A mark that Lingas

Leah’s POV

It had been a month staying in silverfang pack and treating Alpha Keal’s injuries, and his incredible recovery reflected my hardwork—though I couldn't say it out. I had worked tirelessly, pouring all my skill and focus into healing the wounds that even the best healer in his pack, Rea from Crimson community couldn’t mend. And now, it was done.

The realization brought me a rare sense of relief. I could finally leave.

As I walked through the stone hallways toward his office to tell him that I would be leaving anytime soon. The weight on my chest began to fade. Tomorrow, I’d be free—free to return to my parents, to my human kind. The idea was both exciting and tinged with sadness. I didn’t belong here, surrounded by these wolves and their endless games for power. It was time to go home.

I paused in front of the heavy oak door of his office, taking a moment to steadying myself. I needed to inform him of my departure.  That this—whatever this strange arrangement between us had been—was over.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked once and opened the door.

Alpha Keal sat behind his large desk, his broad frame leaning over a stack of papers. The sharp features of his face were softened by the deam light streaming in through the window, but his presence remained as commanding as ever.

When he looked up, his piercing eyes met mine, and for a brief moment, something unreadable flasged across his face.

“Leah,” he said, his voice deep and calm. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I know,” I replied, stepping into the room. The tension between us had eased over the past weeks, but I still navigated around him caution. His moods were unpredictable.

I closed the door behind me and moved closer, standing a few feet away from his desk. “I wanted to see how you’re doing,” I said, with a soft tone. 

His eyebrows raised in suprise, genuine astonishment showing on his face.  “You’re asking how I’m doing?”

I tilted my head. “Yes, I am.”

“For the first time?” he replied, leaning back in his chair. “Leah, you’ve been tending to my wounds for weeks, and not once have you asked how I felt.”

I blinked, caught off guard. He wasn’t wrong, but I hadn’t expected him to point it out. “I didn’t think you valued that kind of... emotion.”

A slight smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth, but it quickly vanished. “It’s not something I need, but it’s surprising coming from you.”

“Well,” I said, folding my arms. “How are you, then?”

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. “Fine. The pain is gone. Just a scar now. Thanks to you.”

I nodded, I was happy to hear that. “Good. I’m glad the worst of it is over.”

Keal’s gaze softened—a rare moment of vulnerability breaking through his typically tough facade. “You’ve done what no one else could. Even my most skilled healer from Crimson community admitted defeat. But you... You didn’t give up. Thank you, Leah.”

There was something in his tone that made my stomach twist—gratitude mixed with something deeper, something unspoken. I quickly dismissed the thoughts. 

“I’m just glad I could help,” I said, keeping my tone calm. “But now that you’re feeling better... I need to go back. To my family.”

The words slipped out faster than I’d meant, but I forced myself to meet his gaze.

His expression changed instantly, like a shadow passing over his face. The warmth in his eyes disappeared, replaced by something darker, colder.

“What?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

I froze, caught off guard by the sudden change in him. The air in the room felt heavier, and my heart raced.

“I said,” I began carefully, “that I’m leaving tomorrow. It’s been months since I’ve seen my parents, and I need to—”

I didn't finish the sentence.

Keal’s eyes locked unto mine, his jaw clenched as his hands balled into fists on the desk. The silence stretched between us, dence and stifling and the mood shifted with it.

“You’re leaving?” he repeated, his voice dangerously calm.

“Yes,” I said firmly, though my knees threatened to buckle under the weight of his gaze. “You don’t need me here anymore. You’re healed. I’ve done my part.”

“And you think that means you can now leave?” he asked, rising from his chair with a deliberate slowness that made my heart race.

“Alpha,” I began, trying to keep my tone steady, “you can’t keep me here. I'm done with you.”

His lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile, but not far from a snarl. “You’re not going anywhere, Leah.”

His words were sharp, cutting through the air with authority that made my breath caught. “What?” I asked, blinking in confusion. “Why not?”

“I’m the one who decides when you leave,” he said, stepping around the desk,  his presence towering over me.

“That’s not fair,” I shot back, struggling to keep my voice steady. “Alpha, it’s been a month since I've seen my parents. I need to go back and—”

“I said no,” he interrupted, his tone final and unyielding. “You aren’t going anywhere. Not yet.”

“You can’t just—” I began, but he cut me off.

“Yes, I can,” he growled, his amber eyes glowing faintly. “I’m the Alpha of this pack. What I say is final, Leah. Humans are under my control, my rule.You don’t get to decide when you leave. I do.”

I opened my mouth opened to protest, but no words came out. His words hung in the air, heavy and oppressive, as his gaze bore into me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

“You can’t do this,” I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I already have,” he replied coldly. “And I suggest you remember your place. You’re in my pack’s territory, Leah. That makes you mine to command.”