Chapter 143

Analise’s POV

Trigger Warning: acid burn reference

Despite seeing her after she spilled the acid on herself, I was still shocked when I saw Tiffany lying on her bed. They are going to have to put her on watch if she ever sees the damage that she’s done. I shuddered to think of her being successful at getting it on me, as she’s no longer recognizable. The top right side of her head is missing hair. The right side of her face sustained most of the damage. Her right eye is milky, and I have no idea if she can even see out of it, or not, at the moment.

They have her arms strapped to the bed. I guess to keep her from trying to touch her face or pull off her dressings. I can tell that she’s in a great deal of pain. I heard her, as we were walking up mid-conversation.

“What else has old Healer Eric told you two?” I demanded. I couldn’t believe the insubordination of such a seasoned professional.

“Head Healer Eric is upset that Healer Amanda took over the Luna’s treatment,” the first nurse said. “He feels like it’s a slap in the face to his craft,” the second nurse confirmed. I felt annoyance and anger bubbling inside me, and I muffled them quickly, desperate to stay even—tempered and composed.

“First of all, Olivia is not my Luna,” I started. It felt good to say the words out loud, although I knew Olivia would be furious if she heard me say it. “Second, Healer Eric was brilliant when he was younger, but as he’s aged, he’s lost his drive. Instead of improving, his healing abilities have declined, despite his experience. He’s been coasting by on his title alone for years. That’s exactly why I brought in Healer Amanda at such a high salary.”

The nurses were silent, but they nodded quickly in understanding. “If you ever spread such offensive, baseless rumors as these again, mark my words,” I said, “you will be fired that very day.”

I saw the nurses shrink under my presence. It was an effect of being the Alpha that I’d accepted long ago. I couldn’t deny that it often worked in my favor.

“We’re so sorry, Alpha,” the first nurse said. “It will never happen again.” “I’m sorry, Healer Amanda,” the second nurse said. Then they scurried away. I looked at Healer Amanda, admiring her composure. “Thanks,” she said, her voice curt, “but I can handle these situations myself.” She turned back to her clipboard, busying herself with work She looked as solid as a rock, as if nothing could break her. This was yet another way she was different from Amber.

Amber was fragile and dependent, always craving my attention, anxious and fearful over even a careless word from me. But Healer Amanda didn’t care about me, even I’m the pack’s Alpha.

And then there was the scar on her face. Amber had no scars. “How’d you get your scar?” I asked, unable to hold my curiosity in any longer. “An antisocial patient,” Healer Amanda replied without looking up. She clearly didn’t want to talk to me, or even see me. I wished she would meet my eyes again. “Alpha, there are a lot of contagious diseases in the hospital. You should go. For your own safety.”

I’d stood up for Healer Amanda. I’d cleared up any rumor of indecency between us. Why did she seem to hate me even more now?

Beta and I returned to the car. Olivia had been driven back to her house to continue her daily duties, and we were headed back to company headquarters.

I turned to Beta.

“I want you to investigate Healer Amanda,” I said. “She rejects every interaction I try to instigate with her. I want to know why. I want to know if she has a secret.”

“A secret?” Beta asked, taking notes on his phone. “Can you be more specific? If you have suspicions, they’d be good to know.”

“Yes,” I said. “I want to know her relationship to Amber.” I returned home exhausted after a long, busy week of work

Earlier in the day, Noah had observed a surgery I performed, as I’d promised him. I’d explained each step, and he’d watched intently. Afterward, he must have thanked me hundreds of times.

His enthusiasm reminded me of my own passion for medicine, back when I was in medical school. I’d had no money then, nor any wolf. The reason I pursued a medical degree was for curing Grandma.

I’d dreamt of healing Grandma’s bond with her wolf. After years of hard work, the stability of their bond had become shaky. This imbalance meant that Grandma aged more rapidly and became ill more often.

I told Noah my story, along with the reality of my guilt. Now that I’d become a Healer and knew how to heal Grandma, she was long gone. This content belongs to Find[ɴ]ovel.net

The guilt wracked me, along with the grief I still felt about Grandma’s passing. “Wow,” Noah had said, “you’re an incredible doctor, Healer Amanda.”

He’d looked at me with even more admiration than when we’d first met. I simply smiled in response to his praise, although it left me with an extra glow of pride around my aching heart.

My bubble of pride burst as soon as I opened the door to the house. Inside I was greeted with a terrible mess, as though the house had been ransacked. The throw pillows from the living room were shredded, stuffing strewn across the floor, and Alice’s toys were in various states of destruction.

Alice was nowhere to be found.

Panic coursed through my bones, closing up my throat so it was hard to breathe. I began tearing through the house myself, searching for my daughter. Where was she?

I called her name over and over as I searched every nook and cranny, finally opening a closet door.

Inside sat Alice. Blood crossed her face, and dripped from her lips.

Alice had shifted into her wolf form. The blood on her lips was a tell—tale sign, as her fangs had come out and pierced two identical holes in her lips.

“Alice, ” I said, kneeling down so we were face to face, “tell me what happened, honey.”

Alice’s voice shook as she told me about her afternoon. “I was watching a cartoon on the TV, Mommy, and there was this bad guy who was so mean. I got so angry, and then . . . and then it happened.”

“Your wolf came out?” I asked, sure to keep my voice calm. I didn’t want Alice to think l was mad at her.

“Yes, Mommy. My wolf came out, and I messed up the house so bad. I hid in here because I was afraid you’d be angry with me.” Alice bent her head, not meeting my eyes.

“Oh, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “I’m not angry with you at all. I’m just glad you’re okay.” Alice nestled closer into me, her frightened sobs transforming into hiccups as she calmed.

“Maybe you shouldn’t watch those cartoons anymore. There’s no reason to be upset. Cartoon bad guys always get their punishment in the end,” I explained.

Alice nodded vigorously, her face serious.

I went to tidy up the house, throwing away items that couldn’t be salvaged and keeping the ones that could. Alice helped me, carrying her own trash bag to put toys in that couldn’t be super glued or stitched back together.

My heart warmed with pride once more, this time for the girl my daughter had become. “Thank you, Alice, for helping,” I said. “You are my little angel.”

I woke up the next morning and got ready for work Although it was Saturday, I had a shift to work Such was the life of being a healer.

As I got ready to go, Alice clung to me, not wanting to let go of my leg.

“Can I go with you, Mommy?” she begged. “I want to see where you help people! And also, I don’t want to be here by myself. Please, Mommy, can’t I come with you?”

I considered her plea. It would be easier to keep an eye on her if I brought her with me, and I wasn’t eager to leave her home alone after yesterday. Especially if Alice herself was already feeling scared about what might happen.

“Alright, honey,” I said. “You can come to work with me today.”

Once we got to the hospital, I set Alice up with her toys while I reviewed patient files. I’d taken to keeping my office door open, and every once in a while a nurse would pass by and remark on how cute my daughter was.

As I reviewed the files, I could see Alice playing with her ball out of the corner of my eye. The ball bounced, rolling out of the open office door, and Alice chased it out into the hallway.