Chapter 6 The Stranger in My Clinic

Chapter 6

The Stranger in My Clinic

Elera’s POV

My hands shook and then Lucien’s voice broke through my head. “Elera, he’s fading.”

I forced myself to breathe, one breath and then another and I knelt beside the stretcher before my legs gave up on me.

Damon lay there like death already owned him and blood stained his shirt, his face was pale and his chest rose slowly and unevenly.

Five years.

Five years and he still looked the same.

My chest tightened and the bond pulled and it hurts like an old wound opened again.

I lowered my head fast.

“Bring him inside,” I said andmy voice sounded calm, but it was not. “Put him on the bed.”

Lucien watched me closely. “Are you sure?”

I nodded. “I’m the healer.”

The men lifted Damon and carried him into my hut and then I stepped back, and then followed and each step felt heavy, like the floor was water and I was sinking.

They placed him on the bed.

“Leave us,” I said and one by one, they went out but Lucien stayed.

“I will help,” he said.

“Good,” I answered and then I washed my hands. The water ran red when I cleaned the blood from my fingers and I did not look at Damon’s face, I could not.

Lucien broke the torn cloth. “Deep wounds, blade marks.”

“Hold him still,” I said and Lucien pressed Damon’s shoulders and Damon groaned and his head turned and also his scent filled the room.

My heart jumped and I pressed my lips together and work and then I cleaned the wound and Damon groaned again.

“Easy,” Lucien said gently and Damon’s eyes opene, just a little and they landed on me.

My breath caught and his eyes were darker now, tired, but they were the same eyes that once looked at me with hate.

I then looked away.

“Where… am I?” he asked and his voice was weak, and rough.

“A safe place,” Lucien answered and Damon’s eyes came back to me, slowly, like he could not stop them.

“You,” he said and my hands froze for one second and then forced them to move again.

“Don’t talk,” I said. “You lost a lot of blood.”

My voice sounded strange to my own ears, it was too gentle and too careful.

Damon frowned. “Your voice…”

Lucien stepped closer. “Rest, Alpha, you were attacked near the border.”

Damon closed his eyes and then opened them again and was still looking at me.

“You smell…” He stopped and his jaw tightened. “Strange.”

I swallowed.

“Drink this,” I said and lifted the cup to his lips.

He hesitated, and then drank and his fingers brushed mine.

Fire.

The bond screamed inside me and I pulled my hand back fast, Lucien saw it and his eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

I stitched the wound and Damon gritted his teeth but did not scream.

“You havedone this before,” he muttered.

“Yes,” I said

“How long?” he asked.

“Long enough.”

And silence fell

Outside, I heard Lior’s laughter, far away and my heart stopped and then Lucien heard it too and he moved to the door and shut it.

Damon’s eyes sharpened. “A child?”

“No,” Lucien said quickly. “Just the camp.”

I kept my head down and Damon shifted, then winced. “You live here?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“With rogues?” His voice carried a hint of disgust, old Damon, the same.

“Yes.”

He watched me again and too closely.

“Look at me,” he said and my hands trembled and I did not want to, but I did and our eyes met.

The world went quiet and something flashed in his eyes, confusion, pain and pull.

He then shook his head. “I don’t know you,” he said slowly. “But… it feels like I should.”

My chest hurts.

“You are weak,” I said. “Sleep.”

He did not sleep and he just kept watching me and Lucien cleared his throat. “You need rest, she will watch over you.”

Damon’s eyes never left my face.

“What is this place called?” he asked and Lucien answered. “A place you should not remember.”

Damon ignored him and he looked at me again and his voice was low now and careful.

“Healer,” he said “What is your name?”

My heart slammed hard against my ribs and I opened my mouth and the bond burned.

Outside, the wind rose and I stared at him, and the past crashed into the present.

“My name is—” The word stuck in my throat.

Lucien looked at me and his eyes warned me, his face was calm, but I saw it, do not say it

Damon waited and his eyes did not blink and then I breathef in.

“Asha,” I said and the name tasted bitter, it burns on my tongue.

Damon repeated it slowly. “Asha.”

Something moved in his face, it was not anger, it was not hate, it was something softer and something lost.

“Asha,” he said again, like he was testing it. “Healer Asha.”

“Yes,” I answered quickly. “Drink, you need rest.”

He did not argue, he drank and his eyes closed, but his brow stayed tight.

Lucien then stepped closer to me and his voice was low. “You did well.”

I nodded, but my hands shool.

Night fell.

Lucien sent everyone away, only the fire stayed and only the sound of Damon’s breath.

I sat near the bed, not too close and not too far.

I cleaned his wounds again and then he groaned.

“Don’t die,” I whispered without meaning to and his eyes opened. “You care too much for a stranger.”

I froze.

“It’s my duty,” I said and he watched me. “You don’t look like a rogue healer.”

I kept my eyes down. “Sleep.”

After a long moment, he did and I stepped outside and the air was cold.

Lucien followed me.

“You should not keep him,” he said.

“He would have died,” I answered.

“And now?” Lucien asked. “Now he lives and you bleed inside.”

I hugged my arms. “I can handle it.”

Lucien shool his head. “This Alpha broke you once.”

“I am not that girl anymore,” I said and he studied me. “You still dream of her pain.”

I then turned away, the night deepened and I slept on the floor and the fire died low.

The dream came fast and the moon was bright, the crowd laughed, my arm burned and Damon’s voice broke me open.

“I reject you.”

I screamed and I woke up shaking.

The hut was dark and the fire was almost gone.

Then Damon screams.

“No!”

I jumped up.

“Elera!”

My heart stopped. .

“Elera,” he cried again and his body twisted and his hands clutched the bed.

Lucien rushed in. “Damon. Wake up.”

Damon gaspsed and his eyes flew open.

He sat up, breathing hard.

He looked at me.

“You,” he whispered and my name hung between us, it was not the false one, it was the real one.