Chapter 16 Abnormal symptoms

RILEY

Married?

To her?

Of course, it really wasn’t any of my business, but still, I was surprised enough to fall silent.

Sophia’s glossy lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

“That’s right,” she said with a soft, cruel snort. “So, if you thought you’d win his sympathy and affection by playing innocent and sweet, you’re delusional. Killian doesn’t fall for that kind of thing.”

It was then I realized the game she was playing.

I exhaled, almost laughing, and crossed my arms.

“I don’t care what he does. He’s free to live his life as he pleases,” I said simply, glancing over Domi.

“I’m only here to get care for my son. Anything else isn’t even on my radar, so don’t worry, he’s all yours. Besides, I would never be interested in a controlling, arrogant, and condescending man like him.”

Sophia’s hazel eyes flashed, and her cheeks reddened as her anger flared.

“You lowly-” she began but before she could finish, Dominic came running toward the door.

“Killian!” he exclaimed. “I missed you!”

I turned to see Killian and Dr. Raphael walking into the room.

Domi practically barreled toward them, and Killian let out a short laugh as he scooped him up.

“Hi,” he said simply, a little awkward but amused. “I… missed you too.”

I wasn’t sure how long they’d been standing there, but judging by the men’s expressions, they must have heard at least part of my exchange with Sophia.

Raphael cleared his throat and looked at me. “If you’re ready, Ms. Clarkson, I’d like to begin Dominic’s initial exam.”

Killian gave Sophia a subtle look, and she immediately ducked out of the room without another word.

***

An hour later, Dr. Raphael set his stethoscope aside and picked up his pen, jotting down some notes.

“Mommy, are we done yet?” Domi whispered.

“Almost,” I murmured.

Killian was leaning against the wall nearby, his large hands tucked into the pockets of his slacks. His emerald eyes were fixed on the doctor.

The examination had been fairly routine so far, but I still felt uneasy as I waited for the next question. I couldn’t tell whether it was anxiety or Killian’s presence that had me so on edge.

I wasn’t used to sharing responsibility for Domi, and a small part of me worried that Killian thought I was a bad mother.

Raphael tilted his head before continuing.

“Has Dominic ever had a fever like this before?” he asked.

I shook my head. “He’s always been really healthy. In fact, he’s never even had a cold before.”

“Really?” he asked, glancing over the paperwork in his hands. “That’s unusual for his age.”

I nodded. “He’s just…had a strong immune system, I guess.”

The doctor nodded thoughtfully, wrote something down, and then looked over at Domi.

“Has his behavior in the past few months been… unsual? Out of the ordinary in any way?”

“Unusual?” I repeated.

“He seems like a patient child,” Raphael clarified. “Even-tempered. But has that always been that way? Has he ever displayed aggression, either towards you or other children?”

I frowned, trying to understand where these questions were coming from. A little defensiveness crept into my voice.

“I don’t understand. What does that have to do with pediatric blood disease?”

Raphael softened his tone after glancing at Killian.

“I’m just trying to get a complete picture, Ms. Clarkson. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Dominic has always been gentle and empathetic,” I said. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly. Honestly, he apologizes to inanimate objects if he so much as bumps into them. He’s never been aggressive a day in his life.”

Killian glanced toward Domi and studied him quietly. I Couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Then as if he sensed my gaze his eyes lifted to meet mine.

I quickly looked away.

“His fourth birthday was recent, correct?” Raphael spoke up again.

“Yes, it was on the sixth,” I confirmed.

He jotted down another note.

“Now, can you run me through some of his symptoms from that day? Or even the night before?”

“Well, the day before, he was totally normal,” I recounted, fidgeting with my bracelet at the very thought.

“He was playing like he usually does, running around… There were no signs of a fever or any kind of sickness. So when I woke him the next morning and took his temperature, I was shocked.”

As I thought back to that day, a small detail suddenly came to me.

“Well, I did notice that around midnight, he started getting a little restless,” I said. “He seemed like he was having a bad dream or something. He was muttering in his sleep and made a strange noise. But he was probably just feeling sick.”

Raphael paused.

“What kind of noise?”

“I don’t really know how to explain it, but it was almost… like a rumbling?” I said uncertainly. “Deep in his chest. Sort of low. It was… odd.”

“Like this?”

Killian’s voice made me turn toward him again.

He demonstrated the sound, and a shiver ran down my spine. It was low and resonant, almost like a growl. If I hadn’t seen him make it, I would have thought it came from an animal.

Domi giggled at the sound before returning to his toy cars, oblivious to the conversation around him.

I nodded slowly.

“Y-yes. Kind of like that. But…much smaller.”

Raphael looked at Killian, his brow furrowing.  

“What?” I asked worriedly, glancing between them. “What does that mean?”

After a brief pause, Raphael set his clipboard down.

“You’re probably right, Ms. Clarkson. It could have been a sound of discomfort.”

Something about his answer didn’t quite satisfy me, but I nodded anyway.

“I think I have the rest of the information I need,” he continued. “We’ll have to wait for the results of the genetic test before we can determine our next steps. For now, I’m going to administer some medicine to bring Dominic’s fever down, as well as a mild sedative to help him rest. Once he’s settled, we should have a clearer idea of what’s happening.”

***

Whatever magic Raphael had worked was fast-acting.

The magic was modern medicine, of course, but whatever it was, Domi’s condition began showing signs of improvement within a day and a half. By the next night, even his fever had dropped significantly.

 I was still exhausted, though, and no less worried.

As kind as Dr. Raphael had been, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was hiding something from me. Neither could I forget the looks he and Killian had exchanged during the examination. My intuition refused to let me relax.

Around midnight, I was still awake and decided to go outside for some fresh air. After making sure that Dominic was sleeping soundly, I quietly left the room and stepped out into the night.

The weather was cool and comfortable. A pine-scented breeze fluttered gently through my hair as I walked along the river nearby.

Above me, the moon was full, casting a silvery glow over everything like a mystical veil.

It was beautiful out here, almost otherworldly.

The city had always felt clogged and noisy, but out here, everything seemed quieter. More peaceful.

I wandered aimlessly, too lost in thought to pay much attention to my surroundings. I didn’t realize how far I’d gone until several howls echoed through the distance.

A shiver of fear ran through me, and my eyes widened.

Were those… wolves?

I knew the medical center was deep in the valley, surrounded by forest and wildlife, but I hadn’t expected to hear animal calls like that.

They sounded clear and close, too close for comfort.

My heart thrummed wildly. There was no divide between the center and the forest, so I’d probably wandered further than I should have.

I was just about to turn around and head back toward the building when I saw something gleam in the darkness.

Something greenish.

Almost like a pair of glowing eyes.

I froze in place, paralyzed.

 The gleaming eyes didn’t move. They simply remained fixed on me, as though whatever was hiding in the darkness was studying me just as carefully.

Then something touched my shoulder, and I screamed.