an Everlasting Pursuit

six

Eve's smile faltered when she saw my expression.

Werewolf. That man was a werewolf. I was attacked by werewolves. I was in their land, on their territory... But how? Why?

"Uh, hello? Are you okay?" Eve wondered, her hand resting on my own.

I shook my head, "You're a wolf."

She frowned but then her eyes widened with shock. "Shit-I mean, yes, I am, but you weren't supposed to know that yet."

"You're a wolf," I repeated, scanning her features again.

The tall, toned body explained it. The way she communicated with her eyes more than her words around Doctor Seth, or how she could hear, and no doubt smell, someone in the corridor.

"I am... Are you okay? I... I don't know your name... What's your name?" She muttered.

"Ailia."

"Ailia, are you okay? Want me to get you anything?" She asked. "I know this can be difficult for you to hear, but I've let the cat out of the bag now so..."

"Just... just one question." I stammered, meeting her gaze.

"Yes?"

"Who was that man?"

"The Alpha."

"Alpha," I repeated. "I thought so."

"Why do you ask?"

My jaw tightened. "Am I on his land?"

"Yes, you are in the Cardinal Pack." She answered, nodding.

"Cardinal?"

"Do you know anything about my kind?"

I shook my head. "Nothing. We... my town... we are very secluded."

"What town were you from?"

"Evermore."

She scrunched her nose up. "Not heard of that one."

"We were off the map... off the radar until..."

"Until the hunt," She finished before sighing as she noticed my fearful expression. "You are safe here, no one is going to hurt you."

I blinked, tears burning at my eyes. "Can you promise that?"

She frowned, concern coating her features. "What is it?"

"Can you promise that?" I repeated.

She paused her answer, and I knew right away; she couldn't. I wiped a tear away, the fear for my life had only grown. Only this time, the landscape was different.

"No-one will hurt you, just trust in me, trust in Alpha Asra."

Alpha Asra. What a fitting name for such a large man-wolf.

"Let's finish tending to your wounds, and then I can get you dressed, okay?"

I nodded in agreement, allowing her to pull the covers and examine my body.

"Want me to list your injuries?" She wondered.

I shrugged, my jaw aching with how hard I was fighting back the tears.

"Well, we will start from the bottom. Torn ligaments in your left thigh, we have fixed it up the best we could. Some skin was salvageable, some we had to take from the other thigh to patch up." She murmured, pulling my gown around. "Dislocated left hip, six broken ribs, three either side. Broken pelvis, four tears down your abdomen that we have sewn successfully. Some bruising and tenderness, but otherwise, everything else seems fine. There are other... marks but they are much older... so..."