The Wolf That Watches

The healer's chamber was silent save for the slight crackle of the fire.

Elaria wiped the perspiration from her brow while sitting on the side of the bed, her fingers quivering a little. She didn't want to acknowledge how exhausted she was from the healing.

As he lay motionless beneath the furs, Draven Kaelith's enormous chest began to rise and fall with slow, steady breaths. Her touch had caused his wounds to close, the violent gashes turning into faint scars.

He looked almost… peaceful.

Too peaceful.

Elaria frowned, her gaze lingering on his face despite herself. He appeared younger without his typical frown and the ruthless gleam she had witnessed on battlegrounds. Softer.

She nearly forgot who he was because of it.

Almost.

She shifted back a little and murmured under her breath, "Don't you dare look harmless." "You're still the idiot who set half of my pack on fire.”

As though it didn't agree, her wolf shifted uneasily inside her chest.

Traitor.

She sighed in frustration and forced herself up, turning to wipe her hands of the blood at the basin.

She froze when she heard movement behind her.

Her heart thumping, she turned slowly.

Draven’s golden eyes were open.

And they were locked on her.

Immediately, the air changed, growing heavier with his stare. He observed her with his head cocked slightly, his face impassive, but his wolf was obviously awake—alert, calculating.

Elaria forced herself to remain calm and swallowed deeply. "You ought to be sleeping," she stated calmly.

Instead of responding immediately, he continued to observe her, his eyes moving over her face, her hair, and her throat for an excessive amount of time.

Then he spoke, his voice low, rough from sleep but steady. “You stayed.”

She didn't want to accept the flame that the simple words caused in her chest.

With her arms crossed, she stated bluntly, "I didn't do it for you." "I took this action because allowing you to perish here would lead to more issues for my pack.”

There was a slight curvature of his lips, almost like a smile. “Liar.”

Elaria stiffened. “Excuse me?”

“You care.” He seemed to look right through her walls, and his golden gaze softened a little. "In any other way, you wouldn't have cured me.”

She couldn't stop it before heat shot up her cheeks. "I am a healer." That's what I do. Don’t mistake duty for—”

With his voice firmer now and his wolf rumbling beneath the word like a drumbeat, he interjected, "Mate.”

Her heart pounded wildly.

Although there was a slight wobble in her voice, she angrily said, "I told you to stop saying that.”

His golden eyes were piercing and unblinking as his head tipped once again. "What is true cannot be stopped.”

Elaria started to complain, but he moved—slowly, purposefully—sitting against the pillows before she could counter.

The furs fell away from his chest, exposing the slight scars left by her mending and the firm lines of muscle.

Heat crawled up her neck as she immediately looked aside.

Draven noticed.

As he threw his legs over the side of the bed, his lips curled slightly and his eyes flickered with delight. "When you don't want to, you keep turning your head away.”

Her pulse betrayed her, but she shot back immediately, "I'm not looking at you." "I am ensuring that you do not reopen your wounds.”

Evidently not convinced, he hummed softly in his throat.

Then he stood in a single fluid motion.

Elaria took a reflexive step back, but he didn't approach her just yet. He tested his repaired muscles as he stretched gently and moved like a predator.

"Better," he said plainly, shrugging his shoulders while maintaining eye contact with her.

She harshly remarked, "You should still rest," ignoring the way her pulse pounded at how much he resembled his typical commanding self.

His voice lowered, and his eyes softened a little. He repeated, "You stayed," as though that were the most important thing.

Elaria tensed up and crossed her arms more tightly. “I stayed because I had to, Kaelith. Don't make assumptions.”

His golden eyes glinted dimly in the firelight as he cocked his head. “You can keep pretending. But your wolf won’t.”

That caused her chest to constrict uncomfortably, and he moved—quickly this time—before she could react.

Before she could retreat further, he surrounded her with his heat and closed the gap between them in two long strides.

She threatened to shove him away with a raised hand, but he grabbed her wrist tenderly, his hold powerful but not painful.

Even if they were gentler today, his golden eyes still pierced hers. "You are free to refuse me anything. But every time you heal me, every time you look at me like that…” His gaze dipped to her lips briefly before locking back on her eyes. “Your wolf is answering mine.”

Elaria's heart thumped so painfully. She added, her voice suddenly lower, even trembling, "You don't know what you're talking about.”

His lips curled slightly, and it wasn't mean for the first time. “You can lie to yourself, healer. But I’ll wait. Your wolf won’t stay quiet forever.”

When his thumb touched the inside of her wrist, it was a quick, almost gentle touch that sent a shockwave through her entire body, causing her breath to catch.

She muttered, "Don't touch me," but it sounded softer than she intended.

His golden eyes glinted as he tilted his head. "You're trembling.”

She yanked her hand free and yelled, "Because you're a monster.”

His jaw tightened slightly, and his face hardened for the first time. However, he didn't approach her once more.

Rather, he took a hesitant step back and stared at her face for a while more before turning back to face the bed.

He finally said, "I'll rest," in a calmer tone. "But, Elaria, don't lie to me again.”

She blinked in surprise that he had so casually used her name.

Without saying anything more, he reclined on the bed and closed his eyes, but his breathing was still too precise and steady.

He was awake.

Before turning to face the door, Elaria remained motionless for a considerable amount of time, her heart still racing.

His voice broke the silence before her hand had even touched the latch.

With a low, nearly growling voice, he urged, "Don't leave.”

She turned slightly, looking directly into his half-lidded golden eyes.

She tried to sound irritated rather than agitated when she said, "You need to sleep.”

"I will," he said, his eyes hard and gloomy. “But only if you stay.”

Elaria’s breath hitched despite herself.

And before she could decide whether to walk out or stay, his wolf’s voice rumbled from the bed, soft but certain—

“Stay, mate.”