Chapter 26
One Week Later
Watching the doctor closely exam me, I tilt my head. “You know what I just realized? No one ever calls you by your name.”
He arched his eyebrow at me. “Is that your way of saying that you don’t know my name?” “No it’s me pointing out that most people call you doc or kind of just start a conversation with you.” He let out a chuckle that turned into a full laugh. “What’s so funny?”
“I was only teasing, but you have no clue what my name is, do you? An entire friendship and professional relationship developed, and you haven’t the faintest idea about the name of the man who oversees your wellbeing.”
Caught red-handed, I blush. “Alright, you figured me out. I know I should have asked, but it’s a little embarrassing. Sorry.”
“It’s alright, Lady Karin,” he replied, his eyes gleaming.
“Okay then, what is your name?”
He smirked. “Doc.”
“Hilarious.”
Pulling out his identification card, he hands it to me and my mouth parts. “Your name is Doc—”
“Please don’t say my last name,” he said, grimacing. “You can see why I prefer to be called by my first.”
I handed him back his identification card and fought the urge to laugh. “Noted. Doc, it is. I still think it’s funny that you’re a doctor named Doc.”
“Yes, well I and my six brothers don’t think so. Somehow, we all attained professions that spoke to our namesake. Me, two therapists, pediatrician, sonologists, allergist, and our brother who strayed from the medical profession and became an accountant. He’s the shyest person I’ve ever met, but he’s phenomenal at what he does.”
I purse my lips for a moment. “Doc, do you know that sounds just like—”
He grimaces again. “Yes, I know. Our parents are either psychics or have a twisted sense of humor.” He continues to examine me, and his smile turns to a frown. “How has your pain level been?”
“Better. I can move around more.”
“You should be able to move around more than you are. How is your wolf and your interaction?” I look away and he sighs. “Lady Karin, you must help in your healing. You aren’t healing the way you should be for a werewolf. I can hear the elevation of your heart and the response of your wolf. Why are you keeping her from healing you?”
“It’s not that I’m keeping her from healing me. We’re having a hard time finding a middle ground right now.”
“Why is that?”
I sigh. “I haven’t seen the Second Prince since he came to visit last week. The conversation didn’t exactly end on the best of terms, and Ada isn’t too happy with me about it.”
He nods as he packs up his gear. “I understand your connection to Sir Ansel, but you and Ada have to put your healing first. Staying bedded is going to do nothing but continue to stunt you from getting better. Promise me you will at least try?”
“I promise.”
He smiles softly. “Good. I wouldn’t want the doctor that takes over for me to start off with a major problem on his hands.”
“Wait, what? Where are you going?”
“I’m retiring. I’ve been thinking about it for some time now, and I’m ready. I’m tired and want to enjoy the rest of my years relaxing and potentially traveling the world.” I want to be happy for him, but I can’t help to be sad instead. Doc has grown to be one of my closest friends, and with everything going on, I needed that type of friendship. “Hey,” he says, patting my leg. “I’ll still visit. I could never abandon you and Sir Ansel. You two cannot be left to your own devices.” We shared a laugh that makes me feel better. “Take care of yourself, Lady Karin,” he says, standing.
“You as well, Doc,” I reply as I watch him walk to the door and shut it behind him.
A Few Days Later
A knock on the door pulls me from my sleep. “Lady Karin, can I come in?” Maggie says from the other side.
“Sure.”
Entering the room, she flicks on the light. “Are you going to allow me to wash the sheets and clean your room today?”
“No.”
She sighs. “Well, will you at least eat something substantial? It’s been days and you’ve hardly taken a bite of anything I’ve brought you.”
“Because I’m not hungry.”
“Alright that’s it!” Maggie shouts, glaring at me. Storming over to the drawn curtains, she practically rips them open. The sun hits my skin and I quickly cover myself with the blanket. “Oh no you don’t,” she says, pulling it away.
“Maggie!”
“Don’t you Maggie me. You have been held up in this room for days. You won’t eat, you won’t talk, you don’t smile. Lady Karin, you’re a shell of yourself.”
“I’m sorry that I can’t be all happy and bubbly!” I retort. “In case you forgot, I almost died!”
“I didn’t forget. I will never forget. I also know that you’re destroying yourself. Lady Cherry did everything in her power to break you, but you’re still here, and I know you’ll never forgive yourself if you let her win.”
