Pack Doctor

[Hyacinth]

Ash starts screaming. She is angry to see me. Not just angry, livid. She yanks my hat and sunglasses from my face, pointing and shouting. I expected her to be surprised if we were to come across one another, but our relationship had always been jovial. Before the incident, we were the best of friends. Why would she be so angry to see me?

“Cindy! What are you doing here?! You need to leave, NOW!”

I don’t get a chance to respond before the Alpha grabs her arm and begins to drag her out of the clinic grumbling under his breath something about “behaving like a proper Luna.”

I stand there, stunned for a moment as I take a few deep breaths to even out my breathing. My hands shaking, I reach down to pick up the hat and glasses, useless now that I’ve been exposed. I expected some negativity when I was finally uncovered, but that reaction from my sister hurt me deeply. She was angry to see me, but why? What have I ever done to make her hate me?

Something else is going on here. Something deeper. Something that I think might be connected to what happened that night that led to my banishment. 

Maybe, if I stick around, I’ll have a chance to find out. There has to be more to the story, some element that I missed. 6 years is a long time to pass to look for clues and expect to find the answers I am looking for: Who set me up? Why? And what does it have to do with my sister? With a position like “pack doctor,” I could be in a position to investigate discreetly without raising any alarms.

Returning to my patient, I am pleasantly surprised to find she is awake. She even has a bit of energy back, which is comforting to see.

“Your brother was just here,” I divulge. “I’m afraid I didn’t make a very good impression.”

“I know, I heard,” she scowls. “I could hear everything. I’m so sorry, Cindy.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I shrug trying to act like it didn’t affect me, even though I really want to go somewhere private and cry. “How are you feeling?”

She tells me about her aches and pains as I do another quick examination. While I emphasize her need to get additional care as soon as she is able, I also confirm that she’ll be ready to go rest at home in a couple of hours. 

“Are you sure you can’t stay and be my doctor?” she bats her eyes at me hopefully. “Please say you’ll stay. I trust you. I feel safe in your care. I don’t want another doctor.”

Should I stay? 

I think of my son, who has never been able to stay in one place for longer than a month at a time. A boy with no friends except for his mother and her assistant. A boy with so many questions about who he is and where he comes from, answers that I cannot give him. I think of my own heartbreak and loneliness at being forced to leave my pack all those years ago. 

Something stirs deep within me. It's almost as if I can hear a voice saying “Stay.”

And at that moment I made a decision.

“I’ll stay,” I promise. “But only while you are pregnant and in recovery. Once the baby is born, I cannot make any guarantees.”

“Thank you!,” she beams, her eyes bright. “I am forever in your debt.”

“As am I.”

I turn to see Alpha Danvers standing behind me. Smiling, he holds out a key and an address. “I was hoping you’d agree. Here is the key to the pack doctor's house. You’ll find it is conveniently close to the clinic,” I take the key from him cautiously. “Use it freely for as long as you are with us. Consider it your home.”

“Thank you…I…”

“I’ll stay with my sister until she’s ready to be released. You can go ahead and get settled into your new place. I’m sure you’ll have a lot to do before you report to work tomorrow morning.” 

I graciously take the key and assure Blake that I will stop by her house later to check on her. I give her my cell number and ask her to text me her address as soon as she knows where she’ll be staying. 

Drew, Bash, and I meet up at the new house and begin unloading our truck. Bash begins running through the house in excitement, lying down on the floor and doing “carpet angels” as he basks in the size of the living room. “

“Why don’t you go pick out your room?” I suggest, laughing along with him as he expresses his joy through jubilant giggles. “My own room! Really?”

I nod, letting him explore on his own. 

Drew is humming as he opens cupboards and drawers in the kitchen. His long blond hair is swept back in his usual braid he sways a bit on his feet, dancing to a song in his head. When he hears me coming, he grins showing all of his straight white teeth, his brown eyes glowing in pleasure. “You did good for us this time, Cindy. This place is a real gem!”

His praise makes me blush and turn away. Drew and I have never been a thing, although I know he wishes differently. “It comes with the job,” I explain, “A job that I start tomorrow, by the way. Do you think you can stay with Bash the first couple of days, at least until I get him enrolled in school?”

“Not a problem, Cindy,” he looks down as he takes a step towards me. “Anything you need.”

I gulp. Thankfully my phone dings. It’s my newest patient, Blake, texting me her address.  She isn’t too far from here, just a few streets over. The weather is nice, and we haven’t eaten dinner yet, so I asked the boys if they’d like to accompany me. They both agree, Sebastian is especially excited when I mention there is a burger shop just around the corner from Blake’s place that serves the best strawberry milkshake I have ever tasted.

We find Blake’s house easily and she is in good spirits. She invites us to come by any time we’re free, and Bash becomes excited when he learns she loves chess. He had been looking for a new partner to play with. 

“I can pick you up after school sometimes while your mom’s at work,” Blake offers. “We can eat cookies and play chess. That is,” she looks up at me for confirmation, “ if your mom is okay with it”

“Are you sure?” I ask, hesitantly. 

“I like Bash,” she grins at both of us. “And I could use the company of a few good friends.”

Friends. She wants to be my friend.

We are all in a good mood, as we leave. Drew, Bash, and I look like any other family in the neighborhood, enjoying the nice crisp autumn air as we appreciate the large moon overhead. Nobody seems to pay me any more attention than anyone else as they pass. Maybe I can return home? Maybe it won’t be as bad as I thought. 

As I pull open her gate, I run right into someone I was hoping not to see. 

Ashlynd is standing on the other side, her hand ready to push the heavy wooden fence door just as I pull it open. It takes her a minute to recognize me, but when she does, her face grows red. 

“YOU! Again!” she growls. Her eyes flash as she looks down and sees my son. “I can’t believe you brought your little bastard with you to see the Alpha’s sister. And who is he,” she looks Drew up and down, pointing in his direction. “Is he the father? Your new boyfriend?” she sneers. “Do you have no shame?”

“Keep your voice down,” I hiss. “And watch your mouth!”

“I don’t know what you are up to,” Ash ignores my words as she puts her finger in my chest, pushing hard. “But I will find out, and when I do you’ll take your lying whore mouth and…”

Ash’s next words turn into gurgles as she falls to the ground, convulsing and holding her head. Foam begins to form at her mouth as drops of blood splatter the sidewalk below her.

Bending down, I block Sebastian’s view of Ash while looking him in the eyes. 

“Sebastian, stop,” I beg as I squeeze his shoulders gently. “Please.”