Chapter 219
Ellie’s POV
Somehow, my leg held.
That was the first thing I noticed.
By the time I reached Dominic, I expected the pain to come rushing back. I thought that once the adrenaline faded, my body would finally remind me that I had been thrown around by a massive boar and left with a broken leg in the middle of the forest.
But nothing happened.
No pain.
No weakness.
Nothing.
If anything, I felt better than I had in days.
It was as if my old bone had been replaced completely—like I had been given a brand-new leg instead of merely having an injury repaired.
I heard Dominic before I saw him.
His voice carried through the trees, sharp with panic.
For a moment, I was almost surprised.
It meant one of two things.
Either he had noticed I was gone...
Or he had felt me through the mate bond.
Both possibilities seemed unlikely.
And yet, there he was.
Standing at the edge of the forest.
Rain poured over him, soaking his clothes completely. His normally composed expression was nowhere to be found. Instead, his face was pale, his eyes wide with worry.
Then he saw me.
His expression changed instantly.
His gaze swept over me, then dropped to the massive boar carcass dragging behind me.
"How the hell...?"
He rushed forward.
"Ellie, are you alright?"
I nodded.
I tried very hard not to notice how his soaked shirt clung to his body.
Or the strange warmth that spread through my chest at the realization that he had come running the moment he thought something was wrong.
He had actually come for me.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
His brows furrowed.
"You don't look fine."
Before I could react, his hands landed on my shoulders, gently turning me from side to side as he searched for injuries.
I remained completely still.
"Is that your blood?"
I glanced down.
The answer was obvious.
I nodded.
Dominic lowered his hands slowly.
For a long moment, he just stared at me.
Confusion filled his face.
I understood why.
I didn't even know how to explain what had happened.
How was I supposed to tell him that minutes ago my leg had been shattered, that I had somehow been drawn to a mysterious plant, and that eating it had healed me completely?
It sounded insane.
Even to me.
So I decided to keep the explanation simple.
Maybe I had seen the plant before without realizing it.
Maybe my healer training had recognized it subconsciously.
That was the only logical explanation.
Dominic looked me over one more time before turning his attention back to the dead boar.
Then he shook his head.
"Ellie..."
There was disbelief in his voice.
"I can't believe you went hunting alone."
His eyes narrowed as he noticed the arrows embedded in the boar's neck.
"Actually... since when are you this good with a bow?"
I looked away.
"I've had training."
It was a vague answer.
Too vague.
And Dominic noticed.
"When?"
I shrugged.
I didn't want to explain.
I didn't want to tell him about the woods in my past life. About the hours I spent alone, practicing until my fingers bled. About the forest being the only place where I had ever felt free.
Not yet.
His jaw tightened slightly.
For a moment, he looked frustrated.
Then he sighed.
And strangely enough...
I thought I saw the smallest hint of amusement on his face.
"Well," he said, shaking his head, "I'm impressed."
I blinked.
"My best hunters have been trying to track that boar for days."
I said nothing.
Because if not for that strange plant, I probably would have failed too.
A short while later, the warriors arrived and carried the boar away to be cleaned and prepared.
Despite my repeated insistence that I was fine, Dominic refused to leave me alone.
He followed me all the way to the infirmary himself.
Apparently, defeating a giant boar wasn't enough proof that I was okay.
He needed a healer's opinion.
Eventually, I gave up arguing.
The healers examined me thoroughly.
They checked my ribs.
My limbs.
Every possible injury.
The only thing they found was old blood.
Mine.
And the boar's.
Dominic waited outside while they examined me, leaving me alone with the healer.
"You said your leg was broken?"
The healer's voice was quiet.
I nodded.
"I swear it was."
She looked skeptical.
I couldn't blame her.
"I found a plant," I explained. "It had fuzzy leaves. I ate it, and then..."
I frowned.
"I don't know. I just got better."
The healer stared at me.
I looked down at my hands.
"I know how it sounds."
Because it sounded impossible.
But it happened.
And somewhere deep inside, I knew it wasn't just luck.