Chapter 1
Silver
I take a deep breath, drawing in the scent of disinfectant that's standard in my safe haven. The pack hospital is my sanctuary, my escape from everything that haunts me outside its walls. In here, I’m someone important, someone respected…someone who’s wanted and needed. In this place, I’m not the wolf who was rejected by her mate because she wasn’t ‘up to his standards’. In here, I’m a healer, a nurturer, someone who brings relief, peace and comfort. If it wasn’t for my work and the special calming tea that Doctor Ellis made for me, I don’t think I’d be able to survive this.
My evening shift started almost an hour ago and aside from a few accidents during training, things have been quiet. The calm atmosphere quickly shifts when we feel the presence of our alpha as he walks into the building, his aura pulsing with his undeniable authority. Our pack is luckier than many because we have a kind alpha, a wolf who always treats his pack with respect.
“Silver, Audrey, how are you both doing?” We both smile and give a slight bow of respect.
“Doing well, Alpha Aris.” Audrey responds in a firm, but kind voice.
“Can’t complain, Alpha. What can we do for you?” He meets my gaze with a look of sympathy that’s actually borderline pity. I hate that everyone in this pack looks at me this way, as if the situation with my former mate is something that defines me and outshines every other thing about me. I guess that, with my former mate being his beta, he has more reason than anyone to pity me.
“Actually, I came to speak with you, Silver. Do you have a minute?” I give a quick nod and lead the way to my office at the end of the hall. He takes a seat in front of my desk, but rather than assume my spot behind it, I sit in the chair beside him.
“Is everything alright, Alpha?” He smiles at me, but I can tell something's troubling him.
“For us, yes. I received a call from one of the packs in our alliance and they informed me that their pack doctor was killed in a rogue attack while traveling with his family. They’re requesting help to cover their pack hospital until they can get a new doctor trained. They’re currently estimating that it will take around four months. I would ask Doctor Ellis, but he has a mate with a pup on the way.” While I know Ellis would be a better choice than me due to his decade of experience, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the idea of getting away from here for a little while. It’s been three weeks since Dane rejected me, so who knows, maybe these four months away will help heal my wolf’s broken heart.
“I’ll do it. What pack is it and when do I leave?” He straightens up in his chair, but gives me a warm smile that contradicts his rigid posture.
“Blood Crest Pack and you’ll leave at six tomorrow morning. It’s a three hour drive, so make sure you’re packed and ready.” I really should've asked which pack needed the help before agreeing, but I know it’s too late to back out now. The Blood Crest Pack is known for being hard, cold and ruthless, but it’s their alpha that puts fear into their enemies. Alpha Cole Dawson is the monster in many stories, known for having exterminated an entire camp of rogues when he was fourteen after they had killed his parents…and he’s half Lycan. Some say his actions were an act of revenge, many say it was just the first sign of his lycan’s bloodlust.
“Yes, Alpha.” I give a slight bow of my head then we both rise from our seats.
“I’ll let Audrey know she’s covering the hospital for the night. You should go pack and get some rest. Silver? I want you to know that I wouldn’t be sending you if I didn’t think you could handle it. You’re one of the best pack doctors I’ve ever met, one of the youngest too.” He smirks at the end before heading out to talk with Audrey. I gather my things and head out, wanting to get all my packing done quickly so I can catch a nap before I have to leave in the morning.
The alpha had an SUV waiting outside my house at five thirty and fifteen minutes later, I had everything loaded inside of it and we were on our way. After all the stories I had heard about the Blood Crest Pack, I had certain expectations for what I would see when we arrived, but none of them measured up. I guess I had pictured more of a medieval, war-torn village, but instead the pack is very modern with nice houses, well maintained yards, small shops, restaurants, a bookstore and even a decent sized grocery store. Even the packhouse is nothing like I had pictured, but that’s honestly a good thing since I’ve been informed I’ll be staying in the guest wing for the time being.
After helping to carry my things to my room, my pack’s driver, Edmund, leaves me to face my new and completely unfamiliar surroundings alone. I spend twenty minutes unpacking before someone knocks on my door. Alpha Aris had told me I would meet with the beta upon my arrival, but said it would be unlikely for me to meet with Alpha Cole when I arrive since he’s busy handling the issues caused by the recent attacks. I walk over and cautiously open the door only to be meet by a very kind looking wolf who, if I’m being honest, is fairly attractive with his large build, blonde hair and brown eyes.
“You must be Silver. My name is Luke, I’m the beta of Blood Crest. I’ve been asked to take you to the pack hospital and ensure you have everything you need. If you’ll follow me, we’ll go get you settled in.” I gladly let him lead the way and am pleasantly surprised to find that the pack hospital is a short walk from the pack house, taking less than ten minutes.
