Lia’s POV

I wake up with a start and I rub my eyes with my vision so I can clear my vision. I turn my head to the side and I can’t find the wounded stranger. The grogginess in my eyes cleared instantly and I begin to look around for any sign of him but I find nothing.

“Such an ungrateful prick.” I mutter as I try to control the burning anger in me. I had risked my safety to help him, I even found medicinal plants to help heal his wounds yet now that he finally recovered he just left me here out in the open. I was seething with rage.

“I don’t think I’m an ungrateful prick though. I just went to hunt for breakfast.” I heard a soft voice coming from behind me and I jump up to my feet ready to sprint away in a moment’s notice.

“Slow down, it’s me.” I turn around only to be greeted by the shirtless alluring sight of the stranger holding two rabbits. His bare chest still bearing the scars of his injuries but they were healing rapidly. He had long black hair and chiseled features with a small stubble on his face which makes him look very manly. He stared at me with those obsidian eyes sent a shiver down my spine but I manage to comport myself.

“Breakfast.” He says, holding up the two rabbits.

“You went hunting? In your wounded condition?” I scolded but I quickly shut my mouth up. I sounded like a mother scolding her child, it was definitely not the tone to adopt when talking to someone who might be a potential threat.

“Well, your stomach was growling all through the night. I had to get you something.” The stranger smiled with a hint of amusement on his face and I felt heat rising in my cheeks.

“Don’t worry. Just take this as a little thank you from me.” he smiles and I watch him as he begins to prepare the rabbits for cooking.

He drops the rabbits on the floor and disappears into the woods, returning with some dry leaves, twigs and branches. He arranges them in a teepee shape and produces a small flint from his pocket. Sparks erupt as he strikes the flint against a rock, and soon a small flame crackles to life.

He reaches out and adds larger logs to the fire and the warmth made everywhere so cozy. He begins to skin and clean the rabbits, skewering them on a makeshift spit fashioned from a branch.

The rabbits roast and the aroma of meat fills the air, making my stomach to growl with hunger. After the rabbits roast, handsome stranger handed me a portion but I begin to hesitate. Several thoughts of how this could all be too good to be true begin to whirl in my mind and I begin to look at the stranger suspiciously.

“You literally took care of me and spent the night by my side. I woke up hours before you, if I wanted to hurt you I would have done so by now.” Handsome stranger smirked and offered me the portion again. At that exact moment, my stomach chooses to growl loudly as the sweet scent of the roasted meat fills my nostrils.

With a slight blush, I accept the meat with a quiet thank you and we begin to eat in comfortable silence, the only sound was the distant chirping of birds.

I glance at the stranger as I continued too much on my food. He looks like he doesn’t want to talk as he has a lost look in his eyes, my curiosity gets the best of me and I finish my part meal and turn to engage him in a conversation.

“Thank you.” I say with a small smile. He turns to face me and he responds to my smile with one of his own and I was blown away by how mesmerizing he looks when he smiles.

“You’re welcome. You helped me out and took care of me even though you had no idea who I was. Not many people would do that. What’s your name?” Handsome stranger responded.

“My name is Lia, what is your name?” I say and I ask him the same question. I was tired of referring to him as handsome stranger in my mind.

“My name is Silas.” He replies simply as he continues to munch on his food. “What’s a young girl like you doing out here, alone?”

“I could say the same for you. What happened to you? You were hurt pretty bad.” I countered. I wasn’t ready to share anything with Silas and although I did take tend to his wounds and he cooked for me, that didn’t mean I would just blindly trust hm.

“I was attacked by a rival pack. I fought them off but they were too many for me to handle so I had to escape through the river.” Silas shrugged and I was surprised that he could talk to me freely. It was like he didn’t see me as a stranger but as a friend he hadn’t seen for a while.

“How did you escape being attacked by a whole pack.” I ask curiously. Anyone who could escape the assault of a whole pack was definitely a skilled warrior.

“I have certain….skills.” Silas replies vaguely. I decided not to push it.

“So I’ve answered your question. Answer mine, what’s your story.” He asks me while smiling and I sigh deciding to just tell him and get it over with.

“I was accused of killing my Alpha and now I’ve turned to a rogue.” I confess as I stare intently at his expression. He had a look of amusement on his face which wasn’t something I expected.

“Well? Did you kill your Alpha?” he asks and I roll my eyes at him.

“Do I look like someone that could kill an Alpha?” I retort and a hearty laughter escapes the lips of Silas. He opens his mouth to reply but then we both hear a rustle in the underbrush.

Silas’s head snaps up, his eyes scanning his environment and his eyes widen in panic. He grabs my arm and pull me down in a crouch and I see two warriors emerging from the trees.