{~~Avery Sterling~~}The very next day, I found myself back at work. Ignoring my nightmare from before, and the way it seemed like i could practically sense my sister’s aura. The hospital was packed, and it felt as if every room and hallway were buzzing with activity. As the medic alpha, Logan’s presence was required for so many tasks, from critical patient care to overseeing complex medical procedures. Despite the overwhelming busyness, I felt a sense of relief and joy to be back in the thick of things, especially with the important fundraiser looming tomorrow. Logan had planned to announce the selected members of his team, who would be spearheading the search for a cure for Lycanthropic Decay Syndrome—a monumental occasion for our community, and hospital. But today, I focused on my immediate responsibilities, busying myself with the endless tasks that needed attention.I had just settled into the lab, surrounded by the familiar hum of equipment and the soft glow of monitors, when Sh
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I locked my office door behind me, feeling a wave of paranoia wash over me. My nerves were on edge, making me hyperaware of every sound and shadow. I checked the whole place, my eyes darting to every corner and crevice, ensuring that nothing was out of place. The window was next, and I peered through it, scanning the outside world for any signs of disturbance. Satisfied that everything was secure, I sat down and answered the call."Hey, Gareth—" I started, but he cut me off right away."I need your help. If you can stop by the station tonight, that would be fantastic. There isn't just a pattern to these killings. This man he's... I just feel like you might have the same assessment and it might disturb you even more. And I would also suggest a weapon to protect yourself. Just do as much as you can to stay safe. A press release will be coming out tomorrow morning."“What? That’ll send everyone into a mass panic. Will you guys be telling them the depths of the crimes
{~~Avery Sterling~~}I'm not sure I heard him right.Logan and I exchanged a shocked glance. This was the first patient at Heart Inc. suspected of having Lycanthropic Decay Syndrome. The implications were immense. We could study him, and gain valuable insights into the disease. He could be the key to us finally finding a cure. Many other doctors have tried but we were dipping our hands into it right now and there’s a good chance he might give us the break we need. But the personal history between us complicated everything. I really hated this guy, but the research opportunity was undeniable.Logan tugged me away, his grip gentle but insistent. He quickly responded to the doctor, instructing him to email all relevant information. Meanwhile, I was just stunned, my mind racing with the possibilities and the dangers.As we walked back to our offices, I texted Gareth to reschedule our meeting. /Something urgent came up. Need to push our meeting. I'll update you later./he responded a minut
{~~Logan Grey~~}I got up to answer the door, feeling the tension radiate off Avery. She kept glancing at it like she was worried the earth was going to open up and swallow her. Which it wouldn’t, but her behavior made me think she really wanted it to happen. The scent behind the door was familiar so there wasn’t a cause for me to panic. Ryan had texted me earlier, saying they couldn’t wait for us to find time to come to the station, so they’d be coming here.I opened the door to reveal him, and Avery let out a whoosh of breath, relieved. “We brought everything we have. We need Avery’s input tonight.”I stepped aside, letting them in. There were several officers parked around the lake house, likely to ensure we weren’t disturbed or attacked while we worked. Avery got up to give Ryan and Gareth hugs. I bit back my jealousy because I knew there wasn’t a reason to feel that way since she and I were working on our relationship and trying to make it a fully loving one.“Okay, I’ll stay out
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The next day back to work. Or, I guess, the same day, since we stayed up early. Logan and I slept for only two hours before being paged into work. Due to the cancellation of the fundraiser—well, actually, we just postponed it to tomorrow—but Logan still had to announce his team. He was making the announcement in the hospital hall room, and every employee was there.Logan was choosing me-- his nurse, Shawn because he's exceptional at what he does in the lab, four other doctors, and four nurses. These people would be helping us find the cure for Lycanthropic Decay Syndrome (LDS). I took a deep breath as I stood there, watching my other colleagues as Logan explained to them and the board why getting this started was such a good idea.He stood at the podium, his presence commanding the room. “Ladies and gentlemen, as you know, Lycanthropic Decay Syndrome is a disease that has plagued our community for far too long. It’s time we take a stand and do something about it.
{~~Avery Sterling~~}The news report had ended and while I wanted to go straight back to work. I needed to put my plans into place. It would help us with this. I believe it was Ava who put that poisoned candy bar in the vending machine.I think she’s also done more than that. I think my sister has let herself fall into the rabbit hole of crime. And I’m going to get her with that. Getting her will draw out Rex. I know the fucker has it out for me. This would be something that would terrify me, and it does, but I also can’t continue to treat women with logan and have him feed them to animals.Well if I’m right, and those men are truly suffering from LDS then Rex is taking advantage. But how would he know which men to get? There’s no way that guy has figured out what causes LDS, right?I got into doing my research, starting with typing out the Barracuda Motorcycle Club. They’d been kicked out of the pack after the new alpha took leadership. The gang was supposed to be disbanded, but they
{~~Avery Sterling~~}After a few hours of working, I finally got up to get some water and head to the basement floor which the hospital was converting to our team base. Logan as a leader was something incredible to see. I was almost in love all over again. He was just too attractive with his glasses on and his stern expression. He just a fine career man.The first evaluation was incredible, Logan was the most motivating leader and we were all ready to find out what caused this thing, and the right cure. No one has ever found out where the bacteria comes from, we just know the process from the moment it gets on a plant or animal. The board of directors told logan before the evaluation that there was no way they could cancel, or postpone the fundraiser anymore because they had managed to get in contact with the billionaires who were set to attend the event, and they assured us they would give as much money as we needed if we still hosted the fundraiser tonight. Since they had already fl
{~~Logan Grey~~}I awoke in the night, needing a moment to myself. The room was dimly lit by the soft glow of the moon filtering through the curtains. I could hear the gentle breathing of Avery beside me, a comforting reminder of her presence. But something was gnawing at me, a need to satisfy my curiosity about Ava's other life. I had been thinking about it since I saw the open tab in Avery’s laptop. I hadn’t meant to check. I was looking for her to ask a question she was doing her rounds, it was right there and I saw Ava’s face. It’s been haunting me since. I knew it was terrible, invading Avery’s privacy and digging into the past I swore I’d left behind, but the urge was too strong to ignore.Slowly, I slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb Avery. I padded across the room, the cool wooden floor chilling my bare feet, and reached for Avery’s laptop on the desk. I hesitated for a moment, feeling a pang of guilt, but then clicked open the search engine. She still had tabs open, wh