One Bite

Chapter 3-4

"Zara..." A pair of soft, warm hands enclosed my jawline, then tilted my face in the direction of a soft, sweet voice.

I cracked open my eyes and saw a pair of yellow-hazel irises bored into me, framed with brown lashes. Her auburn-colored hair was pulled back in a tight, high bun like River's but a few stray strands framed her face. A smattering of light freckles spread across her fair-skinned cheeks. Instantly, a calming sensation radiated from her palms into my cheeks, which relaxed the crease in my forehead and tension in my jaw.

"I'm Rose, a healer in training," her voice caressed each word, coating my ear like honey. "I'll sit with you until you'd like me to stop. River too. We're touching your bruises and scars to help them fade faster, alright?"

"Sure..." I took a deep breath and allowed a yawn to escape, stretching my sore throat.

I had no idea what time it was, with no windows in my room. As she ran her fingers over my neck, my eyes shifted away from the gentle tingling on my skin to a bright flash of color on the table next to my bed.

"Those are pretty." I lifted my head and smiled at a large vase of multi-colored roses.

I've never seen roses like these before.

All the colors in a rainbow swirled over the delicate petals, they were painted on with delicate strokes. Each stood out with its striking unique color but blended beautiful with its adjacent colors.

Rose's mouth tugged up at the corners. "They're rainbow roses from our pack garden. Would you like me to read the card with them?" The sparkle in her eyes fed my interest, so I nodded.

She reached over and pulled out a white slip of paper from within the vase. Her smile widened as she read, "Dear Miss Zara. I am so sorry to hear what happened. Please accept these as a token of my admiration. Scars are proof that we can overcome any adversity. With concern and warm wishes for a speedy recovery... Future Alpha Torak."

She chuckled, folded the note over in her fingers, and placed the white slip of paper on the table next to the vase.

"Admiration? Speedy recovery?" I echoed, my heart warming at the gesture. Another part of me wasn't sure how I felt about his reference to scars.

Rose provided me with more insight, "I'm sorry. Torak is the cheesiest werewolf I know. Even passed out, bruised, swollen, and bleeding everywhere, he was quite taken when you arrived. He'll chase any female with a tail, but you sure caught his attention."

Oh. That... doesn't sound like a compliment.

"Great..." I coughed.

Nothing she said in those sentences that interested me, but then she continued in a softer voice, "My brother has a few scars. I'll let him share with you but he can sympathize."

"Your brother-" Grounding my palms, I started to push myself up. River stepped into my bed space and gently guided my shoulders back down. Rose nodded.

Rose... She's Torak's sister. And a healer?

She looked younger than me, only fourteen or fifteen. But, as the alpha and luna's daughter, I had so many questions.

"Werewolves age slower than humans, and healers even slower," she replied as if she sensed my thoughts. "I'm nineteen."

"Is Torak also a healer?" I assumed the answer was no, since I hadn't seen him here. But I was half-naked since the wounds wrapped down the entire length of my back, so I wasn't sure if his absence was a courtesy.

"Him?" Her eyes rolled. "He has some... influence over others, but he is no healer."

River's snort, which she covered with clearing her throat, didn't instill more confidence in me.