in the kitchens. An ache in my chest forms behind my ribs. I’m confronted again with the reality that none of this is normal.

“He hates me.” I say in spite of myself flinching at the sound of pitiful defeat in my voice.

So maybe I had let myself dream. Wish upon a star and beg the fates to give me a destiny beyond the one I’ve been cursed for since the beginning. Despite the determination I felt last night to handle everything with my head held high. Something primal within me is deeply hurt at my mates treatment of me.

Kara doesn’t respond. Standing she dusts herself off and leaves her mug perched on the banister. “How about you come over to the healer cabin for now? We can get you something to eat.”

Back home the healers were a sort of comfort for me. They’d saved my life more times than I could count and I spent more time sleeping in their cots than anywhere else. So I stand to follow her. Her gaze fits down and her brows furrow. “You might want to change. I’d hate to get your pretty dress all stained.”

I glance down at the yellow dress. Selene hadn’t explicitly said she wanted it back but it was probably the nicest thing I’d ever worn. I doubted she’d be too happy if anything happened to it. I sighed in frustration. Why couldn’t they have let me just pack one outfit.

“I don’t have anything else to wear.” I say and step down the porch. “Its fine. Lead the way.”

#

The healers cabin isn’t too far away. By design Kara says. If anything were to happen the Alpha’s den being nearby means he can get to the injured and needy as quickly as necessary.

It’s a comforting building nestled deep in the woods surrounded on all sides by tall trees. A stream cuts through on the left side where a bucket has been left. The walls are covered in vines that drape over the porch like a curtain of greenery.

“Its built to house ten. Currently its me and one little wolf who should be around here somewhere.” Kara hums as she leads me through the doorway into a main room filled with various things, shelves overflow with jars, plants and books. Everywhere my eyes land something odd catches my gaze.

An upside down ship missing its mast.

A book titled ‘The Poisoned Heart’.

A giant green plant with teeth.

That last one has me double taking.

“Dawn! Come here and greet our guest.” Kara makes her way to the kitchen nimble fingers pull things from the cabinets and she motions for me to sit at the counter.

The sound of bare feet hitting the floor is all I hear before a grinning pup emerges from a hallway her hair is short trimmed around her ears eyes a bright brown as she grins at me. Her left leg drags as she approaches but I can almost see her tail wagging she’s so excited. “You’re Alphas mate!”

I bristle at the word. Its not the first time I’ve been referred to as Dominic’s mate. But maybe it’s the first time the word holds no hidden tension. Its said so easily from the little girls mouth its almost shocking.

“I am.” I can’t help the small smile I give her and she squeals coming closer her hands gripping at my dress as she looks up at me.

“Wow! You’re so pretty! My names Dawn.”

“Elodie.” I reply caught a bit off guard by her genuine joy.

“Dawn joined our pack a few years ago. Alpha Dominic saved her from some rouge wolves.” Kara made her away around and patted Dawns hair she placed a bowl in front of me with diced fruit. “She stays with me full time.”

“I’m a healer in training.” Dawn declares proudly earning another pat on the head.

“My best protégé.” Kara grins. “Speaking of, where’s the other one.”

“Riley said she needed to go talk to Alpha.” Dawn says simply.

“She was supposed to help you weed the garden.”

Dawn shrugs innocently and Kara groans.

“Uhm, I can help her do that if you’d like.” I offer wringing my hands. Menial work is something I’ve always been comfortable with. Besides Dominic had disappeared last night without so much as a mention to my duties. I figured weeding the garden would be acceptable.

Kara brightened, “You don’t mind? I really just meant to feed you. But Dawn is still learning so I need someone to watch her while I work.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Great! Dawn show Elodie the garden and the shed. I have to go pick up my misbehaving student.”

With instructions to water the lavender and feed the birds Kara leaves.

#

I don’t remember the last time I spent so much time with a pup. Dawn is a breath of fresh air in what has otherwise been a very tumultuous twenty-four hours.

She points out flowers, stumbles over the names and shows me the proper way to pull weeds. Eventually we’re sitting side by side in the massive garden her with her leg outstretched.

Kara said she stays with her full time, that Dominic had saved her. Eyeing her little leg its easy to imagine just what her life had been like.

Rouge wolves are sick being’s incapable of rationality. Moon-mad and feral they hunt their own young and terrorize anything that crosses their paths. When things used to get really bad—and they always did—the reminder of the very real threat always kept me from choosing the wilderness as sanctuary.

“Our Alpha really likes you.” Dawn says her voice as unassuming as the sun in winter. I blink and splutter.

“What?”

“Ms. Kara said so, hes just being ‘pig-headed.’” She grins wide her pretty eyes blinking at me eagerly. “Do you like him too?”

I want to explain that her Alpha stormed out of his own house last night to put as much distance as he could between us. That he seems to hate me in spite of the mark that he placed on my neck. That I know very little about him. I want to find Kara and ask her exactly what about his behaviour means he likes me. But that feels childish in a way my pride wont allow.

And beyond that the question is innocent. A pup curious about the world, one who still believes in fairytales.

So gingerly I smile at her, “Do you like him?”

“He saved my life! And he always brings me candy.” She declares like life is simple and a piece of chocolate can make everything better.

I wish that were the case.

That’s when an older girl barrels into the garden, spots me, and freezes. Her brows quickly furrowing as she musters a deep glare.

“You!”