Chapter 6 Waking Up Back in His Cabin

Giselle's POV

As I regained consciousness, I realized that I was once again in Steven's cabin. My legs were securely wrapped in bandages, and a sturdy stick was propped against my injured limb for support.

"Did Steven treat my injury?"

Well, there's no one here who would.

As I reminisced about Steven, my mind wandered back to the time when he rescued me from the clutches of three lustful rogues. Despite my initial resistance, even biting his arm, Steven carried me to safety and carefully tended to my injuries.

"Did he really save me? Or what if he only wants my body?"

The nauseating memory of the three rogues' unwanted touch made my stomach churn with disgust.

I couldn't bear it any longer and rushed out for a restroom.

As soon as I reached the toilet bowl, I vomited uncontrollably.

"Bwah!"

The sensation was unbearable, and I felt a squeezing pain in my stomach. My saliva tasted sour, and my eyes misted with tears.

My throat burned like fire, and I couldn't wait for the ordeal to end.

"Bwah! Ugh! Ugh!"

After throwing everything, I took a moment to collect myself, gazing up at the ceiling before finally stepping out of the comfort room.

As I emerged, my ears perked up at the sound of something stirring outside the cabin.

Curiosity piqued, I followed the noise to its source and found Steven.

He was training, honing his skills with a flurry of punches aimed at a punching bag suspended from a sturdy tree.

From a distance, I observed Steven as he trained with unwavering focus.

His bare hands relentlessly pounded the punching bag, each strike accompanied by a sharp hiss as his fists sliced through the air. The sheer power behind his punches was undeniable, and it was no surprise that he had single-handedly taken down three dangerous rogues.

"Hah!"

Steven unleashed an uppercut punch that sent the punching bag flying backward. Steven deftly dodged it as it swung forward, spun around, and delivered a powerful sidekick.

Thud!

The chain connecting the punching bag to the tree shook with tremendous force.

'He is so strong. If only I possessed the same level of strength, no one could ever coerce me into doing something against my will. I wish I could be as strong as this man.'

As I stood there, silently observing him, I lost track of time. His movements were nothing short of mesmerizing.

Clad in a sleeveless white shirt and ripped pants, he swung his arm with such grace that his wet black hair shook with each motion. Beads of sweat trickled down his chin, but he didn't let it deter him. He wiped it away with a quick movement and resumed his training.

'He is really hands...'

"You're awake."

"Uck!"

I covered my mouth as I hiccupped.

"Uck!"

Steven caught me staring at him. His eyes, typically icy to all, bore straight into mine. My gazers quivered, and unbeknownst to me, my yap was parched, and I gulped incessantly.

My mind is racing, trying to come up with the right words to say.

It's clear that I need to say something, given that I attempted to flee when he instructed me to remain.

'But what should I say?'

'Should I express gratitude for the opportunity to speak, or should I begin with an apology for my previous actions?'

After careful consideration, I believe the best course of action is to start with an apology.

"I..."

Thud!

Steven interrupted me before I could even utter a word.

He tossed a bottle toward me, causing it to roll onto my feet.

Curiosity got the best of me. I picked up the bottle and investigated it. Upon opening the lid, I took a whiff and quickly realized that it was just plain old water.

As I glanced back at Steven, he put on a nonchalant facade and carried on with his training.

My mind raced with questions, 'Did he give me water to cure my hiccups?'

Suddenly, I let out a loud "Heuk!" and instinctively drank the water, feeling instant relief.

Time ticked by as I stood at a distance, observing Steven's solo training session.

Abruptly, he came to a halt. I anticipated he would finally engage in conversation with me, but my hopes were dashed as he departed without a word.

'Where did he go? Is he still angry with me?'

I wish I could follow him and find out, but with all the dangerous rogues out there, maybe it's better to stay in his house.

"Did he leave because he didn't like me watching his training?"

I felt embarrassed for interrupting Steven's training session. And so I waited patiently for a few more minutes.

But as time passed, my legs began to ache from standing for so long.

Eventually, I decided to retreat inside and rest. However, just as I was about to leave, Steven unexpectedly returned.

My attention was immediately drawn to the sight of a deer in his hand.

Is catching a deer a part of his training?

As my fascination intensified, I realized I had been fixated on Steven for quite some time.

He had made his way to the kitchen, where he prepared and cooked a deer with nothing but the sound of clinking cutlery and sizzling in the pan to accompany him.

It was as if he was accustomed to silence, as he didn't utter a single word throughout the process.

After completing his culinary masterpiece, he returned to his original spot and began to savor his meal.

'I am hungry too. I wish I could eat that,' I thought while caressing my hungry stomach.

Steven didn't bother. As I watched him devour the succulent meat of the deer, my stomach growled with hunger.

Despite my desire for a share of his meal, I knew better than to ask. This was Steven, the cursed werewolf I had insulted and fled from, only to bite his arm later when he saved me.

The sight of the bandage wrapped around his injured limb only added to my guilt. No matter how tempting it looked, I couldn't bring myself to ask him for food.

As I fought with the turmoil of my innermost thoughts and my yearning, a calamity struck.

GRRRR!

My stomach let out a ferocious growl, causing me to clutch it tightly as I gazed at it with wide, bewildered eyes.

I AM SURE STEVEN HEARD IT!

My face flushed with embarrassment, and I wished for a way to escape the situation!

'I should dig a hole in the ground and jump down into it!' the thought crossed my mind as it seemed like the only way to avoid the moment's awkwardness.

Gradually looking up, I stared at Steven and felt the heat rise in my head.

He was staring at my stomach before finally meeting my eyes. Then, he stood up.

"W-What?" I asked, stuttering.

My stepsister and stepmother didn't like it when I watched them eat. They told me to go to the corner and wait for leftovers. I thought Steven would also get mad if I watched him eat. However...

"Do you want to eat?" Steven inquired, extending the succulent leg of the deer towards me.