RHEA’S POV I stayed by Kael’s side through the long, dark hours of the night, my head resting heavy against the edge of the mattress as the freezing snowstorm continued to blow outside the high stone windows.
Exhaustion had pulled me under into a light, quiet sleep, but the moment the faint gray light of dawn began creeping into the bedroom, the light made me stir.
When I finally opened my eyes, a tall, imposing shadow was standing directly over me, blocking out the dim morning light.
My heart slammed against my ribs immediately.
I sat up quickly, rubbing the sleep from my swollen eyes as I backed away, staring up at the figure standing beside the four-poster bed.
I could tell he was an Elder instantly.
He carried a heavy, polished wooden staff carved with ancient, interlocking runes, nearly identical to the staff held by the traditionalist Elder who had thrown me into the decaying cell, a long, snow-white beard flowed down the front of his ceremonial attire.
I pushed myself backward against the carved headboard, pulling my knees tightly against my chest to create space between us.
“Who are you?” I asked, my voice sharp, guarded, and laced with immediate suspicion.
“Why are you here?” After my violent encounter with the last Elder in the snow, I didn’t expect this one to be any kinder or more reasonable.
The old man leaned heavily on his staff, his wrinkled face completely unreadable as his dark eyes traveled slowly over Kael’s still, unmoving body.
“The Alpha I helped crown is lying here unconscious and fighting for his life,,” he said, his deep, gravely voice echoing through the quiet room.
“The supreme leader of this territory cannot fall without the council keeping watch over him.
I am here to check on my Alpha.” “He isn’t fighting for his life anymore,” I snapped immediately, setting my jaw with firm, unyielding doctor’s authority.
“Thanks to proper medical care and the quick work of his healers, Kael has a fighting chance.
His pulse is steady, his internal bleeding has stopped, and his fever is almost over.
He’ll be up in no time.” The Elder didn’t respond to my words right away.
Instead, he slowly turned his head to look at me, his thick white eyebrows knitting together.
His pupils dilated rapidly, and for a terrifying, heart-stopping second, his dark eyes flashed a bright, molten gold in the dim light of the room.
“I hear you are the Alpha’s fated mate,” he murmured, his low voice dropping into a rumbling hum that sent tremors straight through the floorboards.
My eyes widened in shock, but I caught myself almost instantly, forcing my face to go completely neutral and blank.
Still, the quick, involuntary reaction gave me away and he had already seen through me in seconds.
“That’s ridiculous,” I said quickly, shaking my head with a bitter laugh.
“I am just a human doctor.
I know nothing about your wolf bonds, your fated mates, or anything relating to that.
Alpha Kael only said those words to stop his guards from executing me in the courtyard yesterday.” The old man stepped closer, leaning over the edge of the bed with a cold, calculating glint in his piercing gaze.
“For a simple, fragile human girl, you seem to know a lot about our culture, our laws, and our language,” he noted softly, his voice dropping an octave.
Before I could pull away, he reached out with surprising, terrifying speed.
His rough, calloused fingers grabbed my chin tightly, pinching my jaw and forcing me to look straight into his glowing, golden eyes.
“Most humans would pass out in absolute fright or scream for mercy the moment they saw a giant wolf in the wild,” he whispered, examining every inch of my face.
“Yet you’re standing here in the Alpha’s private quarters, talking back to an Elder of the high council without a single bit of fear in your voice.” I refused to let him see me break.
I met his intense, inhuman gaze head-on, forcing my racing pulse to slow down as I lied straight through my teeth.
“I am a surgeon.
I deal with bloody, terrifying, and life-threatening situations every single day of my life.
In my line of work, panic gets people killed.
Fear doesn’t help my patients survive, staying calm and focused does.
Now let go of my face.” He held my chin in his firm grip for a few long seconds, searching my eyes for any trace of lies or hidden agenda.
Finding my expression completely firm, calm, and unyielding, he slowly released his grip, stepping back with a low hum in his throat.
He didn’t say another word, but as he turned his back and walked toward the heavy oak double doors, he paused.
He cast one last, sharp glance back over his shoulder at me, a look filled with deep scrutiny and unspoken warning, before stepping out into the corridor and shutting the door behind him.
The exact moment the heavy brass latch clicked shut, the tension drained from my body.
I collapsed back against the mattress, heaving a massive, shuddering sigh of relief.
I raised a trembling hand, pressing my fingertips over the red spots on my chin where his rough fingers had pinched my skin.
“What is wrong with the Elders in this pack?” I muttered aloud to the empty room, shaking my head in utter frustration.
“Seriously, what is with their absolute, infuriating inability to just use their words like normal human beings without grabbing people?” I let out a breath and turned back to the quiet man lying beside me.
I watched Kael’s wide chest rise and fall in a peaceful, rhythmic beat, taking comfort in the steady hum of his breathing.
I took a deep, steadying breath of my own, resolving my emotions once and for all.
This pack had another thing coming if they thought they could threaten me.
I was not that naive or helpless and I sure as hell wasn’t going to let their hostility push me around or drive me out before my work was finished.
I wasn’t here for them, and I certainly had no intention of getting dragged into their dangerous fights or ambitions.
All I cared about was making sure Kael survived his wounds, teaching his healers how to keep him stable, and getting back home safely to my sweet Elias.