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3. The clinic

ALICE

I had no idea how many hours had dragged on since I entered with my injured wolf, but anxiety consumed me as I waited for news.

Wait? My wolf? I should stop considering him mine.

When Matt's receptionist saw me shivering on the bench and kindly offered me a blanket, I immediately accepted. Staying wet and cold for too long without even a minimum amount of warmth could result in an unwanted illness, so I wrapped myself in the warm fabric and snuggled down onto the bench. I passed the time fiddling with my phone in a futile attempt to speed up the clock's hands.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the office door opened, and Matt emerged in his white lab coat. His blank expression didn't relieve my worry, but a thread of hope remained. "How is he?" my voice trembled with anxiety as I quickly stood up from the bench.

Matt walked toward me and sighed deeply. "His condition was severe, but he's stable now. We did what we could, but he'll need ongoing care. It's extraordinary that he survived."

My heart raced. "What do you mean by 'extraordinary'?" Matt pondered momentarily at the ground before answering, "More than one animal attacked him. He had been bitten in several areas of his body and had many broken bones. It's a real miracle he survived."

When I heard Matt's words, I felt relief and astonishment. "Attacked by more than one animal?" I murmured, barely believing what I was hearing. I looked at him, seeking more information.

"Exactly, but that's quite common for a wild animal," confirmed Matt, but his look was still one of concern. "The wounds and injuries were extremely serious, but the fact that he's stable now is a true miracle. He's a survivor."

Right, so it was something normal. I shouldn't worry so much.

Relief spread through my chest, almost overwhelming me. Understanding how close I was to losing my injured wolf made my heart ache. I looked at Matt, trying to process the situation.

"What happens now?" I asked, anxious to learn more about what to do next.

Matt sighed, his expression still carrying a generous dose of concern. "I'll keep him here under observation for a while, but the recovery will be lengthy, and he'll need special care. The nature of these injuries... Well, are you thinking of taking him home?"

It took me a while to respond, weighing my willingness to do that. I nodded slowly in agreement. Matt just rubbed his temples, knowing I'd never change my mind.

“Just... be careful.”

I noted Matt's seriousness. This situation was more complex than I could have imagined. I had brought something into my life far beyond what my quiet, ordinary routine could handle, but I wouldn't give up on taking him home and caring for him. This meant I would have to overlook all my fears.

"Do you know how much all of this will cost?" I asked, looking at him apprehensively. I didn't have as much money saved as I would have liked, but I hoped it would be enough to cover the treatment.

"Don't worry about that," he replied with a smile. "You know you're like a sister to me."

"I know, but if you keep doing charity cases for me every time I bring an animal here, you'll go bankrupt," I teased, trying to lighten the moment's seriousness. Matt laughed and covered his face with his hands like he always did when he genuinely laughed.

"Alice, you're stubborn, but your heart’s too big for this clinic," he joked proudly. "But seriously, Allie, you're among the kindest people I know. Don't worry about the money. We'll do our best to ensure he recovers, okay?" Matt said, still smiling.

I nodded, thankful, still with a lump in my throat. "Thank you, Matt," I sincerely said. "You're always here when I need you."

"I'll always be, Alice. After all, it wouldn't be the same without your crazy adventures," he laughed. It was true about him. He was always by my side, even when I got involved in complicated situations due to my inclination to help those in need, and he always went along with all my craziness.

“How are things between you and Josh?” I asked to distract myself from all this confusion with my wolf.

Matt sighed, his shoulders slightly slumping. “Josh and I broke up.”

I stared at him, astonished. "Oh, Matt, I'm sorry to hear that. You have been together for so long! Why didn't you call me?"

It had indeed been a long time. Matt looked away and gazed at a fixed point in the room. "I didn't stop to think much about it. Josh decided he didn't love me anymore this morning and left. Our feelings and priorities were just too misaligned. I think we need some time to reevaluate things."

I put my hand on Matt's shoulder, trying to convey comfort. "I'm here if you need to talk about it. I'm sorry you're going through this tough situation."

