Zara

I opened my eyes to examine it.

Taking out a white bandage, he began wrapping it around my leg to warm it. His dexterous hands worked smoothly, and a few wrinkles appeared on his forehead, expressing concentration. His gaze was completely focused on my leg.

"The bandage will keep her warm..." Was he trying to make small talk because everyone knew what the bandage was wrapped around the sprained ankle for?

Anyone would have thought he was such a caring guy if they saw him. But in reality, he was some kind of ruthless Alpha or something.

But no one was watching him here. So why? Why did he explode in the bathroom like the end of the world?

Of course! If anything happened to me under his roof, especially in his room or bathroom, the blame would fall on him, and his impeccable reputation would be in jeopardy.

Angered by the thought, I removed my aching leg from his lap, interrupting the bandaging process.

"Hey! Just a few more seconds," he shouted, clearly startled by my action.

I shook my head and made a hard face. "No need."

Our gazes met, and I let him see every betrayal and every painful feeling I harbored.

He looked upset, physically and emotionally unwell.

"Why? Why do you keep punishing yourself?" he asked, his lips pressed together in irritation.

"Because I don’t fucking trust you. Because it fucking hurts, your betrayal, your words, your actions, and yet you act like everything is fine between us. You keep playing the role of the caring mate when you’re really a monster..." My vision blurred, and my face filled with tears.

When did I start crying? I promised myself I wouldn’t cry for him, and yet here we are.

Like a ghost, he approached, hiding all the emotions that had burst forth, his face inches from mine.

"Punish me. I am the monster you think I am. I’m the one who broke your heart, so punish me however you want; I’ll take it. Just stop hurting yourself."

His fingers moved silently, slowly, almost lovingly, wiping the tears from my cheeks, as if he cared for me in a way I didn’t understand. My limbs seemed frozen, unable to move.

The air between us thickened with tension, my tear-stained eyes fixed on his icy ones.

The only sound was the ticking of the clock, and then there was a knock at the door. The moment between us was broken, and he walked away, his face covered in ice. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Opening the door, he disappeared behind it, and I, composing myself, came to my senses and wiped away my tears.

Alpha soon returned with a man who looked like a doctor. The middle-aged man smiled sympathetically at me.

"Hello! Luna. I’m Dr. Haynes. I’ll examine your leg and check for any fractures." The kind doctor approached and pointed to my half-bandaged leg. Alpha pulled out a chair for him.

"Sit down."

"Good!" I muttered.

Dr. Haynes began to unwrap the bandage and took my leg. There was no gentleness in his grip.

Unlike Alpha.

He examined it carefully, narrowing his eyes.

"Hm! It looks like there are no fractures, just a sprain from the blow, but I’m not taking any chances." He rummaged through his bag, pulled out a portable X-ray machine, and began to carefully examine my leg.

Alpha loomed over him like a dark shadow. His face was a mask of curiosity and reserve.

When the doctor was satisfied that everything was in order, he put the machine away and turned to me with a slight smile.

"There are no subtle fractures, and that’s good news. But a sprain is quite serious in itself. I would recommend complete bed rest for at least four days. Don’t put any weight on your leg. I’ll keep the ointments and medications. Take them regularly, and you’ll be able to walk by the end of the week."

What? How can I go home if I can’t walk for four days?

***

Alpha Kane

The doctor’s words came as a relief to me. The absence of broken bones meant she would recover faster and be in less pain.

As soon as the doctor left, I turned to her and said solemnly, "I don’t think it’s advisable, or even possible, for you to travel in this condition."

I think she was already on edge, and hearing she couldn’t go put all that doubt to rest.

Her face flushed with anger, and I braced myself for the oncoming storm of rage. "This is what you wanted, right? I’m sure you secretly hoped something like this would happen so you could keep me captive here and prevent me from visiting my family," she hissed furiously.

I moved closer to her, picked up a blanket, and covered her body with it, not even reacting to her words.

Knowing her, I immediately realized she was trying to provoke me, so I decided to remain silent and not even look at her.

But my jaw clenched even tighter. I simply adjusted the blanket so she wouldn’t get cold. Hugging herself tighter, she tried to shrink back and frown.

I walked to the couch, grabbed a pillow and blanket, and hid them in the closet. No one was supposed to know I was sleeping there.

After completing this mission, I needed to wake up Mom and Asbela so they could keep her company while I made soup.

Stopping at the door, I placed my hand on the handle and said calmly, "I wanted you to visit your family. I’m not so cruel as to deprive anyone of the opportunity to see their loved ones. Just get better, and then you can go. No one can stop you."

Opening the door, I walked out of my room before she could answer, and took a few long strides toward Mom’s. Dawn was just breaking, and I knew she was already up.

Knocking softly, I waited for her to open the door.

She opened the door slightly and looked slightly surprised to see me.

"Kane! So early. What happened?"

I huffed in irritation. "Zara twisted her ankle. Can you go check on her?"

Her surprise turned to concern, and she quickly said so before leaving the room.

"Oh no! Is she okay?"

"She’s in pain, and she could use some female company. Her family isn’t here, so she gets sad sometimes."

Mom understood and patted me on the shoulder.

"I can handle it. Leave your problems to me." She headed for the stairs, and I took out my cell phone and dialed Asbela’s number.