The Last Rose of Winter

Discussion

Time passed slowly and did nothing to ease my concerns. I felt like I had to stay on bed rest for the rest of the day, there was no other choislce.

The room, I came to realise, was in the guest house near Alpha Albertine's home. It was a place strictly reserved for guests of the Alpha. I couldn't help but smile, I knew someone would be spewing at the thought of me being in the guest house.

A light tap at the door broke me from the amusement I was feeling. "Uh, yes?" I was unsure how to answer and not accustomed to answering anyone.

The door opened slowly, "I'm sorry to interrupt you Rose," I recognized the voice immediately as belonging to the female who was with the guard named Varden. "Alpha Wesron would like to know if you'd like something to eat?"

At the mere mention of eating my stomach began grumbling so loud it sounded like a train thundering down the tracks. "Uh, I guess I am a bit hungry?"

She grinned and walked towards the bed, "would you like some help getting up?"

I didn't know if she was serious or not but she pulled the covers of the bed back and held her hand out to me.

The blush that crept in to my cheeks was instant, "thank you," I could barely get any words out before she leaned in, wound her arm around me and hoisted me out of bed. It made me feel less than useless.

"You alright?" She asked quickly.

Staring at her for a moment I couldn't find the words to say, "everyone in your pack is so nice. Nicer than anyone in Wood River has been."

She removed her arm from me and stood silently thinking for a moment.

"We've heard a lot about you. Your Alpha depicted you as someone horrid and unsavoury but you're the opposite."  Her words stunned me.

What did she mean by unsavoury? I knew most of my pack either hated or feared me but I didn't think I was that bad.

"They think I'm cursed," it was the truth. Ever since the virus they thought I was cursed.

"Cursed?" She asked me carefully. "I'd think if anyone lived through that virus they'd be revered and treated well."

"I must be the exception." I tried to laugh it off like I usually did with everything in my life.

"That isn't right. When you come with Alpha Weston I can assure you it wont be the same." She was genuinely nice, at least that's what it felt like.

"Well, Alpha Weston wants to use me for medical research. He said they might be able to make a cure from my blood. Maybe."

We started walking towards the door l  she still held my hand and lead me as we talked. "Don't worry. It won't be that bad."

"What do you mean?" I couldn't help but ask. "Do you know him well?"

I was more than a little curious about the Alpha that came from a pack with a fearsome reputation but had so far been nothing but kind.

"You could say that," she grinned at me. "He is my older cousin. Well, I'm not sure cousin is an accurate description because he is as overprotective as a brother would be."

My body tensed at the revelation, "cousin? I thought you were a guard?" I couldn't hide the surprise from my voice but she giggled at me response.

"I am a guard." She stated matter of factly. "But just because I'm the Alpha's cousin doesn't mean I have to sit around with others to protect me when I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself."