Chapter 7

Nathan returned to the clinic as soon as he could, hoping to get a glimpse of the doctor Evan had suspected was Claire. He found the waiting room just as full as he left it, but no young doctor in sight.

But a faint scent hung in the air near where she had stood with the Royal Alpha, twining with the old man’s. Something familiar…

At the reception desk, he asked, “The doctor that was here earlier, the one that helped the Royal Alpha - where is she? I need to speak with her.”

He didn’t notice Amelia near the desk reading through a file. As soon as she heard his voice, Amelia made sure to keep her back turned and listened to the conversation.

The receptionist smiled. “Do you mean Dr. Green, the new doctor with those amazing healing abilities? She’s wonderful, isn’t she? But I’m sorry, Alpha, she isn’t here at the moment.”

Nathan thanked her, then paced away, considering the situation. It was true, the doctor had reminded him of her. But could it really have been Claire?

How could I have become a doctor, and in such a short time period? And Claire certainly didn’t have any healing abilities.

Both he and Evan must have been mistaken.

He left the clinic, surprised at just how sharp the disappointment was at not finding his mate.

On William's side.

“All the reports agree, Alpha,” said William’s Beta, Garrett. “She is indeed an Omega in this pack, one without a wolf.”

William looked at the report Garrett handed him, then sat back in his chair, thinking.

“My family has all been rare white wolves, and every one of us experienced wolves awakening well before we turned eighteen. But late emergence is not unheard of.”

“Yes, sir,” said Garrett. “It’s fairly common in the Luna’s family, isn’t it?”

“Yes, her own wolf awakened quite late. It didn’t even emerge until she used her healing abilities to treat an injury I sustained in a battle.”

He remembered seeing his wife’s wolf, an incredibly rare silver wolf. It had been beautiful, just as she had been. He missed her deeply.

Could this mysterious young woman somehow be a part of his love’s family?

He couldn’t leave the question unanswered.

“Reach out to my wife’s family. Tell them we need to talk.”

Claire's POV

As soon as Nathan left, Amelia hurried to where I sat eating her lunch in the break room. There was a TV playing, broadcasting local news, but I was barely listening. Using my still-awakening powers had left me starving.

“Well, it’s a good thing we’re using a fake name for you, ‘Dr. Green,’” Amelia announced, joining me at the table. “Nathan was just here asking about the doctor who helped the Royal Alpha.”

I froze with her sandwich halfway to my mouth, then lowered my hand. “Do you think he knows?”

The idea of Nathan showing back up, demanding me return home and go back to what I was already thinking of as my old life made me feel cold. So much had happened today—I cured the Royal Alpha, and had amazing new abilities.

I couldn’t go back to the way things had been. There was no way I could pretend I was the same person who’d lived a lie for so many years.

“No,” Amelia assured me. “Once he heard the receptionist use your fake name, he seemed to accept that it wasn’t you. But…”

“But what?”

Amelia stole a chip from my plate, crunched on it while she decided how to say what was on her mind.

"Nathan had looked different somehow from the last time I saw him. Still cool and in charge like always, of course, but also..." She picked her words, "Stressed, maybe a little distracted."

"He looked like someone who was missing his mate."

Hesitantly, she said, “Maybe he really does care about you. I know, I know,” she added quickly. “The way you’ve had to live these last few years has been unacceptable. You deserve better.”

She reached out and covered my hand with her own, giving it a squeeze.

“But the man I saw out there actually seemed like he missed you. You, his mate. Not his nanny.”

I hesitated, unsure of how I felt about that. The idea of Nathan suffering hurt her, and I hated being the cause of it. If it was true.

Could it be true? His mindlink earlier had been so sharp and harsh, demanding. Like he was angry at an employee, not missing his mate.

But if he did miss me, should I reach out to him? Maybe we could just talk…

The next segment of the news report drew my attention when I heard Nathan’s name:

“It seems someone has finally caught the eye of Silverfang’s Alpha, a longtime bachelor,” said one of the hosts of the program. “And it’s none other than Princess Sabrina of the Royal Pack. Could this finally be our Alpha’s mate?”

Images played across the scene, casually intimate photographs of Nathan and Sabrina with their arms linked as they walked up the steps to the Pack building.

“It certainly looks that way,” said the other host. “And not only is it about time, but Princess Sabrina’s noble bloodline makes her an ideal match. She’s the only woman I can think of worthy enough for our Alpha.”

I put a hand to her stomach, feeling a little ill. I'd suspected, and yesterday Nathan had all but confirmed, that he’d been considering Sabrina as a wife. But to actually see them together, to hear other people talking about it, was too much.

“Oh Claire, I’m so sorry. Listen, I’m sure it’s just an exaggeration. You know those talking heads are always looking for something to gossip about.”

Amelia was being kind, but I couldn’t listen, or believe her. The loss I’d felt last night when I ran out of the house was back, swamping me.

Nathan really did only care about Sabrina. If he wanted me back, it was just as a nanny, as one of the help.

I was nothing to him.

By the end of the day, I was exhausted. But there was one more patient, a woman who rushed in with her ten-year-old son just as the clinic was about to close.

“Please, he fell out of the tree in our backyard. I think he broke his ankle.” The woman was frantic, clearly trying to be calm for her son but scared and worried underneath that.

“Yes, of course,” Amelia said, taking the boy out of the mother’s arms as they headed for an exam room. The boy’s face was pale, and he cried out when his leg was jostled.

I held the door open to the exam room, then joined Amelia by the bed when she laid the boy down. As Amelia carefully examined the child’s ankle, I felt the now-familiar pull inside of me that meant my healing abilities were sensing something I could help with.

“May I?” I asked.

Amelia looked up at me, recognizing the look on my face. “Are you sure? You’ve been at this all day. I’m sure you must be exhausted.”

“It’s alright,” I said. I had been tired, and still hurting from what I saw on the TV, but I was moved by the mother’s worry, and the boy’s pain. I wanted to help.

Gently I laid my hands on his ankle, sensing where and how he was injured. His mother was right, his ankle was broken.

I closed my eyes and focused on the bone, the pain. I’d take the pain, first, and then send my energy to the bone itself, encouraging it to knit back together.

“It’s cold!” the boy cried out in surprise. “It tingles. It…it feels better!”

Within moments the bone was back to where it should be, healthy and strong. I stood up, even more tired but also satisfied.

“Thank you, Doctor!” the mother exclaimed. “This is unbelievable. Your gifts are truly a miracle.”

She continued to thank us as Amelia and I walked them out of the clinic.

“Claire,” Amelia said when they were gone, “that was amazing.”

“It felt amazing,” I said.

Then, suddenly, I doubled over in pain.

“Claire, Claire…”

I heard someone calling my name. The voice was soft and husky, laced with a wild edge, like it came drifting from wilderness.

Suddenly, I saw her.

A wolf emerged.

My wolf.

"I had my own wolf." I murmured, "My wolf!"

My wolf.

Most of the wolves in the pack were black or grey. I felt a surge of excitement and confusion as I tried to connect with my wolf.

“...Why is my wolf silver?”