03. Dad's wounded veins

Kerris POV

My steps falter when I enter the pack's hospital. I'm from the household of the former Beta. A high-born by any werewolf's standard. The nurses will expect me to be able to trace my father with my senses and know where he's being treated. But I can't. Not from the entrance, at least.

My senses are not yet developed to that point because my wolf hasn't shown herself yet. I'm no better than a mere human. It is times like these that I feel the impact of my condition so keenly.

“Miss Hart,” someone calls from the desk.

“Yes,” I rush towards her. She's the nurse that dealt with dad the last time he came here.

“How's my dad?”

“C'mon, I'll show you. He's in the ER. They're stabilizing him as we speak.”

Moments later, she leads me to a bench in front of an emergency room. I have to wait outside while they treat him.

“The doctor will see you once they're through,” she says, before leaving me there.

I look around at the familiar hallway. This is where they treat high-born wolves of the pack. I know because how the look and feel of the place. Dad's a respected member of the Moon Shadow pack. Not just because he's the former Beta, but because all his injuries were sustained in the battle that brought the pack to where it is today. He's a hero who saved Alpha Gareth from brutal death.

The name, Hart, is treated with respect wherever it is mentioned in the pack. Although I'm starting to fear that it won't be for much longer? Dad's visit to the ER is more frequent than before. He has burned all of his savings on this health problems and taken a loan to pay the hospital the last time he was here.

My legs have grown weak, so I settle on the bench and bury my face in both my hands as I wait. I thought of calling Emily. After all, Joseph Hart is her father, too. The fact that they're not blood didn't make him treat her less than me. There were times when he even treated her better than his own blood daughter.

I reach for my phone but can't bring myself to dial her number. It's possible the hospital called her first but couldn't reach her because my fiance was balls deep inside her. Thought of the two make me want to throw up. Why is the Goddess punishing me? First my sis and bestfriend betrays me with my fiance. Then Dad faints?

Loneliness weighs heavy on me as I stare at her number. At times like these in the past, she and I would be here together, waiting and hoping together. Those days have abruptly ended.

The door opens, cutting off my sad thoughts. I slip the phone back into my purse as the pack's doctor emerged. What he's about to tell me isn't news. Dad probably fainted from exhaustion. Maybe he forgot to take his meds. Or they need to readjust his treatments. Or his veins are protesting again. Something along those lines.

"Miss Hart," he said.

"Yes, doctor." I stand up. "How's my father?"

"He's stable now. But I'm afraid those veins can't work anymore. He needs surgery."

This is not the first time I've heard this. It was the same report the last time we were here. Veins were harvested from the healthy parts of his body and attached to the parts that needed new ones. The procedure is expensive but not life-threatening and won't cost me an arm.

I start to breath a sigh of relief. "I guess you'll do what you did last time, then?"

"That's the thing,” the doctor replies gently. My fear returns. “He's all out of healthy veins for us to harvest. We'll need donors, of course."

"Okay, I'll get tested."

"The procedure is more extensive than last time's. The medication afterwards will also be different.” Then he quotes the bill.

My heart slumps. I grow dizzy.. Where are we going to get that kind of money? I try to hide my reaction with a straight face as he goes on,

“For now, the machines are sustaining him by helping circulate fluids round his body. I don't need to tell you how temporary that is. If we take him off the machine, he dies, Miss Hart. We need to get on with surgery ASAP. Nurse Nura will get you the forms and give you further details. But I advise you make the first deposit ASAP so we can proceed."

“I understand, doctor,” I'm sure he can hear my sinking heart.

"You can see him now. He has asked of you and your sister. I take it she's still at work?"

“Yeah… she is.” She's working the male I thought was my fiance.

The doctor pats me on the shoulder and walks away. When I go in to the room to see my dad, he's lying on the bed, looking frail and hooked to tubes that are connected to a beeping monitor. Before I left home this morning, he was the same Ol’ Beta Joe. Agile and strong. He must have overworked himself.

“Where's your sister,” he asks.

“She's working,” I reply, taking his hand. “But I'm here, dad. What happened?”

“Same shıt,” he cursed. His frustration mirrors my own, especially after hearing the cost of fixing the problem this time.

"It's gonna be okay, dad." I squeezed his hand to comfort myself.

"No, it won't," he gritted. "I told Doctor Miles not to hook me to these damn machines. I hate this burden I'm putting on you and Em. You two have your whole life ahead you. You for one should be focusing on building a beautiful life with Tyrel now that he's Alpha. Instead, you're worrying about me! I bet the bills are much more than last time."

“Dad, please settle down. Don't say things like that. How can you tell him not to hook you to the machines? What about me? Do you think I can live happily if you just... die?" I bit back the tears, fighting the temptation to tell him that it's over with Tyrel. Now is not the time for more bad news.

My dad lowers his eyes as if ashamed.

We sit like that in silence as the time ticked by. I keep racking my head to come up with a solution.

When I leave the room later, Nurse Nura has prepared the payment plan and I just need to sign it to move things forward. I'm an apprentice at the Pack Chemist and don't even have my license yet. All I get is a stipend. Emily is also an intern. Though she makes more working at a place like Stone Corporations. But even her 'more' can't meet up with the amount quoted on the payment plan.

I should postpone my bitterness and call her. I need to inform her. If she heard about dad, she would be here.

I recall the last time dad was here. Tyrel was not yet Alpha. He was just my fiance, and he stuck by me in every way. My thumb hover on his number as I recall those nights. I killed my screen and put the phone away. Only now do I realize that I have no close friends except the two who betrayed me.

It's nightfall. The Pack's Loan House will be close now. Not to mention that dad is still owing them. I doubt they would give me more money. I reach for my phone again and launch wolve-net and type, 'local money lender for emergency cash' on the search bar.

There are tons of those. The reviews and comments from other wolves are too scary I couldn't click a single link but soon manage to find myself on a peculiar forum where I stumble on the name: The Flower Den.

I've heard of the place. It's a private brothel for the richest Alphas and elite wolves. They're highly selective of the girls or even boys they allow inside because of their clientele.

Wait a minute. Am I lingering on their homepage right now?

I tap the back button quickly, turned off my mobile data and put my phone away. I'm a virgin by conscious choice. My claiming and first bite is strictly reserved for my chosen or fated mate. That Tyrel will no longer be that wolf doesn't mean I get to sell my sacred first to some rich guy.

I made the promise to myself long ago and am not about to break it because of a little hardship. Can I even possibly earn enough to pay the hospital bills in time? The answer is very likely, no. I put the idea out of my mind fast. Rising from the bench, I decide to step out for some fresh air.