Chapter 116

Claire POV

I spent a day at the clinic, happy to get the chance to return to my former routine.

I couldn’t wait to spend a day at the clinic, making the rounds and getting to know patient’s names and backgrounds.

To spend a day just being a doctor and a healer, not a Princess or a ruler.

“You’re here bright and early,” Amelia greeted me as I walked into her office.

I handed her one of the cups of coffee I’d brought, smiling.

“I could hardly wait to get here. It’s going to feel so good to pick up the pieces of my routine.”

Amelia took the coffee, thanking me. “The world is slowly returning to something approaching normal, isn’t it? It’s going to be nice working together again, like we used to.”

“Yes! I’m so excited to treat patients again, and pick up on the administration side of things again.

“So, let’s start with a general update. How are things going?”

The update Amelia gave me was pretty much what I had expected. Knowing how well my friend ran the clinic back in Silverfang, I wasn’t surprised to hear that the clinic was running as smoothly as a well-oiled machine.

“Okay, she said, wrapping up her report. “Now that business is out of the way, tell me: How are you doing?

“And be honest,” she added, pointing a finger at me.

I rolled my eyes and held up my hands. “Alright, alright. Honest answer: I’m doing pretty good.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“I am!” I insisted. “I’ve been dealing with a lot, but I am dealing with it. It certainly helps knowing you’ll be staying here at the clinic.

“It means so much to have you here, Amelia. Both because you’re a talented doctor, and because you’re my best friend. I missed seeing you.”

After our morning meeting, I began my rounds, and saw for myself just how vibrant and busy the clinic was these days.

It seemed like every time I turned down a new hall, or visited a new floor, I saw new faces.

Not just patients, but doctors and nurses as well.

And it warmed my heart.

So many people who came to the air of the Royal pack during the rogue attacks had decided to stay on, especially after I extended pack membership as part of my thanks.

I did my best to take a moment with each new member of the clinic, even if it was only to introduce myself and welcome them to the clinic, and the pack.

“Dr. Roberts?” I said, stopping a tall, regal woman as I passed him in the hallway.

“Yes? Can I help you, miss?”

I smiled warmly. There was something about her that reminded me of my father. Maybe it was her thick head of wavy white hair.

“Hello, I’m Princess Claire,” I said, holding out my hand. “I just wanted to say hello, and to thank you for all your help during the attacks.”

Her look of curiosity turned to a smile. She took my hand and shook it warmly.

“Princess! It’s so nice to meet you. I must say, I’m eager to see your healing abilities in action at some point.”

I promised her that I would make sure to invite her to join me on my rounds the next time I was in.

Next I ran into two new nurses, twins Tia and Sam, chatting together as they took a break in one of the lounges. I had already met them in the field where they were also traveling from one mobile clinic to another.

I remembered how ferociously they helped fight off a rogue attack one evening, moving together with such fluid grace and coordination it was like they shared a single mind.

“Princess,” they said at the same time when they saw me.

“Hello, you two,” I greeted in return. “Have you been settling in here at the clinic alright?”

“Yes,” Tia said. “Everyone has made us feel very welcomed - ”

“And they’re all very kind,” Sam finished.

The twins often finished each other’s sentences. Their serious expressions and personalities took a little getting used to, but they were clearly dedicated to the work.

I was so happy to have them at my clinic.

The last doctor I didn’t get to meet until well after lunch, a surgeon I’d been hearing a lot about.

When I found him, he was at a nurse’s station, making notes on a chart with short, sharp strokes of his pen.

“Dr. Andre?”

“I’m busy,” he said without looking up.

I laughed, unoffended. “I can see that. If you could spare me a moment? I’d like to introduce myself.”

I’d been warned that he could be gruff and even a little rude.

Some people said he was like that on purpose, others said he was just very focused on his work.

My guess was it was probably a little of both.

With an impatient sigh he looked up from his notes and peered at me over the top of his glasses.

“And who are you, another new intern?”

“No,” I said, holding out my hand. “My name is Princess Claire. It’s nice to meet you.”

He looked at my hand for a moment before finally reaching out to shake it. His hands were incredibly long and graceful, and chilly.

“The healer. I see. Well, we’ve officially met, so you’ve done your Royal duty I suppose.”

He flipped closed the file on the paperwork he’d been completing, handing it to a nurse.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a surgery scheduled. Not all of us use magic, you know.

“Some of us do the real work of practicing medicine.”

I raised an eyebrow, not sure if I was more amused or offended, as he turned on his heal and walked away.

The nurse now holding Dr. Andre’s report laughed at my expression.

“Yeah, he’s always like that,” he said. “And he hasn’t been shy about making it clear that he distrusts your abilities.”

I watched Dr. Andre stride down the hall, clearly expecting people to move out of his way.

“Is he good at what he does?” I asked.

The nurse nodded. “Oh yes. He’s amazing.”

I shrugged, dismissing his rudeness. “Well then, that’s all that matters. I’m still happy to have him.”

And I truly was.

The two doctors I met that day, and the nurse twins, were just a few of the new staff working at the clinic. And I was thrilled.

The clinic was now more fully staffed than it had been in years.

And the pack had definitely noticed.

According to Amelia’s report, word was spreading about the new staff, as well as the updates and renovations I’d begun before the rogue attacks.

Word of my healing abilities was beginning to spread too.

Thanks to all of those days, I spent a very busy day meeting and treating patients.

By late afternoon my feet were killing me, and my face hurt from smiling at every new person I met.

I was exhausted.

And it felt amazing.

On the ride home, I decided I wanted nothing more than a long hot bath and an early night in bed.

But when I walked into my suite, I was greeted with a massive display of flowers that nearly filled my entire sitting room.

“These came for you this afternoon,” my assistant Megan told me. “I think he bought out every flower shop in the city.”

I laughed in delight and also surprise.

Nathan wasn’t the kind of man to do this sort of thing, usually.

And I was touched.

But when Megan handed me the card that came with the flowers, I was stunned.

They weren’t from Nathan.

They were from Gavin.

Gavin POV

Sitting in my office with my feet on my desk, I smiled as I thought about Claire receiving the giant flower arrangement I sent.

It was definitely going to get her attention.

Which was exactly what I wanted.

I planned on becoming much more bold with “courting” the Princess, making sure to be as obvious as possible.

And as public as possible.

By now every florist in the Royal pack’s capital city was buzzing with what I’d done.

Soon enough the news would hear about it, and report on it.

That was my ultimate aim.

Alpha Nathan had been front and center in the media for too long now. He was getting a lot of sympathy because of the false princess and the attack on his son.

I intended to use my budding relationship with Claire to shift that focus back onto me.

Where it belonged.