Chapter 3
The lupine clan's territory lay deep in the border mountains, dominated by a massive stone fortress built into the mountainside with awe-inspiring grandeur.
Outside the fortress, lupine clansmen patrolled on high alert, their eyes sharp and watchful. The air was tense, carrying a subtle but chilling sense of threat.
Vivian followed Omar into the fortress, immediately aware of eyes on her from every direction.
Most of the lupine clansmen were tall and imposing, and it was clear they were not pleased that Omar had brought a human woman to serve as their healer.
"Alpha, why are you letting a human female serve as our healer?" A burly lupine clansman stepped forward, hostility ringing in his voice. "She looks like she would break if the wind blew too hard. She has no place here."
"My decision is final," Omar said coldly, fixing him with a sharp look. The force of his aura silenced the clansman instantly.
Vivian kept her head down, saying nothing. She understood that if she wanted to succeed here, she would have to prove her abilities.
Omar assigned her to a small cabin on the west side of the fortress, a quiet spot near the healer's clinic. "Starting tomorrow, you will treat the injured lupine clansmen," he said. Then he turned and left without another word.
*****
Early the next morning, Vivian arrived at the healer's clinic. The room was crowded with injured lupine clansmen, most bearing wounds from border clashes. They got knife cuts, arrow strikes, and claw marks from wild beasts.
She took a deep breath and got to work, combining her modern veterinary skills with her basic healing power. She treated each injury with gentle precision, her movements smooth and confident, always knowing how to ease the beasts' pain.
An hour later, a lupine clanswoman burst in, cradling a tiny pup. "Dr. Schmitt, please, you have to save my baby!"
Vivian looked up to see the pup's face pale, his breathing shallow, and his small body curled in pain. "What happened?" she asked.
"He's always been weak," the clanswoman sobbed. "He has been unconscious since yesterday, not eating or drinking. The clan's healers cannot help him. They say he might not survive the day."
Vivian quickly picked up the pup, gently placing her fingertips on his chest. A faint wave of healing energy flowed from her, and she could sense that the pup was missing a vital life force, something he was born without.
She focused more of her power, carefully nurturing the pup's fragile body. Gradually, his face regained color, and his breathing steadied.
"He's alright now," Vivian said, exhaling in relief as she returned the pup to the lupine clanswoman.
The clanswoman watched her baby stir and start babbling, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Dr. Schmitt. You are our savior."
Word of Vivian's success spread quickly throughout the lupine clan's territory. More clansmen began to accept her, some seeking her out for help on their own. Slowly, her name started to gain recognition among the lupine clan.
*****
That night, the full moon hung high in the sky, a time the lupine clansmen both feared and respected. They all knew their power intensified under the moonlight, but so did the risk of losing control and going wild.
Vivian was in her cabin, sorting through herbs, when a guttural, agonized howl suddenly echoed outside. The sound was familiar and depressing. It seemed to be Omar.
A tight knot of worry formed in Vivian's chest, and she rushed out. In the center of the fortress courtyard, Omar lay on the ground, his body convulsing with violent tremors.
Sweat soaked his silver hair, which clung to his face, and his golden eyes were bloodshot, wild, and desperate. He was clearly in agony, barely holding on.
"Alpha!" The lupine clansmen were frantic, but none dared approach. They all understood that this was Omar's chronic affliction. Every full moon, the torment in his soul erupted, as if his insides were being torn apart, leaving him in unbearable pain.
Vivian hurried over and crouched down beside him. She could feel a gaping wound deep within his soul, like a black hole consuming his sanity and strength. It was a lasting trauma from the war, something no ordinary healing could reach.
"Move aside," she said to the beasts around her.
After a brief hesitation, they stepped back.
Vivian took a deep breath, reached out, and gently wrapped her arms around Omar, pressing her cheek to his back. Healing energy flowed from her, surrounding his wounded soul in a soft, steady warmth.
This was a Level-2 healing ability, one that required close, intimate contact. As soon as her warmth touched the deepest part of his soul, Omar's body shuddered, and his agonized howls began to fade.
Omar felt a warmth unlike anything he had ever known, chasing away the cold and pain that had buried itself deep within him. His rigid body slowly relaxed, and his mind began to clear.
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the top of Vivian's soft, tousled hair. Her arms were still around him, and her warmth was seeping into his skin. A strange feeling stirred within him, leaving him confused and uncertain.
Once Omar's trembling stopped, Vivian slowly released him from her embrace. "Are you alright?" she asked.
Omar sat up and noticed her flushed cheeks and the sweat beading on her forehead. It dawned on him that she had drained herself to heal him. "Thank you," he said, his voice still low, but softer than usual, with an unfamiliar warmth.
"No need to thank me," Vivian said, smiling. "Your soul wound is quite severe. You'll need regular treatments if you want to heal properly."
"Regular treatments?" Omar raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Vivian said, nodding. "It requires close contact, like a hug, or maybe a gentle touch, so I can reach deep enough to heal it."
Omar's golden eyes darkened for a moment as he gazed into Vivian's clear eyes. After a brief silence, he nodded. "Alright."
From that day forward, every full moon, Vivian went to Omar's place to treat him.
The atmosphere between them became increasingly charged. Omar wasn't as cold as before, and when he looked at Vivian, there was something complex in his gaze, something he couldn't quite define.