Matt nodded, thanking me for the support. "Thanks, Allie. It's complicated, but I think it's best for both of us." He smiled weakly, but I knew his heart was broken. Then, I suddenly noticed a furtive silhouette watching from a distance. A mysterious figure was hidden behind one of the pillars at the building's entrance. Matt didn't seem to notice, but a chill ran down my spine as my eyes landed on the hooded figure.

"Matt, there's someone out there... watching us," I whispered, concerned. No one in High River's small and peaceful town would have such behavior.

Matt frowned and looked in the direction I pointed, but the figure didn't move an inch. "Strange. That doesn't seem to be someone from the staff, nor anyone from the town."

As Matt watched, the figure quickly moved away. The cold ripple down my spine caused an even greater discomfort in my chest.

"I think we should inform the building's security," I suggested, anxious and restless.

However, before we could take any action, Alana, the office's veterinary assistant, emerged, grabbing our attention. "Doctor Summers, please come quickly," she exclaimed. "I think the wolf is waking up."

"Impossible!" Matt replied incredulously, practically running to the room. "I'm sure I gave enough sedatives to knock out a horse; he should still be fast asleep!" He explained to me while still running toward his assistant.

I followed, slowing my pace, not wanting to hinder their work to sedate him again. I stopped at the door while the two entered the room, observing the huge wolf standing and seemingly quite unhappy.

From the door frame, I could see the large cage separating the wolf from us.

Where are you? Come closer to me, my mate. I smell you! Mine! Mine! Mine! A deep voice resounded in my mind. I frowned, searching for the source of the voice, but no one was outside the room. At least not where I was standing. I shook my head. What was going on? Mine! Mine! Mine! Where are you?

As the voice echoed in my head, the wolf also growled inside his cage.

For a moment, I thought I was going crazy, but the voice spoke to me again. I know you're there... Please come to me... Let me see you... I don't want to die without seeing you again… The voice spoke again, fragmented and weak. Was it coming from the wolf?

Yes, I must be losing my mind.

I shook my head and entered the room, but at that moment, I was in a trance. Matt conversed with the assistant in a corner, preparing a new sedative dose. I walked past them, going straight to the area where my restless wolf was growling loudly.

In my trance, I reached my hand through the iron bars and touched his rough fur. "Hey, buddy! You should be sleeping. Go back to resting," I said as if he could understand me. He didn't growl at me as he had before.

Beautiful, the voice said again in my head.

Contrary to everything I thought about this moment, the wolf purred, rubbing its fur against my hand, and a strange electric current passed from him to me, sending sparks over my fingers.

"Rest. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise," I murmured, still gazing at the creature that seemed much calmer under my touch. "We're here to take care of you; everyone here is trustworthy."

I spoke to the creature calmly, not as if I expected it to understand me in any way. He stared at me a little longer as my fingers trembled against the bars.

He rubbed his gray head against my hand and slowly moved back to the 'bed' where he should have been sleeping.

"This is incredible! Normally, he'd be snarling and showing his teeth," said the assistant, her voice hinting at perplexity. "He was extremely aggressive. He wouldn't let anyone get close, and now, look at him. He's almost calm with your presence."

Yes, I've reached the peak of madness.

Matt approached me, placed the clipboard under his arm, and stared at the wolf, analyzing the situation with fascination. "This is a completely unexpected reaction. I didn't know you could talk to animals!" Matt scoffed, barely holding back a laugh.

Still a bit shocked by the wolf's change in behavior, I nudged Matt, who whined like a baby. "Don't be a jerk."

I looked at him and the assistant; they seemed like two fools staring at me. "This is very strange. That's what this whole situation is. He almost purred at me," I admitted. "It must be because I saved his life, that's all."

“Let's observe this more closely. But for now, it's best if we sedate the wolf. I want to ensure he continues treatment without any risks, even with this new attitude,” suggested Matt, turning to his assistant, Alana.

Following Matt's directive, Alana swiftly prepared the medication while I gazed at the wolf. He remained lying down but glanced at me with half-closed eyes.

Despite being calm, he seemed to struggle against sleep, as if he didn't want to doze off. “You're safe. Sleep,” I thought, still staring at him, and he did.

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