The Alpha's Healer

06 | Shadow Ridge

Iris learnt quite a few things about Sebastian. First and foremost, he belonged to the Shadow ridge pack, which surprised her.

Then, she took another glance at Sebastian's towering height and lean body, his looks and the way he spoke, and suddenly it made sense.

Shadow ridge was known for its brilliance all over the world. To the point where most schools dedicated an entire section in their history and geography syllabus to it.

Shadow ridge pack was the biggest in the continent in terms of area, with a population of over ten thousand people. It carried pride in numbers and the pack showed its arrogance through its talent.

Shadow ridge pack had produced some of the best trackers, healers, one of the best armies and inventions that the world wouldn't have imagined in their dreams. When it came to conquering the world, nobody ever did it like them.

No precedents shook the world like them. And what surprised the world even more was the fact that all of that development took place not in a century but a mere five years.

Ever since the new Alpha took reign, the Shadow ridge pack grew out of its empty title of 'biggest pack in the continent' to something much bigger, into an unmatched force.

Other than being from an impressive pack, Sebastian also talked about his personal life. He had no reservations when he talked about himself.

"My parents are currently on their sixth honeymoon. You won't get to meet them for a month. My brother should be home, though. He's in high school."

Iris stayed silent from lack of a better response. Most of her attention was on the uneven path they were on. The unexplored parts of the forest served as a challenge on their way out.

For the most part it felt like a maze with all its exits sealed. Yet, they did not stop. Sebastian's presence became oddly comforting. His voice erased the fearful silence from the scary forest.

"I'm the only one talking. Tell me something about yourself. Other than those trashy opinions, of course."

"Um.. I don't have much to say..."

"Whatever you're comfortable with sharing is fine with me." Sebastian paused, then added, "You treated me earlier. Have you studied medicine?"

A rare current of excitement zipped through Iris' body. Iris was used to being neglected for too long. So long that when someone noticed an obvious trait, it didn't occur to her that it was a pretty noticeable one to begin with, and not something particularly special.

"I graduated from medical school a month ago." She said. "I haven't practiced yet. All I have is theoretical knowledge. You should get those words checked as soon as possible."

"Just graduated? How old are you?"

"I turned 18 recently." Iris replied.

Sebastian went silent for a bit too long. Iris didn't realise how comforting his voice was until it stopped echoing in her ears.

Iris blamed the mate bond at first, then realised maybe she was just too lonely. Nobody had ever spoken to her so much, never bothered to keep her company when the nights were too long. When all she heard was her own recital and murmurs, when she sat by the window wondering when the sun would shine so she'd get to talk to her mother again.

There was no Sebastian but Iris managed to pull through. Now, only half an hour had passed with his intermittent talking and she already started to hate the silence hanging between them.

She sneaked a quick glance at his face. His lips pursed tightly in a thin line showed his apparent displeasure about something. Was it about her? Did he finally notice something despicable about Iris? She clutched the side of her clothes, waiting with baited breath for something to come and crash into her heart.

Iris prepared herself for it when Sebastian coughed, and said in a slightly rougher voice, "You're eighteen?"

Iris nodded blankly.

"Oh, you're very young."

Was that important? Iris was far more concerned about the thing that made him hesitate. However, she lacked the courage to ask, like always. The doubt buried itself in a coffin with many others in the past.

Sebastian didn't speak for the rest of the journey. The silence hung between them like weights pulling on heartstrings. Iris' adaptability to changes didn't allow her to dwell on it for too long.

The light of dawn spilled over the horizon when the forest came to an end. The light was crisp, like turning a page to a new chapter.

-

The shadow ridge pack situated in the far East carried a sense of superiority in the air. A Nobel among packs that were barely pulling their weight, shadow ridge raised its nose to the sky and dug its root deeper and deeper into the pages of history with each passing day.

Iris sensed it healing her lungs with the scent of freedom as soon as they crossed the border and stepped into the forbidden territory.

"Shadow ridge has strict regulations about accepting new people. You'll be a temporary resident while I process your paperwork. Do you have any identification proof on you?"

Iris fetched a copy of her documents from her bag and handed to him. Sebastian skimmed through it once.

"Wait here. I'll have a word with the border patrol."

Iris picked a spot out of the way to wait for him. She watched him like a thief, afraid of being seen in the act. Sebastian went to the nearest patrol guard.

Five minutes later Sebastian returned and they ventured deeper into the pack without a problem. The nerves finally set in. Iris' heart pounded in her ears and her fingers grew numb from the pinches.

An unknown place. A stranger.

Iris left behind everything and decided to trust a stranger on the basis of their bond. Nothing sounded more ridiculous than that.

Her biggest risk shifted from leaving the fire moon pack to trusting Sebastian. The man in question didn't see anything wrong with that.

"Do you want to go home and freshen up or stop by somewhere for breakfast first?" Sebastian asked.

"Hospital." Iris snapped out of her daze and answered. "First get your wounds checked."

The bad ones were healing but the speed was so slow it might as well not count at all.

Sebastian kept making way for Iris the entire way, pushing away branches and hopping over rocks to make sure she didn't injure herself. Iris was worried some of those wounds must have opened up in the process.

"Okay." He agreed without missing a beat.

Iris forgot to regulate her expression for a second and a lighting of surprise flashed in her face. She didn't expect him to agree so easily. Considering how nonchalant he was about his own condition the whole time, it couldn't be that he suddenly changed his mind and started to care.

Did he agree because she said it?

The wild thought made her stiff with anxiety. No. Don't think about it. Iris extinguished the flame at the spark itself. No, it wasn't worth it.

Letting herself fall into this would be self inflicted harm.

Iris gazed at his tall back. Sebastian stood proud despite his face and body being covered in mud. As if his appearance had little to do with who he was. His demeanor attracted attention from everyone who passed by, a strange light in their eyes. Iris recognised it; respect, admiration, love and blessings.

To fall in love with such a person came as easy as thirst for water. It glided like the breeze on a hot summer day. Like the reassuring hand that reaches out for help when you're desperate.

Iris lived to survive one day at a time. She witnessed her days grow dull and her time passed like thick lava burning away on the skin. She carried herself as a broken and pieced together crockery that was tucked far back in the cupboard, forgotten yet too connected to be thrown away.

Their bond felt intentional. Like the goddess had intentionally handed that broken ceramic in wide hands that could cherish it.

Sebastian was someone she could have spent her life with. Everyday would be filled with a dose of peace instead of painkillers, the mornings would be slow and not hectic with chores, the nightly routines would include making and eating dinner together and not the fear of the basement and rods.

If only Iris had not given up, perhaps she could trust that the goddess had done it with pure intentions and not played a joke.

That the destiny she believed had been written by her mother, was not exactly as tragic as her own.

Iris gazed at the man with the bright light in his blue eyes. She didn't want to steal that light with her presence. If given to someone else, they would only brighten up more.

The fleeting moment where the heart wanted another chance, Iris shut it down like a child asking for candy. No amount of longing for nice things could bring Iris back to the road she left after eighteen years.