Chapter 3 Kali's pov

Kali's POV.

I slowly opened my eyes, taking in my surroundings. I was in a room, a very well-lit and furnished room, and something struck me, this was not my room or my mother's room, this room was screaming luxury. But what caught my attention was the figure standing a few feet away from me.

My mind raced as I tried to remember how I got there. The last thing I remembered was being attacked by the wild wolves. And now, I was in a room with this strange savior.

As I tried sitting up, a gentle voice spoke up. "Ah, welcome back, Kali. I'm Nurse Sarah. How are you feeling?"

I turned my head to see a heart-shaped face nurse approaching me with a warm smile. She had a gentle touch as she gave me a check-up and administered a soothing balm to my wounds.

But my gaze kept drifting back to the stranger, who stood silently, watching me with an unreadable expression. His eyes never left my face, making my heart race and my palms sweat.

"Where...where am I?" I stuttered, trying to sit up.

Nurse Sarah helped me into a sitting position, putting pillows behind my back. "You're in Ryder's estate. He brought you here after...after the incident."

My eyes widened as I scanned the luxurious room. "Incident? Ryder?"

The stranger's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched. "The attack, Kali. You were attacked by wild wolves."

My mind reeled, memories rushing back. The forest, the wolves, the pain...

Nurse Sarah handed me a glass of water, her voice calm and gentle. "Don't worry, Kali. You're safe now. Ryder will take care of you."

But as I looked at Ryder, I got scared and felt uneasy. Why was I here? What did he want from me?

As Nurse Sarah continued to tend to my wounds, Ryder remained silent, his eyes never leaving my face. And I couldn't shake the feeling that I was trapped.

"Ryder?" I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "Yes, Kali?"

"Who are you?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

He took his hands out of his pocket and sank into the couch. "I am Ryder, the Alpha of the Riverside Pack."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Alpha?"

He nodded. "Yes. And you, Kali, are a guest in my home and my pack. How are you feeling?"

I hesitated, not how much to reveal. But there was something about Ryder's piercing green eyes that put me at ease. "I'm...I'm okay, I think. A bit sore, but okay."

Ryder nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. "Good. I'm glad to hear that. Can you tell me what happened? How did you end up in the forest, alone and injured?"

I took a deep breath and started spilling the story of my escape from my mother's house, my journey through the forest, and the attack by the wild wolves. Ryder listened intently, his cold expression never slipping off even once.

When I finished, he cleared his throat and spoke. "I see. Well, Kali, you're safe now. You're under my protection, and I promise you, no harm will come to you while you're in my care as long as you are not a threat to my pack's safety."

I felt grateful hearing his words but I could not deny the threat that came with his words. "Thank you, Ryder. Thank you for saving me."

Ryder gave me a small smile. "Anytime, Kali. Now, tell me more about yourself. What do you like to do? What are your hobbies?"

I was caught off guard but I still smiled sheepishly. "Well, I love to run, explore, and read. I'm a bit of a bookworm."

Ryder chuckled for the first time. "A bookworm, huh? I like that. I'm more of an outdoorsy person myself, but I appreciate a good book now and then."

We talked for hours, Ryder asking me questions and listening to my answers. I found myself opening up to him in ways I never thought possible, sharing stories that I had never shared with anyone before.

But there was one thing I didn't share, one thing I couldn't bring myself to reveal. My curse. The secret that had haunted me for so long, the secret that had driven me to run away from my mother's house in the first place.

That, I kept to myself, hidden deep in my heart, where no one could ever find it.

Ryder's expression suddenly turned serious again. "Kali, can I ask you something?"

I hesitated, sensing tension in the conversation. "What is it?"

"Are you cursed?" he asked bluntly.

My heart skipped a beat. How did he know? I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. "W-what makes you ask that?" I stuttered.

Ryder relaxed his shoulder. "Let's just say I've done my research, Kali. I know all about your...condition."

My mind raced as I tried to process how he could know about my curse. Did he go back to my pack and find out about my curse and my train of rejection?

Ryder's next words cut me off as I opened my mouth to talk. "And that's why I'm willing to make you an offer, Kali. An offer that could change your life forever."

My heart was racing, my palms suddenly became sweaty. What could he possibly offer me? And how did he know about my curse?

"What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ryder's upper lip curled up into a smirk. "Let's just say... this deal will be beneficial to the both of us."

"What is it?" I mumbled again.