"Leave her alone, brother."
Jason's voice came deep and firm. His tone held no anger, yet it carried the kind of command that made the air tighten.
Ivar turned slowly, eyes narrowing. "Seriously, brother? You're treating me like this because of her?"
Jason didn't flinch. "I said, leave her."
The hall went quiet again. I could hear the sound of my heartbeat. Jason's eyes, dark and steady, were locked on his brother. For a moment, no one moved. Then, without another word, Ivar gave a low laugh — calm, sharp, and cold.
"As you wish, brother," he said at last, before turning away. His boots made soft thuds as he left the hall, disappearing into the shadows beyond the doorway.
Jason's gaze followed him until the last trace of Ivar's presence faded. Then, slowly, his eyes came back to me.
He took a step forward. I tried to rise, but my legs gave out. I felt dizzy. The room spun for a moment.
Before I could fall, strong arms caught me. Warm. Steady. His chest felt like solid heat against my cheek.
"Easy," he said softly. "You're safe now."
My heart jumped. His scent was clean — pine trees, rain, and something darker I couldn't name. It made my head spin.
"Where… where are you taking me?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Wait," he said quietly. "You'll see."
He carried me out of the hall, into the night air. The moonlight fell over us like silver mist. The forest around the pack house was quiet — only the wind and the faint sound of crickets. I could feel his heartbeat under my hand where it rested on his chest. Strong, slow, unshaken.
"You shouldn't let people see you cry, Aria," he murmured as he walked.
"Why not?" I whispered.
"Because when you cry…" He hesitated for a moment, his eyes softening as he looked ahead. "It hurts more than you think."
The words made my chest ache in a strange, warm way. I wanted to ask him what he meant, but I couldn't. My voice felt stuck.
He walked for a while in silence until we reached a small wooden house at the edge of the pack grounds. The soft glow of candles shone through the windows.
"This is Lena's home," he said quietly. "She'll heal your wounds."
The door opened before he could knock. Lena stood there, her hands still wet from herbs she had been mixing. Her face was calm but tired.
"I saw everything," she said. "Bring her in."
Jason nodded and stepped inside. The house smelled of warm smoke, crushed flowers, and clean linen. He laid me gently on a small bed near the fire. My body felt so light it almost didn't belong to me.
Lena came closer, kneeling beside me. "It will sting a little," she said softly. "But don't move."
She pricked her finger and let a few drops of her blood fall into a small bowl of herbs. The mixture sizzled faintly, glowing for a second before dimming again. She pressed the warm paste onto my wounds. I gasped — not from pain, but from the strange energy that moved through me.
Her blood… it was healing me.
Warmth spread across my skin, slow and steady. My chest rose and fell as I watched the faint light fade.
Jason stood by the door, arms crossed, watching every movement with quiet eyes.
"She'll be fine by morning," Lena said after a while. "But she needs rest."
Jason nodded. He took a small step closer, his eyes softening. "Thank you, Lena."
Then his gaze moved back to me. For a moment, he didn't speak. Then he said quietly, "Can i buy you a drink tomorrow?"
My eyes widened. "A drink?"
He gave the faintest smile. "Yes. A place outside the pack. Somewhere quiet. You need to get some air."
My throat felt tight. "I'll… I'll think about it."
He nodded slightly. "well I guess you don't have a choice because my prisoners don get to choose if they would reject dinner from me he said with a faint smile but there was something about him about his scent everything about him was just perfect.
Then he turned and left the house, closing the door gently behind him.
Lena stood there for a moment, staring at me. Her eyes were kind, but there was something heavy behind them.
"You should be careful, Aria," she said softly, wiping her hands. "The Alpha is not an easy man."
I turned my face toward her, confused. "What do you mean?"
She hesitated. Her eyes flicked toward the door Jason had just gone through, then back to me. "Some say… he carries a curse," she whispered.
The wind outside howled softly, brushing against the window.
I blinked. "A curse?"
Lena looked away, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes. But it's better if you don't ask about it tonight."