Seren woke up early, feeling hungry and sore from the previous night. She had fallen asleep without eating anything, and her body needed some nourishment to heal.
She dragged herself to the kitchen, trying to recall the events of yesterday. As she reached for a glass of water, she suddenly remembered that she was not alone in the house. She had brought someone home with her, someone who had been injured and needed her care.
She dashed to the hallway, heading for the guest room where she had left him. She was about to knock on the door, when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess, tangled and frizzy from sleep.
She paused and smoothed it down, wanting to look presentable for her visitor. He was not just anyone, he was the beta of their pack, the same cold and silent Lucian who had saved her life in the forest.
His decision to shield her from the assailants who had targeted her that night baffled her. Why would he expose himself to harm for her? He could have acted like the cold hearted person everyone said he was and just looked on.
And why had he not gone to the best clinic in town, but instead had come to her, a simple nurse who worked at a small clinic? What was he hiding? What did he want from her?
She knocked on the door softly, but there was no answer, then she opened it slightly and peeked inside. The bed was empty. He was gone.
"Where is he?" She whispered, alarmed. His wound was deep and serious, he needed rest and medication. She searched the house, but he was nowhere to be found.
She felt a pang of disappointment and confusion.
'what did I expect?' she thought. 'Him laughing and having breakfast with me? ' she shook her head, trying to forget him, but she couldn't. He had left a mark on her, both physically and emotionally. And she had a feeling that would see him again, sooner or later.
******
-He entered the alpha's office, trying to conceal his pain as best as he could. The beta.
"Did you hear the rumor about the scroll?" Graham asked. "I don't know who started it or where it came from, but I suspect it's someone who knows about the past."
Lucian stood there, silent and downcast. He didn't say a word about what had happened to him.
"I want you to find out if this is a rumor or not, and I want the truth from you by noon," Graham ordered.
Lucian left the office, feeling weak and dizzy. As he walked to his home to rest, his vision blurred and his wound throbbed.
He touched the injury and felt blood oozing out. He was about to collapse in an alley when a hand reached out to help him. He looked up and saw Seren, who had a displeased look on her face.
"I'm sorry," Lucian muttered, not knowing why he apologized. His consciousness was fading.
Seren wonders what would have happened if she had stayed away. She had gambled with her own safety by showing up at the alpha office, gaping he would be there as well. She doubted he could have lasted much longer with that injury, even after a night of rest.
Seren, not wasting time, dragged him to her clinic and treated his wound. He fell asleep.
He woke up a few hours later, still in pain. He remembered the alpha's command and knew he had to go and investigate. He also remembered the scroll he had taken from the attackers who had injured him.
He took it out of his clothes and opened it, only to find it empty. 'Why had the attacker guarded it so fiercely? ' he wondered.
He thought he had an easy clue with the scroll, but it was useless.
He got out of bed to carry out the alpha's order. He saw Seren waiting by the door, as if she knew he would leave again.
"Please, eat something before you go," Seren said, unsure of his reaction.
Lucian was startled, not by her request, but by the fact that someone cared enough to ask him to eat. He usually hunted in the forest and ate whatever he caught.
Seren moved closer to Lucian, who was lost in his thoughts. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the dining table. His body instinctively resisted, but then he realized she was not a threat.
He looked at her hand and then at the food. He wanted to refuse, but her eyes gave him no choice.
He slowly picked up the food and ate it, while Lucian wondered how someone could make him feel afraid and grateful at the same time.
Seren watched Lucian, unaware that she was staring. She knew nothing about him, but she felt drawn to him. Maybe it was a pity, because of the scars she had seen on his body. Maybe it was curiosity, because he had shown some sensitivity when she wanted to touch them.
She remembered when she first touched him to lay him on the bed. He had grabbed her hand without opening his eyes.
She also found him attractive, though she couldn't explain why. Everything she had heard about him being cold and quiet seemed like lies, because they didn't know him like what she's seeing now.
Glancing at the table, she acknowledged her oversight of forgetting to place water. Nonchalantly, she shrugged off the responsibility, thinking, 'Can't entirely blame me, ' recalling how she had caught him attempting to sneak out, just like the first time.
She went to get it and came back, when she heard the door slam open and someone entered. She looked over, wondering who could have barged in like that.
She didn't notice the step on the way to the dining room, and she slipped. As she was falling, she felt a hand grab her waist. She looked up and saw Lucian's familiar face.
She had never been so close to Lucian, staring into his intense and captivating grey eyes. Her heart raced, not knowing what would happen next. Lucian was also stunned, feeling something for the girl in his arms that his mind couldn't comprehend. Was it love?
They snapped out of their romantic moment, as Seren turned to see who had come in. She was shocked to recognize the person.
"Layla?!" Seren exclaimed in disbelief