Chapter 14 - WOUNDS

A soft blue light radiated in the cave. Rina watched with mouth agape as Raymond covered her injured palm with his, closing his eyes while breathing softly. Immediately after, a blue light covered both of their palms and Rina could feel a warmth enveloping the whole of her palm. Soon, the feeling vanished and the blue light dimmed into nothingness.

Raymond removed his hands, watching how various emotions fleeted across Rina's face. The ones that finally stayed on her face were shock and amazement.

"How?... How did you..." Rina whispered, turning her hand back and forth. There was no sign of it being wounded just a while ago! "You're a healer?"

"Wow, this is crazy. Thank you!" Rina laughed in excitement. Then she paused her laughter as a thought suddenly came to her. "But, why didn't you mention this earlier? This can help in finding your family!"

"Really? It can?" Raymond asked, to which an excited Rina nodded, moving closer to him and grabbing his arms. But Raymond flinched in pain and Rina had to pause her movements. "What's wrong?" She asked, her big golden doe-eyes immediately examining his body.

"It's nothing." Raymond responded, moving back a bit. He tried to hide but Rina's sharp eyes caught on to his actions and she quickly grabbed his hand which made Raymond flinch in pain again. "This.." Rina started as soon as she saw Raymond's palm.

"This is what happens when you...heal?" She asked quietly, raising her head to look into his eyes which he averted. The deep cut currently on Raymond's palm was similar to what was previously on hers.

"How many times have you done this? How many people have you healed?" Rina asked again as she proceeded to tear off the clean hem of her skirt. It was obvious she was feeling hurt and wanted to bandage his wound but Raymond stopped her.

"You don't need to...it will heal before sunrise." He said.

Rina bit her lip, looking at the deep cut once more. She never expected him to be ready to take her pain. Do healers go through this?? Is this why there aren't much healers around anymore? Is this related to the tight spot she had heard people saying the healers in the kingdom were currently in?

"I only realized I could do this a month ago when I got badly injured one day, and tightly held on, wishing the pain could stop. Then I have never used it on anyone. Just on two rabbits I found injured in the woods on two different occasions. That was when I discovered the victims wounds I healed would be passed to me and no matter what time of the day the healing took place, I would be totally fine before the next sunrise." Raymond explained before moving to lie down on the soft moss. This was the first lengthy words he would utter since they met.

Rina quietly moved to lie beside him, both looking at the silver moon that was starting to illuminate the forest.

"Maybe... just maybe this was why you were sold."

Rina broke the silence.

"Sold?"

"Yes, sold. What? you think you were perhaps captured by chance? That maybe it was just your bad luck?" She asked.

"I did think so."

"You're really naive." Rina sighed. Compared to her who had to deal with the wits of her former pack members, constantly finding a way to stay out of trouble,and survive in that hell while putting on many faces at her age,... Raymond was truly innocent and naive. Rina suddenly felt an urge to stay with him and protect him in whatever way she can.

"Were you sold?" She heard Raymond ask, breaking her train of thoughts.

"Almost everyone in the base was sold. The lesser percent are the ones who fall into the category of people with bad luck." Rina answered. "That was what I was told, what I have equally seen and what I have come to believe." Rina continued, lowering her eyes.

"I was sold. Sold by that bastard..." she clenched her fist on recalling that face.

"Care to share?" Raymond asked.

"Sure. You have to tell me yours too." Rina agreed before diving into her story,

" Grandma was the only family I had. She was a lowly omega in the pack and took care of me as best as she could. One day, the pack received an invite to an event that would be held in the palace. It was an event to celebrate the crown prince's first shift and young werewolves who hadn't shifted yet could attend. I was so happy that I ran home to share the news to grandma. I also wanted to attend, at least to see the palace and as a result, I expressed my desire to grandma everytime I got back from working in the pack house. To cut the story short, grandma gave me a gift when I got home one day. A beautiful ball gown.." Rina stopped, her voice choked with sobs she was trying to hold back. " After the one week event, we all left the palace. But I couldn't find grandma when I got back. I was told she had borrowed money from a loan shark to get my ball gown, and that she had been taken into custody to work the money off." Rina paused again, sniffing. "Later, grandma died from her recurring illness and I only got to know when I got back from work and saw them at the door. They seized me on sight and no matter how hard I struggled or pleaded, I was ignored. I tried sending letters to the pack but I was told the pack has no involvement with a lowly Omega's affairs so I couldn't seek help from them.

Then the owner of the loan shark came to see me where I was taken hostage with some others and I pleaded to at least, see my grandma's grave and mourn her...do you know what he said?"

"After telling me my request couldn't be granted, that bastard said it was a pity that they had already cleared the loan by selling me off, otherwise there were better ways he could get me trained to even bring him profits once it was time!" Rina's body shook with rage. "This was why I was desperate to escape from the base, because my fate might not be any different from that lewd bastard's intention."

She finished with a deep sigh, sadness eminent in her voice while she blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. The warm hand of Raymond showing sympathy by holding hers only made it hard for her to stop the tears from spilling.

"I think that's that about me." Rina sniffed, forcing a small smile. "What about you?"

"Yeah.. I'll show you." Raymond quietly responded,

"Show me?" Rina was caught by surprise. Again.

"Yes." Raymond responded, tightening his hands around her's. "Close your eyes and don't let go of my hand." He instructed as he took a deep breath. He was about to show her what his life had been up to the point he was taken captive. He felt very vulnerable.

About half an hour later, Raymond's heart pounded in his chest as he looked at Rina who was blankly staring at him without moving a muscle. She was the first person he had somehow connected with in his life. Did he make a mistake by showing her? Would she leave him? Would she say something mean? Like every other person? Would she ...., Raymond kept thinking when he felt a soft hit on his body. Rina had hugged him tightly while sniffing hard. She had previously tried to stop her tears from spilling but now, she let them fall freely as she hugged Raymond.

She wanted to say a lot of things but only few could come out of her mouth as she sobbed while hugging him.

"You've got me now. I'm your friend now. We're in this together and no one is leaving. I promise, Raymond." Rina whispered as she hugged him tight, sniffing.

She initially thought her life was hard? He had been through worse with no one by his side. He had been jilted, abused, maltreated, bullied, cheated, cursed, pushed around, homeless, starved, amongst many other things. He literally had no one to talk to, nor anyone who wanted to listen to him except those who gave him dirty menial jobs.

Raymond didn't know how to describe how he felt at that moment. He only knew he also teared up while hugging her back.

....

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit room containing a desk and some few chairs, some men could be seen shivering as the man seated behind the desk dropped his quill, standing up. Next thing they all knew, he kicked the desk away in anger, grabbing one of them by the throat, his fangs protruding with some dark fur growing on his exposed arms and face.

"The next auction at the black market will take place in three days. Those two are the highest valued slaves to be put up for auction. If before then, you can't bring back those two," his deep voice paused, slitting the throat of the man he had grabbed. "You'll all end up like this!"