Chapter 5

" You will have to lie on the floor with the debris. There is also no blanket to wrap yourself with."

Alpha Caden said when he noticed her discomfort over the thought of lying down without a blanket.

"I think I will have to sit the night out. It will not take long, I hope, for morning to come."

She said, her eyes averted towards the entrance of the cave. The wind outside blew into the cave and she shivered. It was a chill night and she was worried that they might run out of dry twigs before it was morning.

"If you think you can sit out the night, It is totally not my business. You can do as you want. But know that I shall not have you dose off on the horse tomorrow when we start on the journey."

He said in the usual stern way that she was fast getting acquainted with. she did not reply as she wrapped her hands around herself and continued to stare into the fire. 

****

When Madison woke up,. She was startled. She did not know she had fallen asleep. And her head was resting on alpha Caden's thigh and his warm arms were wrapped around her.

His head was reclining against the wall of the cave and the fire was still on

"It is going to be bright in the next four hours and then we can be on our way."

He said when he felt her stir.

Madison was having a hard time figuring out how she had slept off and how she was in the Alpha's arms. 

"My lord, I'm sorry I slept off."

She said.

"You were not supposed to stay up. There is no need to apologize."

He snapped.

"I would want to ease myself now."

She said. He let her go abruptly and she sat up. It had stopped raining and the moon was partially out in the sky. Not bright enough for anyone to travel the night with.

"Then go out and do it."

He said.

She stood up and walked to the entrance of the cave. She looked back and he was still sitting. She sighed and walked out into the night. She needed to use the outhouse but there was no outhouse in the forest and so she squatted a few meters from the cave and urinated on the ground.. when she rose and hiked her skirts up, alpha Caden was standing right behind her.

"You startled me, my lord." She complained as her hand flew to her chest, to quell the thumping.

"I would not let you come out here alone even if I wished you dead."

He said icily.

"But I had not gone far from the cave."

"Anything could have reached you and devoured you. It is wild place you stand.. get back into the cave and stay there safe.. there is a wild beast even now coming towards us."

Madison dashed into the cave and stayed by the entrance as she heard Alpha Caden unsheath his sword. 

Truly, something was advancing towards the cave and she feared that he might be hurt.

" Maybe you should come into the safety of the cave, my lord!"

She called from inside. He ignored her. Madison could hear the footsteps of whatever beast it was. They were heavy footsteps that shook the earth. She shuddered at the thought of what could happen if Alpha Caden could not send the beast away. But she had seen him fight the witch in his wolf form and she knew he was powerful. Yet, she had doubts. She was worried that the alpha would end up hurt and it would be her fault.

"Stop there!"

She heard Alpha Caden call out to the enormous beast whose form she could not make out from where she stood. He was brandishing his sword.

The beast continued to advance until she could hear the little rocks under her feet rattling and the trees whistle wildly as they swayed violently under the impact of the beasts' gigantic stride. The last thing she saw in the darkness was Alpha Caden being picked up by the beast. 

"Nooo!" She cried as she watched the beast throw him off into the woods. She dashed out and began to shift into her wolf form. The beast turned to her and started to bend over to pick her up, as big as she was in her wolf form, but Alpha Caden had risen up with his sword and he drove it into the beast.. it stopped momentarily, but soon turned around and charged towards alpha Caden, But Alpha Caden had shifted into his wolf form and he attacked the beast at the same time that Madison did. Together, they sent it away, wounded but not killed.

"My lord, are you hurt?"

She asked as she ran to him and helped him up. He had broken a rib from being thrown against a tree.

"I'm fine."

He said grimly, wincing in pain.

She helped him back into the cave and they sat by the fire.

She tore the hems of her skirt and tied it around the places where he was cut and bleeding.

"That is enough. I am going to be fine."

"But my lord, there is still one more spot bleeding on your body."

She said.

He looked at her for a long time and said,

"Why do you care about it?"

"My lord, you are hurt and I can not bear to see you remain so. I must tie up the wounds until we can get a proper medication for you."

" I ask again, Madison, why do you care so much? Won't you rather I died for forcing you to come to my pack and do my biddings? "

She started to shake her head. When she had slept off, he had made his thigh her pillow and she was only trying to reciprocate the gesture.

" Madison, I shall ask you this one last time, will you marry me or not?"