Chapter 7- The New Pack Doctor

Cassius’s Pov

I had seen many kinds of pride in my life.

Alpha pride that filled a room before I even spoke. Warrior pride that showed in scars and silence. The quiet pride of pack members who worked hard without expecting praise.

But I had never seen a doctor as prideful as this one. Good thing Sage had put him in his place. Everyone knows that pride always comes before a fall. 

He now crawled on all fours, moving slowly, palms pressed flat against the cold tiles, knees scraping as he dragged himself forward. His white coat was wrinkled and half open, the badge clipped to it swinging uselessly with each movement. The ward was packed. Nurses stood frozen near the walls. Doctors whispered behind their hands. Even a few warriors had paused, their expressions tight with discomfort.

The doctor stopped in front of me and lifted his head.

“Alpha Cassius,” he said, his voice shaking. “You saw what that witch did to me. This is humiliation! I’m the head doctor of Snow Fang Pack, it’s an affront to my reputation that this wench be allowed to belittle my image!”

He turned his head slightly, glaring past my leg and to the doctors and nurses in the room.

“She is an Omega!” he continued, louder now, as if the word itself should explain everything. “She disrespected me publicly. And if she disrespects the head doctor then she disrespects you all as well.” he turned back to me “As an Alpha, you shouldn’t allow this. You should deal with her.”

I didn’t respond immediately. I looked down at him. At the sweat on his brow. At the way his hands trembled even as he tried to look indignant.

Then I looked up.

Sage stood a few steps away, arms crossed loosely over her chest. She didn’t look nervous. She didn’t look afraid. If anything, she looked entertained.

Her lips curved into a slow smirk. “But how exactly did I disrespect you,” she asked calmly, “if I never even touched you?”

Her voice carried through the ward, clear and steady.

The doctor stiffened. “You…”

She didn’t let him finish. She turned, slowly and deliberately, toward the gathered staff. “Did any of you see me touch him?”

The hallway erupted into murmurs.

“No.”

“She didn’t lay a finger on him.”

“He dropped on his own.”

They had all seen Sage cast the smell, but they were more than happy to see a prideful man finally experience his fall. A nurse snorted before quickly covering her mouth. Another shook her head openly, smiling. Even some of the doctors avoided the kneeling man’s gaze, embarrassment written all over their faces.

Sage nodded once, as if confirming something she already knew.

She turned back to the doctor. “So,” she said evenly, “you see, you got on your knees all by yourself. Right after you witnessed proper medical practice.”

For a split second, the corridor was silent.

Then cheers broke out. Nurses clapped. Someone whistled. A voice shouted, “Let him apologize properly!”

Another called out, “Louder! We can’t hear you from back here!”

More people poured into the hallway, drawn by the noise. Betas. Orderlies. A few male doctors who looked far too interested in Sage for my liking.

My wolf stirred, as I saw the way they looked at her with more than adoration

I clenched my jaw.

Thankfully, Sage was wearing that loose shirt. If she hadn’t been, I might have had a real problem on my hands. The way some of them stared at her wasn’t subtle. Not respectful either.

The doctor’s face went red, then pale. His mouth opened and closed like he wasn’t sure what words were supposed to come next.

Another senior doctor stepped forward, hands on her hips.

“Apologize,” she said flatly. “You’ve brought shame on our institute. So apologize. Now.”

He swallowed hard.

“I… I apologize,” he muttered.

“Louder,” someone said.

He flinched.

“I apologize,” he said again, raising his voice. “To Sage. For questioning her skills. And for disrespecting her.”

Satisfied murmurs rippled through the crowd.

That was when I stepped forward.

“That’s enough,” I said.

The noise died instantly.

Every head turned toward me. Alphas had that effect whether we wanted them to or not. “Return to your duties and let this be a lesson to everyone here, Don’t think too highly of yourself otherwise you might find yourself on your knees apologizing to your peers.”

A few laughs rippled through the crowd and I waved them on. Two male nurses moved quickly, grabbing the doctor by the arms and hauling him to his feet. He didn’t resist. He couldn’t even meet my eyes.

They dragged him down the corridor, the crowd parting to let them pass. Some people clapped as he went. Others simply watched, their expressions grim.

Slowly, the hallway returned to normal. Nurses went back to work. Doctors dispersed, still whispering. The tension bled out of the air, leaving behind something like quiet satisfaction.

Sage turned away, clearly done with the whole thing.

“Wait,” I said.

She paused but didn’t turn around right away.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a business card. “My contact information,” I said, holding it out. “I know now that I’m healed, this concludes our business, but I’d still like to see you again, if anything, to compensate you for today. Properly.”

She glanced at the card but made no move to take it.

“You don’t need to,” she replied.

“You healed my leg, that doctor would have had it amputated” I said. “I owe you alot.”

She turned then, finally facing me. Her eyes were sharp and clear. There was no awe in them or demand for gratitude. “Why do you think I helped you Alpha Cassius?,” she asked.

I wanted to speak, but she cut me off.

“I helped you because that’s what I do, I didn’t do it because you’re an Alpha or because our wolves can’t stop yapping about each other, so don’t think I need any special thanks or gratitude.”

She paused, searching my eyes then she sighed "knowing I helped someone, is enough.”

I studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Fair.”

She turned and started walking away “ oh, and remember to take your medicine” she said over her shoulder.

I stayed where I was longer than I should have, watching her walk down the hallway. She was unlike any She-wolf I had ever met. Most she-wolves who hovered around me, did it for attention and the fact that I was an Alpha. But not Sage, she didn’t seem to care if I was an Alpha. And that drew me to her all the more.

I wasn’t going to rest until I made her mine. My wolf stirred in agreement.

Footsteps approached behind me.

I turned just as the disgraced doctor reappeared. His coat was straightened now, his spine stiff, as if he could pretend the last twenty minutes hadn’t happened.

“My Alpha” he said with a bow “I must warn you against that worthless omega, she’s dangerous,” he continued. “You shouldn’t trust her, anyone that can disregard a head doctors word cannot be trusted."

I looked at him slowly.

“Then I guess it’s a good thing you’re no longer the head doctor.” I said.

His eyes widened and he did a double take “What…What! But but Sir! You can’t fire me.”

“I just did.”

He scoffed nervously. “Then who will take over the warriors’ medical care? I’m the best doctor in the pack.”

I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I looked down the corridor, to where Sage had disappeared.

“Don’t worry, we already have a candidate,” I said calmly.