Chapter 3

Eva's POV

...He was the last thing I saw.

The dark creature.

In fact, the said dark creature had a strangely calming scent. I couldn't have missed it. For a wolf, the sense of smell is the last thing to compromise.

While his shadow was etched into my mind, his scent was still fresh to my senses.

"...she's quite healthy for someone who was found this way." A benevolent male voice said. Probably talking about me.

"She was reduced to an omega. That's for sure." A more stern voice said. Were they discussing me over my unconscious body? Interesting.

"Uncle. What do you suggest we do with her?" Uncle? What was going on?

Resisting to pry my eyes open and sneak a peek was a real struggle. The voice I first heard spoke again.

"We shall train her. A female warrior will be beneficial to this pack. Feminity balances everything. It's in the nature of a woman species." The older-sounding man suggested.

"As you say, Uncle." Another voice, a more authoritative, calm, and royally silky male voice acknowledged.

"Hmm...' I couldn't help but reveal myself. A stinging pain shot across my back. It must've been the antiseptic acting out on my open wounds.

"Where am I...?" I asked.

"You don't have to be apprehensive. Welcome to the pack, new friend." My eyes widened.

The old man...he smiled at me. Streaks of grey decorated his beard and hair. He was well-kept. Following his style of beard and hair, the man in royal robes smiled at me.

"Where...am I?" I repeated myself.

"You're in the safest place possible. Silverclaw Pack had long welcomed you as our new rescue. But before we announce that to the world, I—" The man in a royal robe was diligent as he spoke, but I cut him off.

"No. Please don't announce anything to the world. I don't want them...to find me." My eyes fell to my lap.

"That's an amicable request. May I ask why?" My head whipped towards the man with a stern, condescending voice. My eyebrows furrowed.

"...I do not like being talked to like that," I stated.

The man with ash brown hair folded his arms over his chest, "Are you concerned?" He asked.

"Nicholas cut it out." The authoritative uncle called him out. His name is Nicholas. I didn't like Nicholas.

Turning my apprehensive gaze towards the royal-looking man, I flinched back slightly. I flinched upon seeing the gentle smile on his face.

"Why...are you smiling?" I asked.

"You're more innocent than I thought." His statement took me aback even more.

"I don't understand..." My hands felt more intriguing at that point.

"What do you not understand?" The oldest male asked. His voice was surprisingly soothing, unlike Nicholas.

"I...I want to thank you for saving me. I'm aware of the Silverclaw pack. They're our—" I stopped myself there.

Silverclaw Pack is Howling Sky's ally.

I feared the worst possible to happen if I revealed myself to Silverclaw.

After being ostracized by Howling Sky, I've succumbed to living a lonely life forever. It's how I wanted to cope.

And then, out of nowhere, this hidden mystical beast of the dark woods turned out to be a member of the Silverclaw. Who knew?

By the gentleness of two of the three men, I felt as though...I belonged somewhere again.

"I'm contradicted," I stated.

"It's very obvious that you're disoriented after septic shock. What were you doing out there anyway? How did you become a rogue? Were you born as one?" Nicholas threw a fury of questions my way. What is wrong with him? Seconds later, I replied starting with a glare,

"That's a lot of questions for someone you said is 'disoriented'." I seethed, still glaring.

At once, the man in royal clothing burst out laughing!

The silky sound of his laughter lightened me up, for a brief while. Nicholas was red in the face for some reason. The older adult, the diligent adult of the three, clearly amused, patted Nicholas on his shoulder.

"You've got a new fiery-tongued friend. You get back what you give, Nicholas." Nicholas whipped his head, shying away.

"Well...let me introduce myself." Suddenly, the man put a finger under my chin and turned me to himself. Judging by his smirk, I knew he was amused at my surprised reaction.

"I am Alexander Silverclaw - The Alpha of Silverclaw Pack." My eyes widened.

"You're the alpha?" I asked, taken aback. His eyebrows crushed too, perceiving the situation. All three men looked at each other.

"You couldn't tell?" Alexander asked. I shook my head, dreading the extent of the poison.

"It's alright. All you need is a little more rest. And no, you're not disoriented. Just have your guard up. By the way, I am Beta Charles. I shall assist you to the best of my abilities." Apart from Alexander's silky voice, this old man's brought me a sense of peace and tranquillity.

"T-Thank you." And I watched them go.

At midnight I was tossing around in bed, unable to summon slumber. The day was rough. My wounds hurt. I was sweating profusely. Moreover, it was the lack of reassurance that I got from the three men.

Why were they so kind to me? Why were they not seeing me as a possible threat? A spy? A wrecked disaster?

I looked down at my thin linen. The fabric was so thin that I could see the outline of my porcelain, pale white skin under the moonlight.

"Eva...!"

I gasped loudly!

The male voice, accompanied by a soft slam of the doors opening, startled me! I pulled the duvet around me quickly.

"A-Alpha Alexander..." I addressed shyly. He was in similar, but manlier clothes.

"Eva..." much softer than before, he sang my name like a lullaby and walked towards me. What was in his eyes shining so bright? Regret? Pity? Care and concern? I couldn't tell and was terribly confused.

Touching my jaw, his gentle gaze met mine as he asked,

"Eva...were you abused by a man before?"

Tears roamed in his eyes...for me. I was speechless. Because...how did he find out?