Chapter 74

"When's the last time you took a day off?" the Alpha asks me as I note his blood pressure down in my chart. I look up at him, surprised.

"Well, I don't know," I say. "Never, I guess. But I've only been working here a few months, Emmett. In most jobs, that's not enough time to even build up vacation days, much less have had time to take them."

"Well, this isn't most other jobs," the Alpha points out, rolling down his shirt sleeve. "For many reasons, not least of which is that you've already saved my life about half a dozen times by now."

I laugh, though the sound is tinged with the slightest note of desperation. The Alpha chuckles along with me, but I can tell that it's a bittersweet humor for him, too. Things are safe in the mansion, at least for now, but we both know that that could change at any moment.

"That's a fair point," I acknowledge. I set aside the blood pressure cuff and take up my stethoscope in its place, gesturing for the Alpha to lean forward so that I can listen to his lungs through his back.

I frown as I listen, jotting down a few notes after I lower the stethoscope.

"Hmm, I don't love the sound of these lungs," I say. "They're a little crackly. How are you feeling? Not coming down with a summer cold?"

"Perhaps I am," the Alpha says, rubbing his chest with a wince. "I've been feeling more fatigued than usual the past few days. Nothing I thought was worth mentioning!" he hastens to add, seeing my scowl. "Goodness, woman, you do terrify a fellow. You're worse than my wife."

Now I really do laugh aloud, a sincere laugh, and the Alpha joins in heartily. I shake my head fondly.

"Well, it seems like it might be a virus," I say. "Let me listen to your heart next." He does, and I nod, satisfied. His heart is going strong, and I'm happy with his blood pressure. It's likely he's just picked up a bit of a bug from somewhere.

"Fluids and rest," I say. "Call me if you get any shortness of breath, no matter what time of day or night. I'm hoping we can avoid steroids and antibiotics, but we'll have to fall back on them if this develops into bronchitis."

"Bah," the Alpha grumbles. "I hate steroids. Can't sleep on the damn things."

"Which is why we'll try to avoid it," I smile. "And it's also why you need to follow my instructions of 'fluids and rest' to the letter. I'll put together a note for your valet - chicken soup and Gatorade are going to be your friends for the next couple of days."

"How about," the Alpha begins, and I quirk an eyebrow at him. He smiles sheepishly. "I'm not negotiating, Nicole, I promise. I'm only saying, you haven't taken any breaks recently, either, and god knows you've earned them. More than I have, in fact."

"I'm not the 70-year-old leader of the entire werewolf community in New York State, recovering from a recent murder attempt," I counter. "I'm not sure it's me who is in most need of the break, Emmett."

"All right, all right," he waves his hands. "It's just that you never seem to do anything but work - and don't think I haven't seen how often you stay late, either. I know you're often here with Marcus, but I also know that over half of what you two discuss on your dates is me and this family's situation."

"Well…" I'm not quite sure what to say to that, because it's true.

"Which is why I'm insisting that you take the rest of the afternoon off," Emmett says, reaching into his desk drawer and pulling out a red envelope with my name on it. "And you're taking this with you. No, don't open it until you're in your car. Now shoo."

"Oh, all right," I say, taking the envelope and slipping it into my back pocket. "As soon as I type up these notes, I'll –"

"No, no, no, young lady!" the Alpha scolds, waving his hands at me. "You're going right now for a full afternoon off, and you're going to take yourself out for a nice lunch and some shopping in the city. The notes will keep till tomorrow. That's an order, Nicole."

"You're the most stubborn man in the world," I chide lightheartedly, gathering up the rest of my things and putting together my briefcase. "I think you're even worse than I am."

The Alpha grins. "Marcus is going to have his hands full with you," he says. "Now, have a lovely afternoon, my dear. I'll see you tomorrow."

Fifteen minutes later, I'm sitting behind the wheel of my car and have just adjusted the air conditioning to blast me in the face on high when I remember the envelope. I pull it out of my pocket and open it, then gasp.

It's a card, with a lovely, heartfelt message from Emmett inside, thanking me for my service so far and hoping that we will be lifelong friends as well as soon-to-be family. Included is a bonus check for more money than I've ever received in one lump sum before, with strict instructions to spend at least $1,000 of it on something frivolous this afternoon.

It's so much money that $1,000 on something frivolous is still only a drop in the bucket compared to the total. I swallow hard, feeling my palms sweat a little bit. How can this possibly be my real life?

It is, though. I think, shaking my head and putting the car into drive. It's my weird, wild, wonderful life, and it's high time I started enjoying it.

But first: I gotta get this check to the bank.

I'm coming out of the trendy little sushi restaurant I chose for lunch, tucking the paperback book I was reading with my California rolls into my handbag, when I see him. A tall, weather-beaten looking man with a shaggy mane of hair and a long beard.

His eyes look cold, and…strange. Inhuman, in some way. I think he's a werewolf, based on the elongated canines I see when he flashes me an icy smile that doesn't reach his icy eyes, but I can't be sure.

Something about him makes me uneasy. Why is he standing there staring at me, anyway? I turn and briskly walk to my car, the hot summer day suddenly feeling a little chilly.

I have to stifle a scream when I round the corner onto the street where my car is parked. The strange man is there, leaning against the hood, watching me.

"How the hell did you get over here so fast?" I ask without thinking. "I just walked away from you."

He flashes that cold, dead smile again.

"I have my ways, little girl," he says. I bristle - who the hell does this creep think he is?

I open my mouth to say as much, but he interrupts me.

"Yes, yes, who the hell do I think I am," he says in a bored voice. "Save your breath, Doctor Evelyn. If that's even your real name, that is."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say coldly.

"I'm sure you don't," he says. "You may have pulled the wool over on everyone else's eyes, but I'm not nearly as stupid as Charles. I'm harder to trick, and you didn't know that you should be hiding from me, besides."

My blood feels like it's frozen in my veins.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I repeat. "You've clearly gotten the wrong person, whoever you are."

"Oh, I don't know about that," the man says, examining his fingernails casually. "I'm pretty good at what I do. And you should know that I've got my eye on you, Doctor. I'd watch your back, if I were you. Charles isn't going to miss again. He wouldn't dare."

So far I've felt like my feet were frozen to the sidewalk, but now I seem able to move again. I storm around the creep and get into my car, slamming the door and locking it behind me. I turn on the car, reverse sharply, and drive off without another word.

I can still see the man in my rearview mirror.

He's laughing at me.