Chapter 4: The loss

The park's clinic was very close to the conference building. It was wide and had a red-cross sign placed on its premise. Initially, the council members had wanted to relocate the clinic to another place... away from the conference building but my dad disagreed. He had his reasons though.  

While heading towards the clinic, I met uncle Dolph and some pack guards conversing. I waved at him and he waved back with a smile. The pack guards on the other hand glared at me. I wasn't bothered though, after all, I was used to cold treatments in the pack.  

As soon as I arrived at the clinic, I heard Mrs. Haley talking to someone in her office. Thus, I decided to wait for them to finish their conversation. There was a six-seater chair in the waiting room. I walked over to the chair and sat comfortably in it.  

When Mrs. Haley was done conversing with the person, they both walked out of her office. The person turned out to be Catherine, a self-centered pack member. She rolled her eyes at me and left the clinic.  

"Hey!" Mrs. Haley said as she walked over to me in the waiting room, "I wasn't expecting you," she said and sat close to me, "I thought you weren't coming anymore" she added.  

"Why wouldn't I?" I wrinkled a brow at her, "I mean," I continued, "we both agreed on the check-up, so…"  

"Yes Emily, but..." she huffed, "don't you think your condition is beyond science?" she asked.  

"What are you implying, Mrs. Haley?" I asked.  

"Well, I am trying to say it could be a spiritual..." she said halfway as her phone buzzed. It was a call. "Hello!" she said the moment she picked up the call, "What?" she stood to her feet, "Okay, I will be there in a jiffy" she ended the call, ran into her office, and came out with a stethoscope around her neck, an automated blood pressure monitor in one of her hands and a first aid box in the other hand.   

"Is everything okay?" I asked concerned.  

"It's Josefina, she needs me" she replied about leaving.  

"Do you need help with those... items?" I wrinkled a brow at her. 

"No, thank you. You should go home, I may not come back in time" she said and quickly left the clinic.  

Gosh! She didn't even wait for me to ask when to come back next. Well, I guess she didn't want to help me, the fact that she was already bringing spirituality into the matter.  

If my condition has nothing to do with science, then I should look for help elsewhere. Perhaps from a spiritualist, I thought to myself.  

Though the only spiritualist in our pack was Mam Yolanda, and due to her extremism, my dad banished her into the woods. She had been living there ever since, together with her daughter, Clara.  

Visiting her without my dad's permission would be a very bad idea because all pack members had been banned from consulting her and I wouldn't be an exception, not even when I am unconditionally loved by my dad.  

Even if my dad decides to overlook it, what would the people say when they find out I went to consult Mam Yolanda?  

They disliked me already and would likely mount hell on my dad until he punishes me for breaking the rule. According to the law of our pack, only the Alpha is immune to prosecution and probe.  

The only way I could get in touch with Mam Yolanda was by sneaking into the woods to her cabin without being detected by the border patrol. That wouldn't be easy! 

If only I could get reasonable answers from my parents about my condition, but they weren't helping matters. None of them wanted to talk about it. Whenever I brought the topic up to them, they would change it. What were they hiding from me?  

I left the clinic and began walking home, thus I saw two pack members shifting into their wolf forms and running into the woods. Going for a run at this hour? They must have stashed some clothes out there to return with this time around… 

It always amazes me when they shift. I can't wait to shift into my wolf form too someday. I heard it's a good feeling. The transformation, the relief after turning, and the pleasure that comes after.  

I continued walking until I was finally home. Then I went to the kitchen island and took my leftover pizza from the fridge. I also took a can of beverage before walking to the dining table.  

Just as I began eating, mom came down the stairs murmuring… followed by dad, they were both wearing sad faces.  

"Is everything okay?" I asked but none of them answered me. They both headed towards the door, what could be wrong? I wondered.  "Dad!" I yelled his name.  

"Emily, I don't have time to explain. We lost someone, a pack member!" he apprised me.  

"What!" I stood to my feet, shocked. Before I could ask him who the deceased was, both he and mom had already left the house.   

Suddenly, the thought of Josefina popped into my mind. Mrs. Haley had told me she needed her and had gone to check on her, could she be the one that just passed away? I was curious. 

Initially, I intended to finish my leftover pizza but the fact that I'd lost my appetite made me return it to the fridge. 

I then headed out of the house to hear more about the sad news. Surprisingly, I bumped into Rieka. She was on her way to our house. 

"Hey, did you hear what happened?" she said, trying to catch her breath.  

"Yes, I was told a pack member passed away. Do you know the person in particular?" I asked out of curiosity.  

"Sure, but you won't believe it if I tell you," she said, making me nervous.  

"What? Is it Josefina?" I queried.