The Brave Human Mate

14.

* * ☾ * *

-Slight Trigger Warning of unconsented touching but nothing more-

Healer Rhea's POV

To say Rhea felt awful was an absolute understatement, yet as she had started to welcome back into the world of consciousness—She was instantly submerged by a new world of pain.
To start, her old burns were being brushed up against something tight and rough, and upon peeking her eye open, she caught the tight bindings securing her wrists together.
And apparently her ankles as well—Making her movement turn into a wiggle, looking madly ridiculously as she groaned once again.

With her breath picking up, and another groan coming from the pain in the back of her head, her memories had started to return, bit by bit.
Gods, she wasn't prepared, not at all.

Why did she suggest staying?

Rhea's inner voice about to criticize her last few choices, arms had started to pull her up—Leaving her to struggle and realize, quite quickly, that she was moving in a cart this entire time.

Clearly, she wasn't as aware as she should be.

"I'm no healer, Rhea. But I think you've managed a concussion." A voice claimed, and she hummed while pressing her cheek against a soft bit of warmth. And in a moment following, the arms entangled her to stay put. "Hurts."

"Yeah, I bet...Going to have to wake you up in a bit again. Make sure you stay with us." She nodded, knowing that it was something that she had to suffer through. And goddess, she would sell her soul for a bit of tea.

"Where are we?" She breathed out, her eyes opening and closing out of sync. Making the male hum, vibrating his entire body for Rhea to feel. "Been moving for a while, not sure which direction." Rhea cursed, but she peeked her eye open once more before catching sight of both Gilroy and Hawes, who offered her a kind smile—Even though they weren't in the best shape, given how bruised and battered they seemed.

"Okay?"

"What? I don't look beautiful?" Gilroy laughed at his own tease, and Hawes' body had started to shake in an attempt to keep his own reaction silent. Upon looking to her side, she caught Rolf, and it came as no surprise that Dane was the one acting as her personal pillow.

"Thanks." She whispered, knowing that those two were the ones to help her sit up. Or sit up as much as she could. "Wanted to do it earlier, but Gilroy said it'd be better to let you sleep out the pain as much as you could." A smile erupted on her face as she nodded in approval.

"Sounds like you're listening to me." She cooed, still battling with her body festering with an abnormal amount of pain. Granted, she couldn't get much sleep considering the carriage they were in continued to jostle back and forth with the shift in terrain.

"They're dumb, Rhea...They're trying to locate the brand we have." Rhea snorted, but she twisted her body, she caught a small tear in the cart's roof fabric and stilled—Catching sight of a few mangy wolves walking just on this side of the cart.

"Goodness..." She choked, nearly shivering at the utter fear that she hadn't managed to get over. Even with most of her freedom spent in Red Moon. There was still something unnerving at just viewing a large wolf.
Granted, she was well acquainted with them back home, just not going out of her way towards them.

There was only a handful of people she trusted, and out of them, there were only a few wolves—If that.

"Smell worse than they look too, and I don't even have their noses." Dane teased, boosting morale within the cart as some strangers seemed to find the comment just as funny. And Rhea found it within herself to offer a smile, but nothing had been returned—Given their circumstance.