Chapter 2: Thawed

Heat caressed her body.

Not the gentle kind. The kind that hurt. Fire licked at her frozen nerves, stirring them awake, Her blood remembering how to move, lungs scraping themselves raw.

Estelle gasped as she opened her eyes.

“ You are finally awake, I was just starting to lose my patience.“ Estelle heard a familiar voice.

‘ So it wasn't a dream.’ Estelle thought. Turning her head towards the source of sound, she saw a pair of luminous blue eyes staring at her in the darkness.

“ A...Adrian...“ Her voice cracked. Followed by a snarl, she felt her wolf coming out.

“Don’t shift.” Adrian warned her. “Your body won’t survive it yet.”

Estelle groaned in pain, while Adrian's eyes glinted with dark amusement. He seemed... to enjoy her suffering?

Then the memories came flooding back: the snow, the hurrid cold, the chains and his arms carrying her out of death.

Her golden eyes squinted as she surveyed her surroundings. Stone ceiling, wooden floors and wooden walls. heavy animal furs. A fire roaring in a hearth big enough to stand in. The air smelled like pine, iron, sulphur and wolf.

This wasn't Silvervale. Silvervale smelled like earth and pine. This was Frostveil. The enemy's territory.

She tried to sit up and regretted it instantly. The traitor’s brand on her chest pulsed. Her wrists were wrapped in linen, not silver, but the burns underneath still throbbed. But it seemed the wolfsbane in her system was almost neutralized

“Welcome to Frostveil my esteemed guest.” Adrian said. He wasn’t looking at her anymore. He stood by the fire, sleeves rolled up, forearms streaked with soot and what looked like dried blood. “The healers said you’d either wake or you wouldn’t. Seems like you’re the same stubborn woman I know.”

Estelle dragged the fur higher, suddenly aware she wore nothing but a long shirt that smelled like him. “Where are my clo—”

“Burned.” he cut her off.

' Does that mean he saw my...' Estelle shook her head to get rid of unnecessary thoughts.

Adrian turned towards her and she could see him clearly this time. He wore no cloak now. Just a dark henley and stood there with the kind of stillness that made him look like a fearsome scarecrow. The scar through his eyebrow caught the firelight. Up close, his eyes weren’t just pale. They looked like they had blue fire flickering in them. Estelle's glared at Adrian fiercely.

“You saved me.” They way she spoke made it sound like an accusation.

“I took you,” Adrian corrected. “ and I claimed you...." He added again while taking a step closer.

Estelle gritted her teeth. She didn't like the way Adrian said he claimed her. She wasn't his property. It would have been better if he left her there, no save her! She hated it.

“ Estelle, If you are feeling disgusted that I saved you then know I didn't do that out kindness. You should know better than that.“

“Then why?” Her voice was still hoarse. “ Our packs have been at war with each other for decades, and I’m Silvervale’s—”

“Silvervales’s nothing.” he said flatly . “Not anymore. Not to someone who discarded.” He crossed the room in three, large strides and set a clay cup on the table by her bed. Steam rose hypnotically from it.

“Drink. It will give you some strength.” He said while turning around again to stare at the fire.

Estelle stared at Adrian's back, thinking of how satisfying it would feel to stab her claws into it and tear it apart. In the end she suppressed that thought and reached for the cup. It was some kind of broth. She slowly brought it to her mouth but paused. Her nose twitching slightly as she sniffed.

Then a deep voice shook her eardrums.

" It's not poisoned. I need you alive."

Estelle exhaled and closed her eyes. She hated this man with every second that passed by. Steeling herself, she brought the cup to her dark red lips and drank.

The broth burned going down. Energy seeped into her body with every gulp

She placed the cup down and stared at Adrian intensely. “ What do you want from me. Am sure, and I know you didn't save me for no reason.“

Adrian went still, then he glanced over his shoulder and spoke with a smile. “ You will know when you recover, for now.... rest.“

Estelle pressed her lips into a thin line. She felt uneasy at the face of Adrian's hospitality. She would have preferred it if he treated her badly. Two of them were enemies, not allies for goodness sake

“ But why bother? Why Adrian?” Her golden eyes met his. “Why pull a Silvervale heir out of the snow?“ she couldn't understand why the man didn't kill her the moment he had a chance.

Adrian went still. However she could feel a faint trace of bloodlust linger in the air before vanishing. His fist clenched.

He was quiet for so long she thought he wouldn’t answer. Until his lips curved into a sardonic smile: “Because I’ve seen what your family calls justice, Estelle.“ His chest heaved. “ My sister wore a brand like yours when they sent her body back to me ten years ago.” He said with a low growl that made the walls of the shake slightly. The wooden floor beneath his feet cracked sending wooden splinters flying.

Estelle's words died in her throat as she lowered her head.

“I will repeat this, Estelle...“Adrian said, voice low. “ I did not save you out of kindness. No. I didn't." Then he walked to towards her. Estelle only stared at him plainly. When he was close enough he grabbed a fistful of her raven black hair and tugged her head backwards, veins pulsed on his thick forearms as he did so. Estelle held back a wince. She stared defiantly into Adrian's eyes.

He leaned so close Estelle could fell his warm breath on his face.

“ Am glad you fell into my hands Estelle, oh... am really glad you did.“ He closed his eyes and sucked in a sharp breath. “Because am going to do a lot of things to you... A lot.“ He snarled. Estelle breathing rhythm changed. Her canines elongated out of rage. She felt deep regret she didn't have the strength to scar this man's face.

Adrian leaned back and let go of her hair.

“ I can't wait for you to fully recover, Estelle. We going have to have a lot of fun together. You... and I. “

His eyes glowed crimson. Estelle's even did the same, albeit a little weaker, because she was injured. Adrian smiled at her defiance.

He turned to leave, but paused at the door. Without looking back, he added, “ Don't try to escape my little wolf. It won't do any good. And if you try to die, I will drag you back from hell.“

The door shut with a quiet click.

Estelle fell back into the bed with a plop, her chest heaving. She thought of Adrian's words and clenched her fist in frustration. She took deep breathes to calm her wild heart and closed her eyes.

She wondered what her enemy was going to demand from her. But that wasn't her concern as of now. She had to focus on recovering back to full health.

Now that she was given a second chance, she couldn't die yet... she couldn't.