Chapter 5 A healer?

DEVON'S POV

The warmth of the cottage enveloped me like a protective embrace, a stark contrast to the cold darkness that had nearly claimed my life.

I lay in the soft bed, watching Eldwin move about the small space with an effortless grace that made it impossible to look away. Every gesture, every slight movement of his slender hands, drew my gaze like a moth to flame.

"How did you find me?" I asked, my voice still rough from disuse.

Eldwin glanced over his shoulder, a small smile playing at his lips. "I was gathering herbs in the Shadow Woods when I heard the sounds of battle. By the time I arrived, the fog had cleared, and the wolves were gone. You were the only one still alive."

I frowned, trying to piece together the fragments of memory that remained. "My guards—"

"I'm sorry," he said gently. "There was nothing I could do. By the time I reached you, they had already... passed."

The words hit me like a physical blow. Marcus. The others. They had followed me into those woods, had died protecting me, and I hadn't even been able to save them.

Eldwin must have seen something in my expression, because he crossed to my bedside and placed a cool hand on my forehead. "You need to rest. Your body has been through a great deal."

"Thank you," I said. "For saving me."

"You don't need to thank me." His amber eyes met mine, and I saw something flicker there, something I couldn't quite identify. "It's what I do. I help those who need it."

I studied him more carefully. He moved with the confidence of someone who had spent years living alone, self-sufficient and self-reliant. But there was also a softness to him, a vulnerability that made me want to protect him.

"Your injuries healed remarkably fast," he said, his tone almost conversational. "I've treated many wolves in my time, but I've never seen anyone recover from wounds like yours so quickly." He tilted his head, studying me with those luminous amber eyes. "You have Alpha blood, don't you?"

I tensed. The last thing I needed was a stranger knowing my identity. I was Alpha of the Darkwood Pack, the most powerful pack in the region, and I was lying wounded in a stranger's cottage while my guards lay dead in the woods.

"That's none of your concern," I said, my voice sharper than I intended.

Eldwin blinked, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he simply nodded, as if my response had confirmed something he already suspected. "Of course. Forgive me for prying."

He turned away, busying himself with the pot hanging over the fire. The smell that rose from it was rich and savory, and my stomach growled embarrassingly loud.

Eldwin chuckled softly. "You must be hungry. It's been three days since I found you."

"Three days?" I tried to sit up, wincing as pain lanced through my chest. "I've been unconscious for three days?"

"Your body needs time to heal." He ladled some soup into a bowl and brought it to my bedside. "Here. Eat. It will help you regain your strength."

I accepted the bowl, our fingers brushing in the exchange. The contact sent a jolt of electricity through me, and I saw Eldwin's eyes widen slightly before he looked away.

The soup was delicious, warm and nourishing. I ate it quickly, feeling strength slowly return to my limbs.

"Thank you," I said again, feeling foolish for repeating myself. "I don't know how I can repay you."

"You can repay me by getting your strength back," he said with another small smile. "I need you strong enough to leave on your own."

There was something in his voice, a hint of something darker, something that made me wonder what kind of life this beautiful omega led alone in the woods. But before I could ask, a voice echoed in my mind.

‘Devon. Where the hell are you?’

Desmond. His mental voice was sharp with irritation, but beneath it, I could hear genuine concern. He had never been good at hiding his emotions.

‘I'm in the Shadow Woods,’ I replied through the link. ‘I was attacked. My guards are dead.’

There was a pause. Then he said, ‘Where exactly? I'll come get you.’

I tried to describe the area, the fog, and the cottage. But the words felt inadequate.

‘I don't know the exact location. There's a healer, a young omega. He's been treating me.’

‘A healer? In the Shadow Woods?’ Desmond's voice was skeptical. ‘That doesn't sound right. Be careful, Devon.’

‘Just come find me,’ I said. ‘Track my scent if you have to. And hurry.’