Forger

[27 hours since hospital lockdown...]

Dr Alex Langford has been helpful so far. All new patient admits have been directed to nearby hospitals. Nurses, doctors, and even janitors couldn't step outside. Meanwhile, security questioned every single hospital crew and anyone in sight, including me. I saw it was my turn after Dr Rayleigh.

The storeroom was converted into a makeshift questioning room. Hundreds of interrogations already carried out. So I was being nice when I walked in with a cup of cold coffee.

His eyebrow raised,

"You're trying to impress me, Ms Elaine?" I didn't like his expression. But what could I say when it was the director and the Phoenix himself? Dr Luthor Langford sat across from me, eyebrow stretched and expression suggesting...suspicion on me.

"Just trying to look decent, doctor," I said, sitting down with my own cup of iced latte.

"So. Would you like to tell me where you were at 8:45 am yesterday, Healer Elaine?"

"I was at the Coming Of Age program held at Jacob Fenris's pharma company, doctor," I replied, my voice soft and well...professionally nonchalant. He hummed.

"So you weren't at the hospital."

"Yes. I was with Dr Rayleigh."

I didn't know I made a blunder right there.

"He was with you." His brows now crushed into each other. It was as if he was not approving of Dr Rayleigh's proximity to me. A newbie Healer. A werewolf.

Now, birds like him were never true enemies for wolves like us. But there have always been clashes.

Phoenixes lived individually.

Wolves always lived in packs.

The rifts? I don't really understand. But werewolves are looked down upon by the creatures who are said to have intelligence and wisdom way beyond normalcy.

But...Where's the wisdom while looking down on other species?

"You may go, Ms Elaine." He said, not meeting my eyes. His hand scribbled something in his notes.

I retired to my small accommodation after that. I planned on taking a nap. With most patients already being taken care of and just made to rest in their beds, we didn't have many emergencies.

Half an hour into my nap, my pager buzzed. It was to the isolation ward.

"Jean..." Muttering, my slumber vanished as I rushed into the ward. It was Dr Taylor with Nurse John. And...I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Jean..." My hands rested against the glass. Dr Taylor loomed over Jean's weak but awake, fragile little body with clean towels and a scalpel.

Jean...was...awake...

"Oh Goddess," I muttered.

Wearing the clean suit, I rushed in as both stepped aside. Dr Taylor smiled through the mask, even though I couldn't see it. Nurse John looked like he needed the biggest nap of his life. After all, Nurse John has been taking care of Jean since the day he was admitted here. Cleaning his vomit, bathing him, keeping him germ-free 24/7...

"Oh Jean..." he peeked through the slits of his eyes. Colours of the room, like blotches, finally seeped into his vision. And that smile...Goddess.. that smile!

"Mom...mom..." his feeble voice cooed. Only I knew the kind of urge I fought to crush his little body in my embrace. He was completely out of danger!

It was nothing less than a miracle.

But...there are some things even miracles can't change. Or perhaps, Jean is still too little to understand that...

"Mom...where is daddy?"

My heart thumped.

First thing he asks after waking up is for that man...

That same man who never paid attention to him. That same man who let that witch infect him Goddess knows how. That same man who refused to take care of him, think about him, or even ask about his progress!

He moved on, baby—Was what my tongue itched to say. Instead, I rolled the lie out,

"Daddy is on a trip, baby. He's been busy." Yeah, busy screwing Leah probably.

"Oh..." I almost wanted to weep at how sad he sounded. He wanted his father. And his father? Never gave a thought about his own son. Tsch!

"Lucky you. He doesn't need an isolation ward anymore. A couple more days of check-up, patch-up, and our little hero is ready to go home." Said Dr Taylor. I couldn't hold myself back. I walked into them with an embrace, taking them by surprise!

"Thank you..." My tears spilt on their shoulders. Dr Taylor patted my back.

"Now now, he needs you more than he needs us now. You've birthed a strong little miracle, Elaine. Good luck."

And then...they left.

Someone heard the news—it spread like wildfire across the hospital! Dr Rayleigh, suited up and hands in the air, rushed into the room where Jean was shifted in. One of the normal wards.

"There's my little champ!" Dr Rayleigh exclaimed! Jean wound under my arm, weirded out by the doctor!

"Hey! I was the one giving my best to heal you, Jean!" Dr Rayleigh said and laughed. He was taking his gear off and turned to me.

"Congratulations, Mom of Jean." He whispered, "I'll take it from here. I need to do a psych eval, with your permission."

"Well, go ahead. And something tells me he's gonna like you a lot." I said while our faces were literally inches apart. Oh...

"You're not wrong, Elaine."

And that was how we switched guarding Jean and I ended up in the corridor.

It was eerily quiet. My heart was swollen with happiness. But something was telling me things were about to go haywire.

The corridor overlooked the city lights. And I took a breather by the side of it. It felt liberating. Finally.

However...a Nurse holding files passed by. His vibes were peculiar. His stance was of a scared fox about to snitch to a lion. I didn't know how to describe it, but somehow, something about him was...familiar.

I relied on my wolf.

'It's...it's the same scent on the authorised documents apart from Dr Rayleigh!' My wolf said from memory!

And I don't recognise the Nurse either!

"Hey, you." I followed him, calling out. With a curt look thrown my way, his pace quickened.

And we all know why he did it.