A bossy patient

Cassie

I was halfway to the hospital for my late shift when my phone rang. Pressing the button my small car was suddenly filled with the deep booming sound of my friend Ford.

“Hey, Cassie.”

“Hey, Ford.” I hit the brake as the traffic crawled to a stop in front of me. Glancing at the clock. I wasn’t going to be late because my shift didn’t start for hours but I had wanted to spend those hours reading to my mother. It felt like I barely saw her these days and after everything that had happened recently, I just wanted to sit by her and tell her everything. Even if she couldn’t wake up and make it all better it would make me feel better. Spending time with her always did.

“How’s things?”

He didn’t say anything and when Ford didn’t say anything it meant he wanted something from me.

“What is it this time?”

He chuckled down the phone. “You know me so well Cassie. I would handle it myself but I’m in surgery in half an hour and I can’t get away.” He sucked in a hissing breath. “It’s a vip though.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course it is but why don’t they just go to the hospital? Or send -“

“It’s a very very special VIP. I wouldn’t ask you to get involved if it wasn’t important and you're the only person I trust with this. We have to be discreet and we both know Megan-“

“Say no more.” I laughed. “Yeah, I’ll sort it for you, just send me the address. I only have a few hours and I want to see my mother before work so it's best not to take too long.”

“I owe you one Cassie.”

“You owe me about a hundred by now, Ford.” I reminded him with a laugh.

“How is your mother?”

The laughter on my lips died. “The same as always.”

“And your dad? Or is he the same as well?”

I didn’t answer him. He knew the score.

“I’m sorry Cassie.” He said quietly.

“Not your fault. Have you sent me the address?”

I didn’t want to talk anymore. Especially not about the state of my family life.

“Yeah, and thanks again, Cassie. You really are one in a million.”

“Yeah, sure,” I muttered as I ended the call and glanced down at my phone for the address. Which luckily wasn’t far from here. Sighing I settled back and waited for the traffic to start moving again so I could turn and head towards the posh end of town.

It didn’t take long, off of the main roads the traffic wasn’t bad at all. Before I knew it I was pulling up to the gated compound of a mansion. One high up in the forest covered hills so I knew it was someone stinking rich and important.

Giving my name and why I was there I waited for the electric gates to open. It gave me time to fix the silk scarf I had tied around my throat to hide the bite marks on my skin.

A man met me before I could step out of the car. Opening the door for me.

“You’re the doctor?” He didn’t wait for me to answer. “Follow me.”

I did so dutifully. Glancing around the lavish furnishing as we walked through the beautiful house and up the stairs.

The room he led me to was in complete darkness. Even with my advanced sight, I could barely make out the figure of a man on the bed. He was nothing more than a shadow.

“I can’t work in darkness.” I made my way to the bed. No one moved to turn on a light and my temper snapped. “I need to be able to see my patient to treat him. Turn the damn light on or stop wasting my time.”

Maybe I should have been more polite. The man on the bed was obviously someone important.

There was the sound of rustling from the bed and then a click as someone flicked the switch and illuminated the room.

I blinked trying to get my bearings.

The man on the bed was shirtless, his naked chest perfectly tanned and chiselled. The kind of body that should have been gracing the cover of a fashion magazine. All hard lines and ridges.

“Are you going to get on with it or are you just going to stare.”

Tearing my eyes away from his chest I stared at where his face should be but was instead greeted by a pile of cloth. His shirt I was guessing had been used to cover his face so I couldn’t see him.

Frowning, I shook my head. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed I probed at the scratch that marred the perfection of his chest.

“Claws?” I lifted my eyes but there was no one else in the room. Just me and him. “Was this done by claws or by a blade?” I asked the cloth.

God, I hated this. Why did there have to be so much secrecy? It didn’t make any sense.

“Claws.” He rumbled and his voice did something to my insides. I squirmed. Having those kinds of feelings was not professional and I had to control myself.

“It’s already healing.” Frowning, I traced the mark. It wasn’t bad. Not deep or long but there was sometimes about it that didn’t sit right with me. The edges were mottled red and it was hot to the touch. In fact, his skin was as hot and sticky.

“But-“ working on instinct I bent over him and sniffed the red scratch and my fears were right. It smelt wrong. Rotten but sweet. Like spoiling food. I reeled backwards.

“Poison.”

“Yes, that's what we thought as well. Fix it.” He commanded and I frowned.

I hated bossy wolves.

“I’ll do my best.” Wrinkling up my nose I began to pull things over my bag.

“Your best?” He sneered, “I heard you’re the unique one. The healing power. Show me.”

His voice was deep. Somehow familiar that made me unsettled. I bit back the moan that was forming on my lips. God, since when I became this weird?

This man was a stranger to me too. But he’s not THAT one.

“It has to be some kind of poison designed for our kind otherwise you would have healed by now, so I’ll take swabs and check it out but I should have some things up my sleeve to make you feel better until we can get the antidote or your wolf can heal you.”

His wolf was strong. Stronger than any I had ever felt before. I could feel it pushing up against his skin, wanting to get out and it frightened me. Which didn’t make any sense. I was a wolf, and so was he. Yet his scared me.

“No magic then?” I could feel he stared at me under clothes, like a lying lion. Eyes fixed at his prey.

“No. They're done.” I swallowed and slipped the needle of medicine into the skin of his arm and stood. “There’s nothing more I can do today but I’ll have the lab check the swab and report my findings to Ford or-“

“This way please.”

I whirled as a small woman stepped through the door, her eyes glued to the floor like she was afraid to look at the bed.

Gathering up my stuff I followed the older woman out.

“Do I need to remind you that-“

“No. You don’t need to remind me. I will be discreet.” I fought back the urge to roll my eyes.

Just who was this guy? Someone genuinely important or just someone who thought he was. It was a question I probably would never get an answer to.

“I’m not talking about discretion. I’m telling you not to mention this to anyone at all. This involves a critical matter. They will kill you if you do.” Without saying another word she slammed the door in my face, leaving me to stare up at the house with my mouth open.

Kill me?

Just who the hell were these people?