“I wasn’t really given much information on the attacks, so is there anything I should know? Any unusual injuries? Strange weapons being used? Anything that might require special attention?” He gives me a wide smile and shakes his head.
“No, it’s all the usual rogue war injuries. I don’t mean to sound rude, but aren’t you a little young to be a pack doctor?” I know that, under normal circumstances, he would be correct in his assumption, but my situation is anything but normal.
“I’m twenty, so normally I would be, yes. My father was the pack doctor of the Amber Ridge Pack and I inherited his healing abilities. I started training with him at the age of twelve and ended up taking over last year when he passed away. Doctor Ellis, the other doctor there, has more years of hands-on experience and has the official training to back it, but I can assure you that my overall natural abilities far exceed his learned ones. I've inherited the ability to speed up healing and mend minor to moderate wounds, but it does drain me fairly quickly, so I stick to modern healing as often as possible.” He seems surprised, but hell, most people are when they meet me.
“Well, I, for one, am happy to have you here. I’m sure the alpha will want to meet you when he has a chance, but for now, if you need anything, just have one of the members link me to let me know.” He pushes open the door to the hospital for me then walks away. I take some time to familiarize myself with everything and move things around to my liking then begin making the list of everything we need to order so I can give it to Luke later. I make a few trips back to my room in the packhouse to grab the boxes of herbs, balms, oils, bandages and tonics that I had brought with me and get them placed on the shelves in my office at the hospital. I’m just finishing transferring the herbs to jars when I hear the doors to the hospital open, so I walk out to see if someone's in need of my help.
“You must be the new doc. My name is Kayden. You missed lunch, so the alpha asked the cook to prepare a tray for you and requested I drop it off.” He sets a tray piled with more food than I could eat in two days’ time on the front desk.
“That’s very kind of you and the alpha. Please tell him I said thank you, the cook as well.” He smiles and nods.
“I can do that. Are you getting settled in alright?” I glance around the lobby, mentally noting a few things I would like to change.
“Yes, thank you. This place hasn’t been updated in quite some time, has it?” He chuckles and shakes his head.
“Goddess, no. Doctor Isaac was pretty old fashioned and hated change, so this place has looked the same way for the last fifty or so years. Aside from a few new pieces of medical equipment, nothing has changed or been added.” I sigh and make a mental note to go over equipment we need to get as well. I notice his eyes glaze over and feel a brief pang of jealousy over his mind link abilities since I can’t mind link anyone in this pack and the distance to my old pack cuts off all ties to them as well. I hadn’t realized until now just how isolated I would be when I came here.
“The alpha will be coming in to meet you at four. He would've been here to welcome you much sooner, but he’s been stuck in meetings. That last rogue attack hit us all pretty hard and we lost not only members of our own pack, but some of the fighters from another pack as well.” I nod in understanding then glance at the clock to see it’s almost three.
“I heard about the most recent attack from my alpha.” My tone is as somber as my mood as I think of all the wolves who lost their lives.
“When we contacted your alpha to request aid, he had mentioned that you were his top choice, but he also said it would be a chance for you to heal as well.” I can hear the underlying question in his voice and give him a pained smile.
“My mate rejected me three weeks ago. I was having a hard time calming and consoling my wolf, so I had buried myself in work. I was working double shifts and had even started sleeping in my office. If my mind and body were busy, I didn’t have much time for anything else, like wallowing in my own misery.” His eyes are filled with sympathy, but it feels different somehow and it’s a nice change from the pity I saw in the eyes of all my packmates back home.
“Only a fool would insult and disrespect the Goddess by rejecting the mate that was created just for them.” I shrug and lean back against the counter behind me trying not to appear as affected by this conversation as I actually am.
“He wanted a mate who was higher ranking and who was both submissive and willing to give everything up to cater to his wants and needs. I wasn’t willing to give up being a pack doctor and doing training just to wait on him hand and foot anyway, so it's probably for the best that he rejected me.” His chuckle brings a smile to my face and suddenly I join him, realizing just how ridiculous my ex-mate was to think the way he did.
“Well, I’m very glad you stood your ground. You deserve a mate who will support you, not hold you back.” I smile and nod in agreement.
“That’s how I feel, but my wolf is still struggling. She’ll get better over time.” I see his eyes glaze over for a moment and he stands up straighter.
“Hey, I need to get going. It seems we have some unexpected guests that need to be greeted. Eat up and the alpha will be in soon to meet you.” He flashes a soft smile before heading out the door while I begin to pick at the food on the tray, though my appetite is greatly diminished after the discussion about my ex-mate. I barely make a dent in the meal before heading back to my office to start labeling the jars of herbs and organizing them on the shelves.
