CHAPTER 432: HEALER REN’S CLINIC

Evaline:

The drive that was supposed to last only thirty minutes had stretched into forty-eight, and I had no one to blame but myself.

My cheeks were still warm, my lips tingled, and every time I glanced at Kieran’s side profile - calm, stoic, pretending nothing happened - my stomach twisted in a mix of regret and something dangerously close to longing.

I leaned my head against the cool glass window, closing my eyes briefly.

What were you thinking, Eva?

When I first leaned close to him earlier, it was meant to be teasing. Harmless. Just to get a reaction from him - the quiet, composed Kieran who rarely let his emotions slip. I wanted to see him flustered for once, maybe break that endless calm he wore like armor.

But then... the moment I saw the look in his eyes - the heat he tried to contain, the tension in his throat as he swallowed hard - it had done something to me.

Something reckless.

Something I didn’t quite recognize in myself.

And before I knew it, I was lost in the moment. Lost in the scent of him. The sound of his shallow breath. The way his knuckles had turned white on the steering wheel.

It was only when he told me to ’put my seatbelt on’ that I felt everything snap back into place. Like cold water splashed over fire. Reality returned sharply and the weight of what I had been doing hit me all at once.

And I hated how empty I felt afterward.

I turned slightly, sneaking a glance at him again. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead, his jaw clenched, the vein near his temple faintly visible. He hadn’t said a word since then. Neither had I.

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was heavier than that... filled with unsaid thoughts, tangled emotions, and lingering heat neither of us dared to acknowledge.

When the car finally slowed to a stop, I blinked, realizing I had been lost in my own thoughts for far too long.

My eyes shifted toward the window, and I frowned.

We weren’t anywhere near the Thorne estate or any of the towns near Academy. Instead, a narrow dirt path stretched ahead, leading up toward the foot of a mountain blanketed in tall pine trees and mist. The air outside looked fresh - unpolluted, untouched.

The signboard to the left read: "Healer Ren’s Clinic - Mercy’s Peak."

Mercy’s Peak.

I had heard of this mountain before - it was one of those secluded places where few ventured unless they had a purpose.

Kieran was already stepping out of the car before I could even ask. He rounded to my side, opened the door, and waited silently.

"Where are we?" I asked, sliding out of the seat and stretching my legs. My voice came out quieter than I intended.

His lips curved faintly - one of those half-smiles that never quite reached his eyes. "At the foot of Mercy’s Peak," he said. "Healer Ren’s clinic."

I tried not to roll my eyes. "I already knew that much by reading the sign board. But who’s this Healer Ren?"

His smile deepened. "He’s the head healer who used to serve my father back in the days, and then River. He retired two years ago. His eldest son - Cale Ren - took over the head healer position after him."

That name pulled a thread in my memory. I repeated the name slowly, trying to recall where I had heard it before. "Cale Ren..."

Kieran looked at me, slightly impressed. "You remember him."

"I think I have seen him around River before," I said, recalling the quiet, soft-spoken man who always carried scent of herbs on him and had a habit of bowing too deeply every time one of the brothers passed.

"Yes," Kieran said, slipping his hands into his pockets as his eyes swept across the quiet surroundings. "Cale manages all of our pack’s and the Academy health affairs now. His father lives here, treating those who can’t afford the healers or hospitals in the big towns or cities."

I nodded slowly, still not understanding what we were doing here. "So... why bring me?"

He didn’t answer immediately. His gaze drifted toward the small wooden house ahead, its roof half-covered with vines, its entrance guarded by two old lanterns. Smoke rose lazily from the chimney, carrying the faint scent of burning sage.

Then he looked back at me, eyes soft yet unreadable. "You’ll see," he said.

Before I could question him further, the door of the clinic creaked open, and an elderly man stepped out. His hair was completely silver, but his eyes - sharp and alive - lit up the moment they landed on Kieran.

"Ah!" he exclaimed, voice rich with warmth. "If it isn’t my dearest Alpha Kieran!"

Kieran’s expression softened with respect. "Elder Ren," he greeted, stepping forward and giving a slight bow that made the old healer chuckle.

"You haven’t changed a bit," the old man said, patting Kieran’s shoulder before turning his attention to me. His curious gaze softened almost instantly, as if he could sense something beneath my skin. "And who is this young lady? Don’t tell me..." He looked between the two of us, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Your mate?"

I smiled and bowed politely.

Kieran’s quiet chuckle filled the air. "No doubt you have already heard about her from Cale. This is Evaline... my and my brothers’ mate."

"Evaline," Elder Ren repeated, nodding as if tasting the name. "A beautiful name and an even more beautiful lady. It’s nice to finally meet you, my luna."

The moment he bowed deeply to me in pure respect, I felt taken aback. I could do nothing but just nod.

Straightening up, he motioned us toward the clinic. "Come in, come in. It’s not often I get visitors from your side of the mountain. Tea first, then you can tell me why you have come."

Inside, the clinic was warm and simple - herbs hanging from the ceiling, shelves lined with jars of pills and vials of elixirs, and a faint hum of energy in the air. It smelled of earth and life, the kind of place that felt alive even in silence.

I followed Kieran quietly, trying to make sense of why we were here.

When we finally sat, Elder Ren poured tea for us and took a seat across. "Now then, Alpha," he said, his eyes sharp once more. "What brings you here? Surely not for my old bones to heal you?"

Kieran smiled faintly and shook his head. "No, Elder. I brought her." He tilted his head toward me. "Evaline has... an ability. One that resembles healing, but isn’t quite the same. She’s been learning to control it, but theory can only take her so far."

Elder Ren’s eyes gleamed with sudden interest. "Ah, I see. You want her to practice."

Kieran nodded. "And I thought of you, since this place..." - his gaze flicked toward the window where a few villagers were waiting under the shade, some holding children, others with bandaged limbs - "...is far from prying eyes. These people don’t question miracles, and they don’t talk."

I looked between the two of them, realization slowly dawning on me.

He brought me here to learn.

To test my power.

To use it... really use it... on real people.

Kieran turned to me then, and for a brief moment, the hard lines of his face softened. "You are ready for this," he said quietly. "You have done everything I asked of you these past weeks. Now it’s time to see what your power can truly do."

I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. Part of me felt proud - he trusted me enough to bring me here, to let me help others. But another part of me trembled under the weight of expectation. What if I failed? What if my powers hurt someone instead of healing them?

He must have sensed my hesitation, because his hand reached out to hold mine, grounding me.

"You can do this," he said, voice low enough for only me to hear. "And I’ll be right here."

His words made me trust him... and me.

Maybe it was the quiet confidence in his tone. Or maybe it was just him - his presence, steady and calm, like a promise that I wouldn’t fall.

Elder Ren’s voice broke the silence. "Well then," he said, standing with a smile. "Let’s not waste time. I have a few patients waiting in my backyard. Let’s see what our young luna can do."

As Kieran stood, I followed, trying to calm my heartbeat. The back door creaked open, letting in the crisp mountain air.

In the backyard, a small line of people waited patiently, each one carrying pain in some form.

I exhaled slowly, stealing one last glance at Kieran.

His eyes met mine - steady, grounding. "Trust yourself," he said softly. "You are more capable than you realize."

I nodded and turned my attention to Healer Ren who was waiting for me patiently.

"Are you ready, my luna?" He asked.

I nodded slowly. "Yes, I am."