CHAPTER FOUR

KIA'S POV

I have trained and studied warriors for decades. I have won battles and lead men to battles, I have learnt to study and detect the hidden nature of beings but when I stared at the girl who saved my life,I couldn't decipher her.

Her eyes looked sad ,empty and heavy all at the same time.

"I want to join your pack, can you accept me as your member " she said

Her request caught me off guard, she did not request for gold or status but to leave her pack.

"You want to leave your pack?" I asked carefully.

"Yes" she affirmed

"What pack are you from?" I asked her

"Woodcroft pack" she said

Now that,was interesting because I was currently a guest at Woodcroft pack,I came to attend the mating ceremony between Alpha Owen's son and his Luna.

Woodcroft Park was quite powerful and politically stable so why would anyone want to leave it.

"You want to leave Woodcroft?" I asked again.

She stared at me hard this time "yes sir"

"And why do you want to leave your pack". I asked her

She shook her head "I can't tell you the reason sir ,but you promised to give me what I want "

Her voice didn't crack,it was quite steady but her shoulders looked rigid

I watched her for some seconds as I tried to decode her, her request didn't sound impulsive but desperate,like a thought that has been brewing for a while.

"Very well" I said finally. "i will see what I can do about that".

Her shoulders loosened as though she had been expecting me to refuse her request.

"It's getting late" I continued. " we need to return before my people get extremely worried"

We shifted to our wolf and began running, I slowed my pace intentionally not because the injury was healed but because I observed that she hadn't regain her energy yet. She used most of her energy to heal me and she looked like she hasn't had a proper meal in days,I didn't want to risk her passing out.

As we approached Woodcroft pack, I could hear the anxious voices of my pack members in my mind. They were worried about me,I told them I was going for a run alone and they haven't seen me yet.

We shifted back to our human form before leaving the woods,the moment they saw me my Beta Cassian rushed forward to meet me.

"Alpha!" he signed in relief "I could not mind link you for hours,what happened to you?"

He noticed another presence beside me and his gaze shifted to her. "Who is she?" he asked.

"Her name is Raven Sinclair,she is the healer that healed me,I was caught in a poisonous trap in the woods" I said calmly.

Alpha Owen stepped forward quickly, his expression plastered with concern.

"Alpha Kia" he said. "We have been deeply worried about you".

"Well I am fine now and you have her to thank for it" I said placing a hand on Raven's shoulder.

His gaze shifted to her "thank you Raven".

She did not smile but simply inclined her head slightly at him.

Behind Alpha Owen stood his son Damien Wood,who I noticed was staring at Raven in a possessive way,interesting.

"She is the pride of Woodcroft pack" Alpha Owen said to me.

I noticed the way Raven's face stiffened at his compliment, she then subtly stepped closer to me like she wanted me to protect her from an unseen danger. It was very obvious she was not comfortable with his attention.

"I would love to see you in your office if you don't mind" I told Owen and by now,the warriors had already started to disperse.

I mind linked my Beta and told him to prepare my account for something and he went away to do that, I knew he wanted to ask me the reason but he stayed silent.

Alpha Owen nodded and lead the way to his office and I followed him with his son Damien as well.

"Are you following us?" Owen asked Raven as he noticed that who was walking slowly behind me.

"Yes"I answered for her and his face hardened but he kept quiet and continued walking.

We entered the office and he offered me a seat but didn't offer Raven ,she didn't mind,she just stood behind me.

I went straight to the point immediately

"I want her" I said to him.

Alpha Owen blinked at my request

"She is a member of my pack"he said cautiously. "Our healer,we cannot simply give her away to you with no just cause".

Raven cleared her throat and gave him a hard glare,I turned to look at her and I could see hatred behind her eyes, what happened to her here.

Damien stepped forward suddenly.

"You can't have her,she belongs to me". he said.

Raven turned to him slowly.

"How do I belong to you?" she asked with a strained voice.

I turned to look at Damien,"How is she yours?" I asked him.

He opened his mouth and was about to say something but closed it instantly as he stared at his father.Then he looked away with his jaw moving as if he was chewing back anger.

Raven exhaled softly and muttered "I thought so".

Now it was getting clear to me ,this was personal.

I returned my gaze to Alpha Owen and he looked very uncomfortable,which meant he was involved with whatever this was going on here.

I leaned back slightly and cleared my throat."i am aware of our law ,I cannot simply take a member of another pack".

I could see Owen relax a bit but then I continued "but however,if that member wants to leave on her accord,there are negotiations to be made for her transfer".

His eyes danced at that, greedy bastard. Yes negotiations can be made for a pack member to leave their pack,it is called a transfer f*e. it could be money ,a deal or a favor.

"So" I asked calmly, " what would it cost for her to follow me?"

I could feel Damien breathing furiously but his father seemed rather thrilled with the idea.

"One thousand Wolf Marks,"he said with mincing words.

So that was her worth to him,one thousand wolf marks,for a gifted healer.

"it's a deal then" I said immediately

"My Beta will transfer it to you before the end of today".

Owen stood up as I did and we shook hands.

"She is yours" he said with a wide smile on his face.

It was done then ,she was no longer a member of the Woodcroft pack.

I stared at Raven and she stood there frozen,staring at me in shock.