Word Count: 1793

~Alvera

I sit on the bench beside the sink in Venn's bathroom, my head swirling.

I've forgotten entirely about the pain that has been throbbing consistently through my hand since I wandered in. With Venn filtering through his cabinets, looking for medicine to treat the scrape on my palm, I can't think about much else.

Despite being mortified that I had to admit that one of his pack members resorting to a bullying tactic I remember from High School, it feels good to be cared for.

There's a fierce determination etched into Venn's handsome features as he pulls out bottles of medicine and rolls of gauze.

Him and I both know there's somewhere here actually qualified to treat this wound, but if he's not going to say anything, I'm not.

It feels nice knowing he cares for me, even when he doesn't need to.

"You really don't have to do this," I murmur, swinging my legs about, watching him set the medicine next to me.

His eyes graze over my face. "I don't want it getting infected."

"I'm sure you have a nurse werewolf here." I smile wryly, watching for any shift in his expression.

He douses a cotton pad with a clear liquid. "Why ask someone to do something I can do myself?"

I bite down on my lower lip, smothering a smile. Maybe he's just being protective, or maybe he's using this as an excuse to spend time with me.

It's making me feel guilty for telling him I'm thinking about moving out of here.

"Because this feels intimate," I murmur, watching as he turns my wrist so my palm is facing him.
 
"You are my Chosen."

The way he says chosen sounds so sultry. It's an important concept to his people, and now to me. It's not just some title that has been bestowed upon me — it means something.

He takes the soaked cotton pad, dragging it purposefully down my palm, clearing away the dried blood and smears of dirt.

"Ow," I hiss through my teeth, a sting of pain momentarily flushing through me.

Venn tightens his grip on my wrist a touch, pressing indents into my skin. He pauses his cleaning, checking my expression and soft nod before he continues.

"Sorry," he breathes. "At least the scratches are clean now."

He tosses the cotton pad into the bin, unscrewing the lid of a bottle of creamy medicine. I keep my hand obediently open for him, lost in the strange intimacy of the moment.
 
"When are we going to complete the ceremony?" I ask breathless, bringing up what has been weighing my mind down since he brought it up.

The sooner it's done, the sooner there will be less to worry about. We can only go forward, and resisting completing this ritual will only drag this out.
 
"Whenever you're ready," he responds cautiously.

I gaze at him, at the fine lengths of his dark hair brushing over his brows, messy and pretty. His silvery eyes are narrowed, carefully watching his own movements as he squeezes some antiseptic onto his finger.

I like the small creases in the slope of his nose between his eyes as he concentrates. The way a small muscle in his jaw shutters and the slow, perfect movements he makes to avoid a mistake.

"I know what item I want to sacrifice now," I admit. "So I suppose I'm ready."

The decision was surprisingly easy. Choosing Belle's necklace for me feels like an apt sacrifice, and a signifier that it's time to move on from being dependent on her.

"How are you so accepting of this?" He shakes his head in disbelief, looking monetarily amazed by me.
 
"It's more so that I'm resigned to my fate. Unless there is a way to change my situation, there's not much point in being upset about it," I admit.

I've got enough to worry about with Eldon that continuing to dwell on this situation doesn't compare. My future has always felt bleak and uncertain. At least now there's some certainty.

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't. I know you are," I assure him.

He wears his guilt and unease plainly. He tried so hard to avoid this situation, but even he couldn't manage it.

"I want to protect you." His expression hardens. "Not just because you're my Chosen and our bond is important, but because I owe it to you. I'll do anything to keep you safe."

I smile weakly, trying not to wince as he smears the antiseptic onto my hand, the creamy white substance tinting pink from my torn flesh.
 
"You speak like you know there is a threat to me that I'm unaware of," I bring up, searching his face.

His brows press together, something unsaid spreading across his face. It's gone in an instance, however, as he offers a tentative smile.

"There is no threat against you that I can't protect you from, okay?"

I nod, biting down on my lip.

Venn washes his hands before unfurling some gauze from the roll. The urge to reach out to touch the glossy lengths of his slightly curled hair burns at my fingertips, but I keep my hand still.

He's not mine to touch, to even be this close to.

"Do you have parents?" I ask.
 
