“This way,” I say, holding the door to the infirmary open and watch as Harper looks up at me wearily before she goes in. She doesn’t trust me, and I don’t blame her. Harper’s long chestnut coloured hair falls down her back, and when she moves, it floats around her. I can’t stop staring at her, the woman I’ve waited so long for, and she is more than I could have imagined. She is strong because even though she is in pain, she tries not to show it with every step. Stubborn too, and I have a feeling I’m going to have my hands full with this one. I’ve waited years for a mate, many more years than others would have. I’ve met hundreds of females wolves over the years, and it was always expected that I would mate with a born wolf. Not that turned are less powerful, they just don’t come with gifts, and there aren’t a lot of alphas that are mated to them. I don’t care about any of those politics, though, and never have. I don’t run my pack by the rules the royals set. Harper turns slightly to look up at me as she stops in the middle of the room, those warm green eyes locking onto mine, and I have the feeling she is looking for any excuse to run. I don’t know her, but I know she doesn’t want to be here. I don’t blame her; she has had quite the introduction to the shifter world by being bitten by a rogue. I wish that rogues didn’t turn as many innocents like her that they do, but it happens all the time. Harper is lucky that the twins found her and brought back here. Hunters usually have to take newly turned to the royal family, and they have to attend the royal school, and learn how to control their wolf. Not a lot of alphas will take in new wolves because they don’t have time to manage and teach one.
“This way.” I wave a hand towards the doctor’s room door and hold it open. I watch as Gold nods with a smile as she looks at Harper and me. She and her brother hunt rogues for my pack, as well as two other pairs that go out, if needed, and they do take jobs for the royal family because they pay so well. My pack has seventy wolves and is small compared to some of the packs around the world, but it’s still illegal to turn humans. We don’t do that, and I will have to send a letter to the royals to explain what happened with Harper.
“Who’s this?” Tam says as I pull the door shut behind the girls. Gold leads Harper over to one of the beds in the room, and she sits down. Tam is a little shorter than me, with dark brown hair cut short, and he always wears casual shirts with quotes on them. The one he has on at the moment is a picture of a grumpy looking cat and the words ‘I’m not impressed’ under it. The man is strange to me, but I like him. He has a class of three wolves he teaches healing too and overall, he is amazing at calming down wolves when accidents happen. I’ve never seen him not be able to find a way to heal anyone. The pack and I couldn’t do any of the things we do, without him.
“Tam, this is our newest pack member, Harper,” I introduce, and Tam grins at me. I’ve known Tam since we were both pups, and he is one of my closest friends. There’s no one else I would trust to heal her, and while I wish I could do it, that’s not my gift. I have the power calm someone down with one touch, which is good for an alpha to have when I have to sort out fights in the pack. I wish to use my calming power on Harper to help her relax, but mates cannot use their skills on each other. They dull each other out and its always been that way. I guess it’s a natural thing, to never be able to hurt or control your mate.
“Hello, pretty lady,” Tam says, walking over to her as Gold waves and sits down next to Harper. I smirk when Harper gives him a snarky look with a raised eyebrow. Tam looks at her in surprise; I’m sure he’s shocked that his charms don’t work on someone for once. Tam has half the women in the pack in love with him, and a string of one-night stands in the local town to prove how he always makes women like him. I don’t have time for that; well, not until I saw Harper. I hope she gives me the chance to get to know her.
“Right… well, let’s have a look at that leg you’re limping on,” he says, going to his knees and undoing the bandage. When I see the nasty bite on her leg, I grit my teeth, finding myself extremely glad this rogue is already dead, so I don’t have to kill him myself. The rogue looked like he attempted to rip her whole leg off, with the ten or so bites I can see. It’s started to heal but still looks terrible. I’m shocked that she walked in here.
“So, Harper, I’m going to place my hand on your wound, and it will feel freezing for a minute while I heal you. Just don’t move, okay?” he instructs, hovering his hand over the central part of the bite. She nods, and I step forward on instinct when she screams as he places his hand roughly on her bite. A low growl comes out, and Harper looks over at me as pain rockets over her eyes. I walk over, taking her hand in mine as she bravely lets Tam heal her. It always hurts a lot, but it’s over quickly. Tam leans back as he moves his hand away, looking at her leg, which is healed and only a little-dried blood is left there.
“That’s amazing,” she says looking down at her leg. “Thank you.” It's incredible how there are no scars, not a bite mark in sight. I wish every wolf that is turned could see Tam or a healer like him. The scar that is usually left is horrible.
“No problem,” Tam says, looking at my hand in hers, and he smirks at me as he guesses who she is.
“Congrats, old man. It’s been, what, two hundred years of waiting?” he asks, and Harper responds.
“Two hundred? You're over two hundred years old?” she asks me, removing her hand from mine, and I glare at Tam before nodding at her.
“Wow,” she says, pulling her leggings down her one leg and standing up.
“I told you we live a long time,” Gold tells her softly.
“I know, it’s just…” she says, and Gold takes her hand in hers.
“I’m going to show Harper around and then find her room,” she says, and as much as I don’t want to be away from her, I know she needs a friend like Gold to help her settle in.
“She can have the one next to mine,” I say, and Harper glares at me.
“I don’t know what you expect from me, but that’s not happening… I want a room away from you.”
“It's safer for you to be near me, while you control your wolf. I’m not expecting anything, but I want to keep an eye on you. You don’t want to shift in your sleep and go running out of the house without me there to protect you,” I tell her. It’s happened more than once to turned shifters, and then they are away from other wolves for too long as their pack tries to find them. Their wolf takes over, and then they are lost. It’s a horrible side affect the life we have.
“I won’t ever be yours, you know that? This is pointless.” She crosses her arms and glares up at me.
“Run all you want, Harper, but wolves love the chase,” I reply, and her bright green eyes widen in shock. I turn around and walk out the room, knowing she is watching me. I have to make a plan to win her over.