Trapped with the Alpha

They carried Draven Kaelith into her quarters as if he were some fallen king, his unconscious body radiating power even in weakness.

Elaria followed, but her chest was tight and her steps were slower than normal. Even though she didn't have as much space as the pack leader, a healer might still use it. The stone walls were lined with herb shelves, and the air was heavy with the aroma of wolfsbane and dried yarrow. A big bed wrapped in fur was pushed against the wall far away.

She regretted agreeing the second the warriors placed him there.

She spoke harshly, more than she intended to, "Put him on the floor,”

A worried glance passed between the warriors.

“El,” Rhyven began carefully, “he’s bleeding out. The floor is cold stone. If you want him alive”

“Fine,” she cut in, spinning away before anyone could see the flicker of discomfort in her eyes. “On the bed, then. But tie him down. Ankles, wrists, and chest. Double knots.”

The men obeyed quickly, securing the unconscious Alpha with thick leather straps meant for dangerous patients.

And even though she was unaware of it, he seemed too large for her. The bed seemed small because of his massive muscles, and his chest rose and fell with his feeble breaths.

Elaria made herself look at him the way a doctor would look at a patient.

But it wasn't simple. Not when her wolf woke up under her skin every time the air changed with the smell of pine smoke, wet earth, and something that was definitely male.

She gripped the tray of goods she was bringing to the bedside tightly. She was a healer. She could do this.

“Leave us,” she said without looking up.

One of the warriors hesitated. “Are you sure? If he wakes”

She responded in a straightforward manner that made it impossible to argue: "I'll take care of him if he wakes up.”

Rhyven lingered the longest. “El, I don’t like this. You shouldn’t be left alone with him.”

Upon finally looking him in the eye, she noticed worry, but there was also something sharper: jealousy. "I will be okay.”

His jaw tightened. “If he tries anything”

Upon her utterance, "I'll kill him," her tone was so frigid that he recoiled.

Despite their reservations, they walked out and the big door crashed shut behind them.

That was the inaugural instance she had been alone in the chamber with Draven.

There was no sound in the room except the faint crackle of the fire in the corner.

After setting down her tray, Elaria started working. Despite her hands being motionless, her heart was racing. She nibbled the interior of her cheek whenever her hands grazed his warm skin as she diligently tended to his wounds.

He had serious cuts along his ribs that should have killed him. But he had lived. Of course he had.

She said beneath her breath, "Stubborn bastard.”

Her wolf bristled at what she said, as if he was angry for her, and she cursed herself in her head.

She saw the jagged scar across his chest when she went in closer to examine at a wound at his collarbone. It was deep and appeared to have been there for a long time, as if it had been won in combat. She suppressed her need to learn more for a moment.

He wasn’t a mystery to solve. He was a wild animal.

But she found herself staring at his face the entire while she was working. He didn't look like a beast right now.

He looked human. Even weak. His dark lashes lay over sun-kissed skin, and his lips were gently parted as he inhaled.

For a moment, despite her cold nature, a sliver of warmth appeared inside her.

She pulled back quickly, scolding herself. "You dare not feel sorry for him.”

He appeared to hear her as he inclined his head toward her and subtly adjusted his body.

Elaria froze. His eyes fluttered open—just for a moment, hazy and gold, but focused directly on her.

Her heart rate went increased.

"Don't move," she said without thinking, even if his leather straps locked him in place.

But he didn’t struggle. His stare was fixed solely on her, his eyes unbreakable. Then, to her utter shock, he spoke.

“You’re… here.” His speech was gruff and cracked, like gravel moving across stone.

Elaria’s breath caught.

“Stay still. You’re injured,” she said quickly, forcing her tone to stay neutral.

But he didn’t seem to hear her. His gaze roamed her face as if memorizing it, his golden eyes softening in a way that was… wrong. Draven Kaelith wasn’t supposed to look at anyone like that.

He spoke again, but his voice was quiet. “Mate…”

Air was forced out of her lungs as the phrase struck her chest.

Her heart pounded so quickly that it hurt when she jerked back. No. Not this again. Not him.

With a start, Elaria got up, stepped away from the bed, and gripped the edge of the table as if it would support her.

She whispered to herself, "Stop it," as if she were scolding herself and hoping her wolf would stop talking back to him.

But her wolf didn't pay attention. Its instincts yelled in agreement with his words, and it surged beneath her skin. Mate.

Draven's eyes sagged once again, and he relapsed into a sound sleep. The burden of that single word fell solely upon her.

Elaria put a shivering palm on her chest and breathed in and out unevenly.

“Damn you,” she said in a shaky voice. “Damn you for this.”

She was so thirsty for oxygen that she dashed toward the door, but a low, guttural growl made her stop.

Elaria’s head whipped back toward the bed.

Draven felt weak and his eyelids were still closed, but his wolf was awake. His claws twitched as though his sleeping beast were waking up, and his muscles tensed against the restraints.

Then he spoke in a harsher, deeper, and less sympathetic voice:

“Mine.”

The leather straps groaned with the unexpected power as his body lurched against them. Despite his wounds, he felt more resilient.

Her heart leaped into Elaria's throat.

She shouted, "Stay down!" but her voice was trembling.

Draven's golden eyes opened wide, and they were suddenly bright, not blurry or confused. Predatory. Focused. On her.

And as the restraints began to strain against his sudden strength, Elaria realized something with a jolt of panic.

If he broke free right now, in this room, with no one else around…

She wouldn’t be able to stop him