"They died when I was young. I was raised by others until I could hold the title of Alpha," he explains softly, starting to wrap the gauze around my hand with practiced movements.

I don't even want to know why he seems so dutiful, so experienced with tending to wounds...

I keep my hand perfectly still. "Do you have any siblings?"

A shadow passes over his face, his jaw hardening. I've clearly touched on a tender subject, but I'm curious. I know hardly anything about Venn, and I want to learn as much about him as possible if I want to trust him.

"Just one. A brother," he grits out.

"Where is he?"
 
"Being a destructive nuisance somewhere." He pulls the gauze tight, almost making me yelp. "Don't worry about him, hopefully you will never have to meet him."

I watch him carefully. "What has he done?"

Something had to have happened between them to create this rift. It must be especially monumental if he doesn't want me to meet him.

"I don't know, it's impossible to know his true motivations," he says gruffly. "All I know is that throughout our childhood, he was resentful that I was selected to be Alpha when he is older than me. He's tried to sabotage me, manipulate me and even kill me at times."

I shiver. And I thought my relationship with Belle is bad...at least she's never tried to kill me.

"Are you serious?"

Venn snips at the gauze before tying it securely into place.

"It doesn't matter, I don't fear him, and neither should you." He finally looks up at me, a darkness in his eyes that would scare me had he not vowed to protect me minutes earlier.

"I hope not."

He grabs my forearms, helping me hope down from the bench. My hand still aches, but at least I can be assured it won't get infected.

He wander back into his room, the curtains half drawn, casting a dim shadow over the place. I avert my eyes from his bed, trying not to remember the night I came here, overheating and wanting him desperately.

"Do you miss Eldon?" He asks abruptly, immediately sobering me like a dump of cold water over my head.

I turn to face him, rubbing my hands other anxiously.

"Can I be honest?"

His expression softens. "Of course."

"No, I'm not missing him. I'm actually relieved he's not here," I say quickly before I can regret the words. "But maybe it's because he hasn't been gone long. I'll start to miss him soon."

Were he here, he would still be stressing and worrying. He's back home, doing what he wants to with his life, all while deciding whether I'm worth getting through this all for.

If he decides not to come back here, I wouldn't blame him in the slightest.

"Why are you relieved?"
 
"Because he makes me feel bad for being chosen, even though it wasn't my choice." I sweep my fringe up from my forehead with my good hand. "I know that's wrong of me to feel that way, but—"

"He's been through a lot too, but that doesn't mean you're not entitled to feel the way that you do," he reminds me softly.

I sit down on the end of Venn's bed, tired and utterly over this entire day.

"I just don't want him to hate me." Unfortunately it may be too late to want that.

"I'm sure he doesn't." Even Venn can't seem to sound believable. He knows Eldon won't want to put up with this in the long term, even if he does decide to come back.

"What if you're right about this bond thing?" I blurt out. "What if it's going to be impossible to fight nature?"

He blinks. "What do you mean?"

"What if I'm destined to fall in love with you?"

He falls silent, taken aback. I bring a trembling hand up to my mouth, surprised that spilled out of me. I've been stressing about such a possibility that it feels good to finally bring up.
 
"Could you see yourself loving me?" He asks gently, his eyes warm.

It would be easy to give into this bond that forces us together. It would be easy to live in such a beautiful manor and live in luxury for the rest of my life.

It may even be easy to love Venn. He seems kind, albeit slightly terrifying. Knowing he's the Alpha King and what danger I'm in from his enemies wouldn't be easy to deal with, but would it be worth it?

It doesn't matter...I can't think of anything like that when Eldon is still, well, whatever he is to me.
 
"I...I don't know."

"Don't worry about it." He brushes my hair off my cheek tenderly. "Things will start feeling normal soon, and the bond will be easier to fight."

"Maybe." I try to muster some confidence, but there's only mere scraps to work with.

"Go get some rest." He looks down at my hand that I cradle to my chest. "I'll see you for breakfast in the morning, right?"
 
I nod weakly, backing toward the door. "Of course. Goodnight, Venn."

❤️••❤️

If you want to read ahead at any point, you can read this story 15 chapters ahead on INKITT and 10 chapters ahead on RADISH.

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The Night I Met The Alpha

~Midika 💜🐼