"Ryker!" I called out and his body stiffened a bit as he continued walking slowly before I called out louder, "Alpha Ryker, can I have a word?"
He slowed down and turned to look at me gritting his teeth, "What is it?"
"I was thinking, since I'm staying for a few days, we could... get to know each other better, your highness."
He furrowed his brows and he drew close to me, "Why would I want that?"
I paused for a moment, trying to think of words that would not anger him, "Well, we don't exactly see eye to eye, but I think we could find some common -"
He coIdly cut me off, shaking his head in disbelief, "Save it! I overheard your conversation with my twin. You think you can just come here and charm your way past me?"
My eyes opened wide, before I cautiously responded, "Your highness, I—"
"You'll stay out of respect for my twin, not because I want your company."
"That's not very king-like of you." The words escaped my mouth before I could control myself.
His eyes darkened, and he clenched his fists before he took a huge breath. "You'd do well to remember your place, dwarf. I'm not someone to be played with."
I just stood quietly as he turned and continued walking.
"My brother will come around, don't worry." Xander patted me on my back, as I took a deep breath and began following him.
I had not yet gotten used to the winding corridors that were in their palace. As always he left me by the beautifully crafted wooden door that led to my quarters.
"Dinner will be served in the great hall soon. Don't be late." Xander said with a smile as I entered my chambers.
"Thank you, your highness." I responded with a smile.
"Just call me Xander please." With that he turned and walked back.
The room felt comfortable, and had a very huge bed in the center of it. A fireplace was on the opposite side to where the balcony that overlooked the garden was.
After dinner, I slipped myself and my baby into my bed. My baby quickly drifted to sleep, but I could not find sleep. My mind kept wandering, what the next day would bring. I kept asking myself, did I make the right choice to stop over for a while in this pack?
Only time would tell.
The next morning, I woke up, bathed my baby and myself. After eating breakfast, I decided to move around the pack to get more familiar with it.
I kept quiet as I walked through the narrow paths between the pack houses, clutching my son tightly to my side. It had only been a few days since we had arrived here, and though the place was supposed to be safe, I couldn't help but look over my shoulder every few steps.
Paranoia? Maybe.
But after everything I had been through, I'd learned to be cautious.
Freedom, true freedom, was still only just a myth.
My son tugged at my sleeve, as his bright eyes watched a group of children chasing each other a few yards away. My heart twisted, and I forced a smile.
It wasn't fair. He should be moving around like the other kids, laughing, carefree. I wanted nothing more than to give him that.
But for now, our safety depended on blending in, keeping a low profile.
Just as I opened my mouth to try and distract him with a song, a distant shout shattered the quiet afternoon. A commotion erupted near the pack house.
The pack members hurried past, murmuring anxiously, and I caught snippets of words: "sick," "urgent," "pack healer."
My heart jumped. Sick? Was it spreading?
My mind raced through all the herbs I had on hand, as well as the supplies hidden in my bag. I had tried to keep my skills a secret here, too many times. Being valuable as a healer had only turned into a trap for me. But still, a strange restlessness took charge in my chest.
Maybe I could help.
Just then, I heard Ryker's voice, a voice I'd quickly come to associate with irritation and distrust. He was ordering people around, giving instructions that sounded as rough as usual.
"Get back to your houses! Stay away from him until we know what's going on!" He said with a bold tone.
My feet moved before I even realized what I was doing, following the crowd toward the healer's hut.
Outside, a few pack members moved about with uncertainty. Their eyes wide with fear. I caught sight of Ryker near the entrance, his broad frame blocking the doorway as he spoke to the healer.
"It's beyond me, your Highness," the healer was saying, her voice squeaky but firm. "This sickness… I haven't seen anything like it."
Ryker's jaw clenched, and he turned to the crowd, his eyes scanning until they landed on me. His brows knitted in irritation.
"And you, what are you doing here?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.
I swallowed, strengthening myself. "Just curious. I heard someone's sick."
"You're here less than a week, and you're already sticking your nose into things?" His tone was dismissive, but I could see the worry on his face.
"If someone's ill, I might be able to help. I've worked with herbs for… a long time."
Ryker's eyes narrowed, "And what exactly can you do that our healer can't?"
I held back a sigh.
Typical Ryker, always questioning me, looking for any weakness he could latch onto. But his stubbornness wasn't going to stop me.
"Let me see him," I said as I handed my child to one of the pack members. I stepped past him, ignoring his protests, and entered the dimly lit room where the sick man lay on a bed, his breathing was really slow.
My mind raced through possible causes, and I felt Ryker's eyes boring into the back of my head.
"This isn't a common illness," I muttered to myself, my hand instinctively reaching for the pouch of herbs at my side.
"Care to explain that?" Ryker growled, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.
I turned, meeting his gaze. "I don't know yet. But I think I can help him." Though my voice was firm, inside, I wasn't entirely sure. It was a risk. If I failed, it would only add fuel to the fire of his distrust.
But I had to try.
"Just… let me work," I added, a bit more softly. He didn't respond, just gave me a stiff nod and backed off a few steps.
I set to work, grinding a combination of herbs that had antiviral and detoxifying properties, to bring down the man's temperature. Ryker watched my every move.
But the more I worked, the more I could feel myself slipping into that familiar rhythm, the calming, focused state that always came over me when I was healing.
When I turned back, Ryker was watching me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.
"You know," he said, "it's awfully convenient that this illness appeared right after you showed up."
I whipped around, eyes flashing. "You think I did this your Highness?"
He growled. "We don't know anything about you, dwarf. For all we know, you could've brought this on purpose."
"That's ridiculous!" I snapped. "Why would I endanger the pack, my son, like that? Just because you can't admit you need help doesn't mean I'm to blame."
Ryker's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, we stared at each other down.
"Fine," he said, "Do what you can."
I turned back to the sick man, ignoring how fast my heart was beating. Somehow, his reluctant approval had pushed me to work harder.
Hours passed, and I started to feel tired, but the man's breathing gradually steadied. His dark veins faded, leaving his skin looking more alive than before. Relief filled me, and I wiped my brows with a shaky hand.
I could feel Ryker's eyes on me. Finally, he spoke, "I… didn't think you'd actually be able to help him."
I gave him a tired smile. "Sometimes, all it takes is knowing which plants to mix. Maybe next time, you'll think twice before doubting me."
His mouth opened as if to respond, but he surprised me by simply nodding. "Maybe."
That one word was more of an agreement than I'd ever expected from him. For a moment, I felt some bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, I could find a place here. A sense of belonging.
But before I could dwell on that thought, Ryker turned, his expression hardening once again. "You know this doesn't change anything, right? You're still new here. I'll be watching you, Linah."
I fought the urge to snap back, forcing myself to nod.
"Great then. But you might want to come and watch the training tomorrow. You might learn something."
He drew two steps close to me before he continued, "Training starts at dawn. Don't be late. You're going to have to prove that, that mouth of yours can back up its words."
I smirked a bit, "I'll be there."
He turned to leave, pausing at the doorway to glance back. "And Linah…"
I raised my head and looked at him, "Yes your highness?"
"Good work today."
He disappeared before I could respond, leaving me standing there, caught somewhere between pride and annoyance.
For the first time, I didn't feel like an outsider.
The training surely was going to be interesting, that much I knew...