Chapter three

Seven Years later…

"We are losing him, doc," Sherry said as we tried to stabilize man on the bed. He was losing a lot of blood not to talk of the fact that his wounds were already infected. His wife and two year old child were waiting for him outside.

"Don't die, Simon." I whispered as I fed the breathing tube into his throat. "They need you back."

I turned on the machine and the beeping stopped. He was stable again. I took a breath of relief through my face mask. He would live another day.

After speaking to his family, I went to the locker room to collect my things. I though of Simon as I collected my things. He had been attacked by a pack of wolves before he was rescued by his other hunting friends. Wolves… It reminded me of another time, in another place.

I left the pack six years ago after I found out I was pregnant. I had a college degree and the crone had given me some money. My lupine abilities were significantly lacking but I was more brains than braun. I got a full-scholarship and the rest was history.

I could not call myself a doctor yet even though everyone else did. The community clinic had need one since the last one quit because of the bad conditions. They were desperate so I went from doctor's assistant to doctor in less than a year.

I made a bee-line to the lab to retrieve what I needed before I went back to Simon's room. His wife was sleeping by his side, her daughter must have been given to a family friend.

I opened the lid of the container that contained the tincture. Quietly, I drew it out with a needle and syringe before I injected Simon with it. Until I was done my heartrate did not slow down. No matter how many times, I tempted fate, I always got scared I would get caught. It anyone ever found out that was injecting patients with some unknown substance, I was done for. But it was all worth it, to see them get better. Otherwise, Simon was as good as dead.

*****

The night was frigid and hugged myself to keep warm as I walked to my car. The thought of the people waiting for me at home brought be some much needed warmth.

I entered my car and turned on the ignition. The hairs of my neck rose, something was not right.

'We are not alone,' Nova said but it was too late. I felt the barrel of a gun on my temple before a deep, gravelly voice said.

"Make a sound and you are dead."

I said nothing as my heart threatened to burst through my chest. Nova growled, threatening to take over. She was always too brave for her own good but it was too risky.

"Drive," The man ordered.

I did as he said, the gears of my mind turning, trying to figure out how I would get out of this situation.

We drove through the town for a while before he spoke again.

"Turn left."

I did as he asked.

"Turn right," He said after a few minutes. I continued to drive, his gun had not moved an inch from my head.

My knuckles were white with strain and fear.

"Stop." He ordered. "Stay right where you are."

He got out of the car and walked over with his gun still aimed at me. He opened the car door.

"Put your hands behind your head," I obeyed.

"Step out," He said. "Slowly."

When I got out, I surveyed my environment. It was dark and there was not another soul in sight. We were in front of a old run down factory in the out skirts of the town. There would be no one to help but no the bright side was that there would be no one else who would see me turn, Nova was ready to take over.

"Bring her in here." Another man said, this one was familiar. Nova recognized it too.

'Greyson,' She said said in my head. She was right. I remembered the only voice that had not been harsh to me on that day at the ball.

What was the Beta of Silverpine doing in human territory?

I was more curious than scared now. Did the the man with the gun know who he was or was he also a pack member?

I was taken inside, we walked in utter darkness for a while before we came to a stop in front of a closed door. The door was opened and I was met with three other people.

The room was well furnished to look like a room. It was clean unlike everything else in the factory.

The man with the gun pushed me inside.

"Hey!" Grayson said. "Don't push her."

"She is just some powerless human, what exactly is she gonna do?" He stepped into the room and accessed me. His eyes taunting but predatory. He did not know what I was. They thought I was human. Why would they bring a human down here?

"You can put your hands down now, miss." Grayson said, apologetically.

He led me to a seat facing the rest of them. I sat down and looked at them. There was Grayson and he now had his arm around a dark haired woman. The man with the gun. A man with glasses who gave a me quizzical look and seated in front of him was someone who did not look a day over eighteen. I noticed they looked like brothers.

Silence stretched taut like an invisible robe before a door opened once again.

"Finally, you are here." The woman said, worry marring her features.

I turned to see a face I never thought I would see again. Lucien Petrov.

He stalked towards me but something was wrong, he still exuded power but he was pale and his eyes were unfocused.

"Jessica Miller, am I right?" He knew my human name. His voice was still the same. It was as though I was in the dream.

Before I could affirm or deny, he bent down to my level. His scent, sandalwood and citrus filled my nose and it was intoxicating. Nova was uncharacteristically quiet.

When I looked at his face, he was still as devilishly handsome as I remembered but that was not what stopped my heart. Blood trailed a path from the corner of his mouth to his jaw. Then he fell forward and straight into my arms.