Luna nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat as she spoke politely. "Yes, I have," she said, her voice steady even though her heart was beating fast. "I'm here to ask for permission to reopen my mother's clinic. I've trained as a healer in the city, and I believe I can help the village. These are my papers to show my qualifications."
She walked up the few steps to the raised platform where Zane sat. Her hands trembled slightly as she placed the papers in front of him. She could smell his Alpha scent, a rich musk laced with the sweet, heady aroma of tuberose, both seductive and unforgettable. Despite the emotions swirling inside her, she stayed firm in her decision. Then she took two steps back and waited for his response.
Zane's gaze moved from the papers to Luna, his dark grey eyes studying her with a mix of curiosity and something deeper, an emotion she couldn't quite read. He didn't grab the papers. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts.
Luna held her breath, waiting for his response.
Zane finally spoke, his voice calm but with an edge. "You left Silver Hollow before. What makes you think you won't leave again?"
Luna froze, caught off guard by the question. She hadn't expected him to bring up the past when she was here to offer her future. His words stung, but she took a deep breath and stayed calm as she replied.
"I was only sixteen, Zane. Just a girl. My parents had just died, and I wasn't ready to be anyone's wife or carry the pressure from the village. But now... I'm here as a healer. This village is my home, and I want to help, as I can now."
There was a moment of silence as Luna saw his jaw tighten and a quick emotion flash in his eyes, showing he was struggling inside.
At last, he gave a small nod. "Fine. You can reopen the clinic." He didn't even look at her certificates before handing them back. Their fingers brushed for a moment, a brief touch that neither of them mentioned.
Luna sincerely thanked him. "Thank you, Chief Frostclaw."
He flinched slightly at the formal way she addressed him, and something flashed in his eyes, but Luna couldn't figure out what it was. Without saying anything, he motioned for her to leave, a silent sign that their conversation was over.
"Have a good day," she said, then turned to go.
As Luna walked back to her house, her thoughts were a mess. Zane's cold and distant behavior hurt more than she expected, but she couldn't blame him. She had left everything behind, including their friendship. Now, things had changed. He was the chief, and she was just another villager. If she wanted to earn back trust, she would have to show through her actions that she was here to stay and ready to do her job as the healer.
The next few days were busy with preparations. Luna spent her time organizing supplies she had brought from the city, sorting dried herbs, and gathering fresh ones from the nearby forest. She set some bundles on the table to dry and stored others in jars. She made simple medicines like poultices, teas, and salves using recipes from her mother's diary and what she had learned from her mentor, which Luna had written in her own diary. She carefully arranged everything on the shelves and labeled the jars with handwritten tags. The scent of lavender and rosemary filled the air, calming her as she worked.
As Luna worked, she often heard footsteps outside. Some villagers passed by and gave her hesitant nods, while others whispered to each other, likely gossiping about her return. She couldn't blame them. She was reopening her mother's clinic, and not everyone had forgotten her sudden departure.
Luna chose to ignore the whispers and focused on her tasks. There was too much to do to get distracted. Every part of the clinic needed attention, and she didn't want to waste a single moment. She worked from morning until night, often forgetting to eat until her stomach growled loudly in protest.
Finally, with everything in place, Luna stepped back and admired her work. Everything was ready: the clinic was cleaned, supplies were organized, and the medicines prepared. The only thing left to do was fix the name board. Silver Hollow Haven, the name her mother had once used for the clinic, would remain unchanged.
The name board hung above the clinic, but it needed some repair and fresh paint. Her father had made the board, and now it was up to Luna to fix it. She grabbed her father's tools and climbed up the ladder he had built to reach the board. Some villagers watched her from below, curious about what she was doing. She fixed the board and painted it with the old paint her father had stored.
When she was finally done, she stepped back and admired her work. The clinic now looked complete, with the name Silver Hollow Haven clearly visible once again. Luna felt a small sense of accomplishment, knowing that her mother's legacy would live on. With a deep breath, she stepped inside the clinic. Tomorrow, the clinic would open again. She silently hoped that, wherever they were, her parents would be proud of her.
That evening, as Luna wrote in her diary at the table, she noticed a shadow on the ground from the clinic's doorway. She looked up and saw Zane standing there, his figure framed by the soft light from the lanterns. His arms were crossed, and his gaze was fixed on her, with the same unreadable expression he had worn the last time she saw him.
He wore a plain, faded grey shirt, the fabric soft from wear, and sturdy brown trousers that were a little worn at the knees. His black boots were covered in dust, signs of a long day's work. Over his clothes, he wore a deep green chief's robe, trimmed with village symbols. The robe's edges were frayed but still held a sense of pride. It gave him an air of authority, reminding everyone of his position as chief, even though his clothes beneath showed a man used to hard work.
Luna stood up to greet him, trying to keep her voice steady at his sudden arrival. "Good evening, Zane."
Hearing his name, Luna saw his expression soften for a moment, but then his eyes grew sharp and guarded. He looked around the clinic, his gaze moving over the shelves, herbs, and clean floors, quietly taking in every detail.
"I wanted to see how things were going," he said in a neutral tone. "Looks like you're ready to open."
"Yes, I am," she replied calmly. "Starting tomorrow, the clinic will be open to everyone." She paused, her eyes searching his face, hoping to find even a small trace of the friend she used to know. "Thank you, Zane… for giving me this chance."
He gave a small nod as he stared at her. "Not everyone's happy to see you back," he said, his voice sharp, almost like he was testing her. "Some people think you'll leave again when things get hard. That you're only here because you've got nowhere else to go."
Luna met his gaze without flinching. "I understand why they doubt me," she said, her voice steady. "But I'm not leaving again, Zane. This is my home. I came back because I belong here, and I'm staying no matter what."
He studied her in silence, his gaze intense, as if trying to see if she was really telling the truth. Then he let out a quiet sigh, and Luna was left confused by his reaction.
"I hope you mean that," he said softly, almost to himself.
Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, Luna saw the boy she once had feelings for, hidden behind the man he had become.
Then, as if realizing he had let too much show, he looked away and gave a short nod. "Good night, Luna."
Without waiting for her reply, he turned and walked out. His footsteps faded into the quiet night, leaving Luna alone in the clinic, her heart beating fast. She let out a breath and placed a hand on her chest, trying to steady herself.
She had returned to Silver Hollow expecting doubt and rejection from others, but not from Zane. His guarded look still lingered in her mind, heavy and hard to forget.
Luna wondered what he truly thought of her. Did he really believe she would run again when life got hard? Was she here only because the city had rejected her? Or was there something else, something deeper, unspoken between them?