Word Count: 1588

~Hunter

I grit my teeth, pain searing down my back.

"Stand."

"I can stand."

"Then do it."

Huffing out a breath, I stare at my legs stretched out in front of me. I was instructed by Kaan to lay down on the grass and now I'm going through the painful process of trying to get to my feet.

Sliding from the bed is one thing. Actually standing up entirely is a whole other battle.

And it doesn't help that Kaan is staring down at me with his arms folded, his brows raised.

"Give me a second..." I mumble, trying to manoeuvre my legs under me so I can rest on them.

The pain isn't even the difficult part to overcome. It's how weak my legs have become, how little they respond to my silent demands.

"You're overthinking. Use your legs," Kaan instructs.

I glare at his boots, wishing he didn't feel obliged to help me. Regardless of how I feel about it, I'm letting him aid me in my recovery in hopes it gets me out of here quicker.

"Grab me if you need to," he murmurs, extending a hand.

I ignore it.

"I'll sooner fall on my ass."

"And I would love to see it." I don't look up but I can hear the smile in his voice.

Mustering a deep breath, I pull my legs under me before forcing as much of my energy into propelling me upwards. My legs shudder and shake, yet I manage to stay standing, not needing to brace myself on Kaan at all.

If he weren't looking I may have clapped for myself in celebration.

"Now take a few steps," he commands. I see he's very interested in praise. "Standing is the hard part. I want you to do a lap of this area."

I stare at him, wiping sweat from my brow.

Thankfully he hasn't laughed, nor made vicious comments about my multiple failed attempts to stand so far. He's been relatively stoic, like something else is plaguing his mind.

He is an Alpha. The fact that he is deigning to help me at all is a miracle.

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't stand and stare while I do it," I grumble, taking another step.

My feet sink into the grass, making the process harder. Kaan insisted that the damp ground would be an incentive for me to stand faster, although all that ended up achieving was giving me a wet ass.

Not once does his eyes drift from me as I take a few steps. "Now, I can't make any promises."

"How do you sisters put up with you?" I mutter, shaking my head in wonder.

"They don't. My whole family hardly speaks to each other," he admits.

He doesn't sound heartbroken by the reality, although his dark green gaze does wander off out to the forest line. In fact, the colour of his irises share many similarities to those woods.

"I understand that," I mutter under my breath.

Maybe it's the curse of being in a family that is destined to produce Alpha's. My childhood was cold and procedural, and I understood from a young age that I was there to make my parents a lot of money.

"Is that why you ran away?" Kaan asks softly, dragging me back to reality.

I blink. "What?"

"I'm assuming that's why you're here. You ran away from home," he comments.

Ignoring the heat in his gaze, I continue on, one foot in front of the other, regardless of the pain. His scrutiny isn't appreciated. One spark of recognition is all he needs to find out who I am, and he will surely have me sent straight back.

I'm surprised all the royals in neighbouring Pack's haven't been sent some kind of alert by now.

"I don't have a home," I tell him. Not anymore.

"Okay, Hunter."

His eyes shift as he looks at me from beneath a stern brow. That stare paralyses me. I imagine it would entrance anyone who that gaze was fixed upon for carnal reasons.

Which is the opposite of what I'm experiencing...

"Don't...Don't do that look thing," I growl, shaking my head. Being locked up in a room all day isn't doing much for my psyche, clearly.

His eyes darken. He knows exactly what I'm insinuating.

"You're hiding something, Hunter," he murmurs. If he didn't say it in such a seductive tone I might think he is threatening me.

All of a sudden my left knee trembles and gives out, sending me plummeting toward the ground.

Kaan manages to grab my arm before my face can land in the dirt, but I swear he waited long enough to give me a fright.

He heaves me back into standing, giving me a long look. "You still need more time to recover."

I tug away from him, steadying myself.

The problem with taking so much time to recover is that my fitness is decreasing. Trekking through multiple Pack's to find my new home isn't going to be easy if I've spent weeks bedridden.

"You're getting stronger, though," he adds, seeing the distress on my face. "For now, I have another cane for you that isn't a priceless artefact belonging to my grandparents."

He guides me off the formal lawn and to the back of the manor.

I take the new cane off him, examining it. "These make me look a century old.

He narrows his eyes. "Or you can stay bed-ridden."

"Fine," I mutter. "This is handcrafted."

The handle is beautifully carved, fitting against my hand perfectly. There is even a pattern carved down the stem of the cane, resembling a serpent.

Kaan clears his throat. "I've been working on it for a few days now."

"You made it?"

"Figured you needed one." He shrugs casually, as if he didn't just craft a beautiful cane just for me. "And I think I owe you, considering I gave you this injury."

"Yes, you do." I keep my voice light, not wanting to give him too much credit. "Now what?"

"I will work with you until you are strong enough to get on a horse and leave here."

He could try to sound a little less excited about the thought of me leaving...I'll take the horse though.

"How long will that take?" I'm up and standing quicker than I expected, and sheer will, determination and desperation should be enough to get me out of here quickly.

"I'm aiming for three weeks."

"Make it two."

A smile curves at his lips. "Alright, two weeks."

On horseback it will be painful but easier. I just have to hang on and make sure the horse takes me as far away from here as possible.

"I would thank you, but like you said, you owe me."

He glances over my shoulder, his slight smile melting away. "Your best friend is coming..."

I turn, seeing Tay weaving through the house. She grins, waving ecstatically as she approaches the glass door, stepping out to join us.

"Hunter! You're doing so well."

"Hey Taysa," I greet, smiling tightly. "Kaan thinks I only have two weeks left here."

She looks at her brother, that grin never slipping. If I could wish for anything it would be just a smidge of her optimism. She's never not bouncing from happiness.

"How lucky. You have to promise to come visit, though." She nudges me, winking.

I draw in a deep breath, not feeling like lying to her right now. "We'll see."

"Anyways, it's time for dinner," she tells me.

I lean more against the cane, fatigue starting to weigh me down. "Will Azura be there?"

"My sister does not like family time, does she, Kaan?" Tay says, giving her brother a long look, brows raised.

His eyes narrow upon her slightly as they share some silent understanding.

"None of us do," he mutters. He doesn't give me another look before he walks back inside. I glare at his back, hating his attitude.

"I do." Tay links her arm through mine. "Sorry he's sour, and you have to deal with it."

"How come Azura doesn't have to be present at the dinners when Kaan does, and he seems to truly hate being around his parents?" I ask.

Plus he's the Alpha. I would figure he wouldn't bother adhering to their demands.

Tay shrugs, leading me inside. "Azura gets overwhelmed easily due to her inability to communicate with us. Mother and father spare her from joining us for dinner, especially since we bicker so much."

I hope they spare me from anymore of them.

"What happened to her, to make her unable to communicate?" I ask carefully. I hate my own curiosity, but I want to know.

"She was born that way. My great grandmother on my fathers side was the same way. She may have inherited it," she explains.

"She seems nice," I say, more to myself than Tay. Azura wants me to leave. We have the exact same motivation.

"She is. I love my sister."

The cane knocks against the ground as we make it to the stairs.

"Come on. Let's get you back to your room and I'll tell you some embarrassing stories about Kaan," she giggles in my ear.

Knowing more about their family is little use to me, but hearing something disparaging about Kaan right now may just cheer me up.

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~Midika 💜🐼