Chapter 12

Mira

I woke the next morning feeling invigorated and inspired, with a plan to prove my worth to the Pack. I needed to earn their respect to get their votes, and the best way to do that was in my natural habitat— the hospital.

While they seemed surprised to see me, the staff knew they could not deny entry to Dominic’s Mate. I wanted to get a sense of how their medical system worked, and see where I could be of service.

“We can give you a tour,” a nurse told me at the desk, “but it seems a bit unorthodox for a future Luna to waste her time in a place like this.”

“I’ve been a doctor much longer than I’ve been in line to Luna,” I responded, ignoring the subtle insult. “And I believe a Luna should be aware and responsible for the health and safety of her Pack.”

This seemed to both impress and annoy the guide, and she reluctantly began to show me around. I looked through records systems, inspected equipment, and tried to understand their staffing and scheduling methods.

The place was a mess.

Disorganized, not up-to-date on filing systems, and either under- or over-staffed depending on the day. Reforms were definitely needed, and I offered small bits of advice as we went while taking notes for myself on what I could do later.

Despite sometimes agreeing with my observations, the nurse— whose name I found out was Jacqueline— was cold and kept checking her watch as if she had better places to be. I told her I could continue exploring myself, while being sure to thank and compliment her for her hard work. A Luna had to be polite and poised, one good lesson I was learning from Irene.

After checking rooms and smiling at patients, I made my way back towards the reception area. I wanted to clarify a few things on my list before writing up a proposal for reforms.

A familiar voice stopped me in my checks before I rounded the corner to the front desk. It was Lila, and she couldn’t keep my name out of her mouth.

“You know he’s only with her because she tricked him,” she was saying, “basically entrapped him when he was wounded in the field.”

“If that’s true, that’s so shady,” said Jacqueline.

I now knew why she had been cold to me all day. She must be friends with Lila.

“Totally true!” Lila assured her ally. “Why else would he agree to making her Luna, when they barely know each other? There’s clearly no intimacy between them, she’s always so awkward around him.”

“Yeah, I did notice that at the first meeting,” a younger intern chimed in.

Was everybody here under Lila’s spell?

“Exactly!” Lila continued. “She saved his life and in return forced him to raise her up in the Pack, he basically told me this himself. She’s woflless, you know, so she probably had this plan in the works for a long time!”

That went too far, and I couldn’t listen to any more. I made my steps heavy on the tile floor as I started to turn the corner, calling out as I did.

“Jacqueline, I think I’ve seen everything I need to for today,” I kept my voice professionally cheerful. “Oh, Lila! What a nice surprise. Do you work here too?

“Me?” Lila pretended to be surprised to see me. “Oh god no, I hate hospitals. I was just checking in with my friends here— you know we’re all so close in our Pack.”

“How nice,” I gritted my teeth into a smile. “Well, it’s a really wonderful staff, I am excited to work with you all in the future. I’m going to head home and write up some notes, um, suggestions, on how we can make this place even better.”

The nurses at the desk pretended to hide their eye-rolls. I pretended not to notice them.

“Okay, well, I’m off!” I started towards the door, trying not to run in my eagerness to get out of there. “You know how to find me!”

I turned and could hear the small titters of gossip start up again as I went through the revolving door, and did my best to keep myself from sinking under the disappointment of the visit. Did Dominic really say all this, and to Lila of all people? I knew he was good at putting on an act for the public, so why wouldn't he be deceiving me as well?

She was right, I hadn’t known him for very long. And in that moment I decided I didn’t really want to stick around to get to know him better.

I can’t stand being pitied or having people question my professionalism. Medicine is my gift and my calling, and I would never use it to blackmail someone into marrying me. I saved lives because it was the right thing to do, not because I expected a reward.

By the time I made it home, I was furious. I planned to pack my things as quickly as possible and get the hell out of there. Maybe dying in the field medical team wasn’t so bad an alternative to this place after all.

“Going somewhere?”

Dominic’s husky voice stopped me in my tracks.

I dropped the clothing in my hands in a pile on the floor, and turned to face him. He stood in the doorway, the lighting behind him making him appear larger and more god-like than usual.

Damn him.

“Yes, I’m leaving,” I said firmly.

“Leaving?” He raised his eyebrows with the question. “Why? And to where?”

“You know exactly why!” I was surprised to hear myself shouting. “You’ve been lying to me and everyone, and I’d rather go out into the field than stay here as your puppet of a Luna!”

I turned back to my tasks, not wanting him to see how upset I was becoming.

“Mira, please,” Dominic came toward me, “I truly do not know what you’re talking about. Did someone say something to you?”

I said nothing, stuffing wads of clothing into my bag.

“Mira, look at me,” he tried to reason with me. “I said look at me!”

When I didn’t, he grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. My nose bumped into his chest, and for a moment the scent of him fogged up my brain.

I shook my head, saying “Please, just step aside and let me go.”

“Not until you tell me what’s going on,” Dominic said, his eyes starting to squint in frustration. “Let me go!” I said, breaking away from him and trying to move towards the door.

Before I knew it, he had picked me up and swung me over his shoulder. I kicked and squirmed in his grasp, but it was no use.

He brought me over and threw me down onto the bed, pinning my arms and pressing his body onto my legs. I was trapped.

His face was inches from mine, his eyes seemed to look into my soul.

“Now, doctor,” he growled at me. “I think you and I need to talk– properly."