I dragged my weary body home, sighing as I dumped my body unceremoniously on the bed. I removed my shoes and tossed them around the room before massaging my sore feet with my hands.
I was beyond stressed. My legs were shaking from standing too much. We had a lot of emergencies, so we were on call literally throughout the whole day. A lot of the referrals, in particular, came from the middle school.
There was a case of two newly turned wolves who had lost control and fought till they broke their limbs. A warrior had also pushed himself too much and collapsed.
Blue Crescent was a large pack, much bigger than my home pack, so we had a lot of cases. But Gamgam had been so nice. She had explained everything to me patiently, never getting angry no matter how many times I asked her questions.
During the lunch break, we ate together with the other nurses. There, I get to hear firsthand about all that has been going on in the hospital. I was happy that I was able to make friends with some of them. Overall, it had been an eventful week. No doubt, I was stressed, but it was worth it.
But my body wasn't used to such things. I have been spending weeks doing nothing, so it will take a while to get used to the new routine. I couldn't even bring myself to remove my clothes before I dozed off on the bed.
"Isabelle!" In my subconsciousness, I felt someone tapping me. "Isabella, wake up!" The person was still tapping me.
"Five more minutes, Mom."
"Isabella! You need to get up."
"Mm." I managed to open my eyes and saw Richard looming over me. "Richard, you are back?" I ask, my voice husky from sleep. I reached out to touch his chiseled face, trying to confirm that he was real and not just a fragment of my mind.
"Wake up. You need to eat; you haven't even taken off my dress." He queried me as he put me in a sitting position and helped me remove my clothes, leaving me in only my underwear. "When did you come back? Have you been like this since?" he queried me.
I struggled to open my eyes and looked at his brown ones. I reached out a hand to touch his face, stroking the little shadow on his face. "You look so handsome today. Why didn't you wake me up before you went?"
"I'm sorry, baby. I didn't want to bother you. Why don't you go take a bath while I ask someone to bring up food?" He helped me onto my feet and directed me to the bathroom.
I came back wearing my pajamas, and we ate the steamy bowl of food while we recounted how our day went.
"It was tiring. I barely had time to sit down. My feet are even swollen." I complained as we were cuddling on the bed.
"Sorry baby. Do you want a foot massage? I have been told I give a mean one."
"Don't worry, I will get used to it. So how was your day?"
"The same old, same old. It's just Alpha stuff. I missed you today. You were too far from me." The big, bad Alpha pouted.
"Well, you just have to suck it up. We both have work to do." I continued talking till the late hours of the night, before he laid the blanket over us and we fell asleep.
***
Weeks have come and gone, and I have fully been integrated into the pack.
I had learned well under the guidance of Gamgam, so I was finding it easier to work in the hospital now. In fact, I love it. Helping people has always been my passion, so it wasn't hard for me to adapt.
It had now become a routine. Monday through Friday, I would go to the hospital while Richard was in his office dealing with the pack. On Saturdays, I am not on duty, so I spend my time in the gym, trying to keep fit. After that, I helped Richard with park work. Sunday was a resting day; I got to have Richard to myself. We would go out, try different foods, and visit different tourist sites and attractions in the city. And, of course, sex. Sex with Richard was always mind-blowing, each one outdoing the last.
I don't really see Ava again. She is in charge of the pack's account, so she was always busy. But I do run into her sometimes, and when I am less busy, we go out and have fun—and of course shop.
The twins were back in school, so I couldn't see them much. I miss having Jessica around; we had gotten close in the little period she had been here. They were preparing for their finals, so they barely had time to come home.
I still haven't gotten closer to Richard's mom. She blatantly ignores me anytime we see each other in the hospital. She would turn the other way whenever we crossed paths. With the way things were going, it would take a while before I would finish the operation.
Everything was going smoothly. Richard and I had finally come to understand each other, and everything was going well until something happened that would change whatever we had.
I was with Gamgam, and we were attending to a man who had run into a feral rogue and was very injured. I was assisting her, and we were trying to bandage his head, and I lurched dangerously to the front.
Are you okay? Gamgam spoke through the mind link.
Yes. I replied. I held on to the bed frame, trying to stabilize myself, thinking it was because of the stress. But I swayed again, and this time my legs were unable to hold me any longer. Before I knew it, my face was meeting the bed, and I slipped, my back landing on the floor.
***
I flutter my eyelids, trying to blink the fog in my eyes. Where am I? I wondered—the room I was in doesn’t feel familiar. I tried to call Richard through the mind link, but his mind was blocked. I tried raising my hands, but there was a syringe in me, pumping liquid into my veins. I watched with unfocused eyes as the liquid kept dripping until the drugs began to take effect and I dozed off.
I woke up to Richard's worried voice. "Isabella!" His voice was muffled, as if he was under water. I forced myself to open my eyes, trying to blink back the massive headache I was feeling. "Baby! What happened?" Richard inquired with panic in his voice, holding my face in his hands.
"What the hell is wrong with her? Why is she lying down here?" I winced as he thundered, his voice echoing throughout the room. "Someone had better start talking, or else heads will roll."
"Alpha," I heard Gamgam's frightened voice call out. "We don't know yet, but we have conducted a test and the results will soon be ready." She tried to explain as calmly as she could without spooking the beast.
"What do you mean, you don't know what happened to my mate?" He growled in his Alpha voice. I heard whimpers from around the room as they couldn't withstand the strength that came from that voice. "How could I be sitting down and suddenly I couldn't feel my mate again? What have you all done?"
This is getting out of hand. I needed to do something.
"Richard!" I called out softly. I immediately regretted it, as my throat was so parched and dry. I broke off into a coughing fit, but it successfully distracted Richard.
He rushed to my side and held me, saying, "Take it easy, love, just lie down and let me get you water." He produced a cup of water with a straw and directed it to my mouth. I sucked the water greedily, closing my eyes as the cool liquid touched my tongue.
I was too fast because the water entered the wrong hole, and I was coughing again. "Take it easy, love." Richard said as he patted my back. He made me sit up, resting a pillow on my back.
"What is wrong? Why am I here?" I asked, looking around. I was in one of the wards, and Gamgam was close to the door, looking like she would bolt at any moment.
"You don't know what happened?"
"No. What happened?"
"I was busy with work when I couldn't feel you again. It was as if you were cut off, so I hurried here, only to meet you lying on the bed."
"All I could remember was that I was with Gamgam and we were attending to one of the patients when I was feeling faint, and everything went blank, and now I am seeing myself here." I explained.
"Well, I was here to know what happened, and she is about to tell me." As he faced her, his eyes turned black.
But before she could reply, a knock sounded on the door and an intern hurried in, her face worried. "I have the results here with me." She gave Gamgam the brown envelope and hurried out, not wanting to incur the wrath of her Alpha.
Gamgam tore at the envelope with impatient hands, everyone holding their breath as they waited for her verdict. She brought out a single piece of paper and began to read it, her eyes following the lines.
She gulped as she looked at us, an unrequested expression on her face. "What? What's wrong?" Richard asked with impatience as she didn't say anything.
"It says here that she has a low blood count and she is stressed."
"I knew it. In fact, as of today, you are no longer working in the hospital. You barely have time for yourself."
"Uhm.. Alpha?"
"What?"
"There is something else on the report."
"What is that? Richard replied in a rude tone, angry that she had cut him short.
"I think you will need to see this."