Transmigrated: The Lycan King’s Pet

My hand clenched tightly by my side at the thought of being just a substitute.

Alaric's voice echoed from within the cave. "You may come in now, it's safe."

The damped air flooded my nostrils, it smelled rocky and carried a faint scent of herb. Inside was pitch black.

Rhydian brought out a small orb from his cloak, which brightened, illuminating the cave.

'I guess this is what freedom smells like.'

I leaned against the wall of the cave, letting the cold bite into my skin. Maybe I needed it, because everything still felt like a dream to me.

The others were scattered across the space. Rhydian had taken a position near the entrance, his sword on his lap.

Alaric and Mr. Four Eyes were quietly setting up a small fire using a crystal Rhydian pulled out earlier. Damon hadn't said a word since we stepped inside.

I pulled my cloak tighter around me.

My thoughts kept circling the same thing.

'Ember. Who was she to them? Who was she to him?'

The way Alaric spoke about her… the admiration he had for her, made me feel unsettled.

Which puzzled me, why am I feeling like this when I don't know them very well?

And Damon… his silence was louder than anything. He was always watching, and always near. But never looking at me like I was me.

I shifted my weight, trying to get more comfortable, but a sharp pain shot up my spine. I winced.

Damon turned toward me instantly. "You're in pain?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing."

His jaw flexed. "You always say that when it isn't nothing."

I blinked. "You've known me long enough to say that?"

Something flickered in his eyes.

He moved closer. "You shouldn't sit there. The rock's damp."

"I like it cold," I murmured, curling in on myself.

His eyes scanned my face, but he didn't press further. Instead, he unfastened his cloak and moved to drape it over me.

"I don't need…"

"Stop arguing," he said quietly.

I parted my lips to speak but words caught in my throat, when his finger pressed against my lips.

"Just accept it." He said softly.

I stared at his finger, then I looked up to see his face. I caught him staring intensely at me.

His finger dropped slowly, brushing the edge of my chin before falling away.

My heart was pounding so loud I was sure everyone could hear it. Damon's eyes didn't move from mine. They held something I couldn't explain. It made my chest tighten.

I let him drape his cloak over my shoulder, then he squatted, reaching for my leg.

"What do you think you are doing?" I moved my leg away from his reach.

"You have been limping. Let me treat your leg."

"No, I don't want to. And you are not a healer."

He clicked his tongue. "Be good, Aeris." He reached for my leg again.

I moved them again from his reach, but he grabbed my left leg, pulling them closer before placing them on his lap.

"Damon…"

"Shhh."

I wanted to protest, but seeing how serious he was, it made the words vanished from my lips.

He gently removed my shoe, revealing my foot. My ankle was bruised and red and was a little swollen.

He pulled my gown up, which caught me off guard. I panicked, pulling my leg back. His grip tightened like an iron lock, keeping my foot in place.

My leg was exposed, my cheeks heated up faster than butter in a hot pot.

"This is going to hurt a little, but I'll be gentle." He looked up at me.

I nodded, completely nervous.

"I'll do it before I count one to three. One, two…"

"Aargh."

I flinched, biting my lower lip.

Damon's grip held firm, steady as he pressed my ankle into place. I tried not to cry out again, but it throbbed sharply beneath his touch.

"You didn't even finish counting," I muttered under my breath, blinking back tears. "And that was wrong."

"I had to, your bone was dislocated," he said flatly, not looking up.

"You could have handled it gently," I tried to pull my leg back, but he was still wrapping it, focused.

Rhydian's voice cut through the air, tense. "Let go of her."

Damon kept his eyes on my ankle, calmly tying the cloth in place, not bothering to spare him a glance.

"You're hurting her," Rhydian added, stepping closer. "You don't have to force it like that." His jaw twitched, as his eyes fell on me.

Damon finally looked up, slow and cold. "Did she ask you to play her bodyguard?"

Rhydian's jaw tensed. "She's in pain. You didn't have to grab her like that."

"She would've kept dragging it till it got worse. I can't afford that."

Rhydian's brows furrowed as he stepped forward. "You think being cold makes you right? You think yanking her leg around like that makes you helpful?"

Damon gave a quiet scoff and stood, letting my foot down carefully before rising to his full height. "I think talking doesn't fix injuries."

"You think brute force does?"

"I think you're wasting air."

The tension between them crackled, thick and sharp like broken glass.

I pulled my leg in, hugging it lightly. "You two…"

Rhydian's expression hardened. "You and your friends will be leaving tomorrow, right?"

Silence stretched through the air like a thin layer of ice.

Then, Damon arched one of his brows. "And where might we be going?"

"Your own way. You know where you want to go."

"I'm afraid, I'll have to burst your bubble. We are going nowhere, my friends and I will follow Princess Aeris wherever she wants to go."

A devilish smirk formed on Damon's lips. "And you, when will you be leaving?"

Rhydian took a step closer to Damon, and they both held each gaze. "I'm going nowhere either, especially not when you refuse to leave."

Damon's finger leisurely tapped his own leg, as if itching to do something unspeakable. "You should leave."

"You should be the one leaving. You think I don't know you approached the Princess with an ulterior motive?" Rhydian's voice lowered dangerously.

Meanwhile, Alaric and Mr. Four eyes, sat watching them both with amusement.

"You both should stop fighting." I pushed myself to my feet.

"And you don't?" Damon tilted his head, a dangerous glint dancing in his eyes.