Alpha Erebon ☾ Book 2

Chapter 4

Sabrina's POV

After quickly showering and asking Becca for some makeup, she took me by the hand and led me out to the witchwoods outside. She said she could heal me with her magic. She also gave Noah and Alice some spare oversized shirts that fit on their smaller sizes like dresses, until we could get in some spare kid clothes for them. I also helped give them a bath, so they were at least clean and ready for the day.

Now that we're all outside, Orpheus has handed out the toast with jam to Alice and Noah and they all eat out on the porch under his supervision, while Becca sits with me underneath a witchwood on the root system, not too far away from the front of the packhouse.

I sit opposite Becca and I see she looks sorrowful, eyes watery as she observes my face without foundation and up close.

"Do I just... sit here?" I ask, curious.

"Yes. Do you have any other injuries besides the bruises here?" Becca asks me.

I point to my ribs, where Hans had kicked me on Sunday night. I had always tried not to think about the times he physically assaulted me. Strangely, now I can at least reflect on those times with less anger, knowing he faced the ultimate consequence.

"Okay, just sit there and close your eyes," Becca gently asks of me and I nod, folding my hands on my knees where I kneel in front of her. She also let me borrow a new set of clothes, so I wear baby-pink sweats and a white shirt with some borrowed sandals. I let my waist length blonde hair out so it dries in the sun.

"How does it work?" I breathe out, trying not to be swallowed by shame with how much help I've had to receive so far. No matter how kind they all appear, I feel like the biggest inconvenience.

"I've always had a connection to the magic from the roots of witchwood trees – usually they're connected to shadows more than light. But I can turn it into healing power. It's my speciality," Becca explains as I feel her hand lightly touch the top of my head, and her other hand presses to just above my waist, exactly where I pointed.

She doesn't apply pressure, but I feel the pain disappearing.

I can tell when the healing is done so I open my eyes, and I see Becca is sitting with her eyes still shut.

"I'm fine now, thank you, Luna," I wait for her to respond and it takes a little while. Becca eventually takes her hands back and then opens her eyes slowly.

She looks down at my chest, "...you're physically healed, but..." Becca furrows her brows, "...it... it might be... what you witnessed... do you have any pain here?" she nods to my heart, "There's so much anguish centred here. And I can't heal that."

I fail to answer right away, embarrassed to admit it, I think of how to word it, and I tell her as plainly as possible, "I am a widow. Therefore, I can never be in another relationship. I just can't take any more pain. Another relationship might kill me, so it's better I'm alone now. However, I don't want to sound ungrateful for everyone's help and intervention. I acknowledge Alpha Erebon saved me from my daily terror. For that I am grateful."

But Becca doesn't look happy by what I've said, "Sabrina," she whispers her concern, "I think you're far too hard on yourself."

I blush at that, I avoid her eyes, and we both hear footsteps approaching.

I turn to see Orpheus holding a bowl of porridge for me, he's dressed up in his lawyer's suit now. Alice is picking small flowers from the grass in her walk along the way, and Noah is finishing off a piece of toast with jam, avoiding the crusts. She was always a nibbler and a slow eater, while Alice scoffed everything down.