I cover my mouth and will myself not to cry. “She’s already won, Mags,” I say. I point at my legs. “I can barely walk. There’s no way that I will dance. The one thing that I had that I could hold on to through everything I can no longer do.”
“But the doctor said you will make a full recovery.”
I chuckled. “Tell that to my legs and hand. What’s the point in pretending that something will get better that I know won’t?” I pause. “I can’t dream Maggie.”
“It’s not a dream to believe you will get better.”
“No. I mean, I can’t dream when I sleep. Dreaming always made me feel better, but now I can’t even do that. What are we without our dreams?”
“But like you said, you’ve been through a lot. It’s understandable that you have a hard time having happy thoughts when you’re awake, let alone when you sleep.”
I chew the side of my bottom lip. Maggie and I may have grown to be like best friends, but could I really trust her with my secret? In my heart I somehow know I can. “I can enter people’s dreams,” I say.
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. I have this unique ability to enter people’s dreams and influence them. Usually, it’s harmless, though I will admit that sometimes I use it to terrorize people, though in my defense, I’ve only done it to people who are completely horrible.” She stares at me with her mouth agape, and I hide my face behind my pillow. “Say something.”
“I don’t know what to say. This-this is incredible. I couldn’t imagine being able to do something like that.”
I smile weakly. “It is pretty cool, but now I can’t do it anymore.” Maggie's face ashens in front of me. “What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Lady Karin, does Sir Ansel know you have this ability?” I nod slowly. “H-have you used it on him recently?”
“Of course not. Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” she says absentmindedly. “I was just curious whether you tried using it to aid in your surrogacy.”
“I would never do that. As foolish as it sounds, I want him to desire me because he does, not because of my influence.”
“Because you two are fated mates.” She smirks at the shock on my face. Leaning forward, she taps the mark behind my ear. “I noticed it a while ago but didn’t make the connection until the day with Lady Cherry. The way Sir Ansel was with you, it was clear.”
“Please don’t say anything to him. Not too many people know.”
“Doc and I know because Sir Ansel confirmed it.” The revelation that Ansel told them hit me harder than anything else, Maggie said.
He told them.
As if reading my thoughts, Maggie nodded. “Yes, he was very forthcoming too, which is also why you need to get better. You promised your fated mate an heir, and I doubt you want to break that promise.” A knock sounded on the front door, and Maggie smiled. “Took her forever to get here.”
“Who?”
Not answering, she left the room and shortly returned with Joy in tow.
Joy scrunched her nose. “It smells horrible in here.”
“Nice to see you, too,” I say, scowling at her.
“Would be nicer if you were bathed and your hair was washed. I mean seriously, how do you expect to turn Sir Ansel’s head if you look like a mud child?”
“I’m not concerned about turning his head. Besides, I think I’m a little too broken apart to even think about sex right now.”
“Please, I’ve had sex with a full body cast on. All he had to do was carve a hole—”
“Joy,” Maggie said, clearing her throat. “Perhaps we can skip the visual?”
Joy cackled. “Right. Sorry. Anyway, what I’m trying to point out is that no matter how much the Second Prince is smitten with you, smelling like garbage would turn off any man.”
“Okay, I let the first insult go, but now you’re just being mean.” I sigh. “And Ansel is not smitten with me, Joy.”
“Oh goodness, you can’t be this blind. The man is so smitten with you he can’t stand it.”
“You only say that because you weren’t here when I embarrassed myself. I wore the lingerie, lit the incenses, tried to be sexy, and he nearly blew a gasket. He shouted about how I wasn’t paying attention or trying to understand that he didn’t want me wearing the lingerie because it didn’t look like me and he hated the incense because it didn’t smell like—wait why are you grinning at me like that?”
Joy grabbed Maggie’s hands, and they jumped up and down. “Oh my God! Oh My God! It’s even worse than I thought. The man is completely and utterly in love!” she shouted.
“What?”
Maggie giggled. “Lady Karin, Sir Ansel was right. You aren’t listening. He doesn’t want any of those things because they aren’t you, which can only mean…”
“He’s in love with you for you,” Joy said.
I turn away from them to hide my blush and look out the window. My heart drops at the sight. Tears well in my eyes, and soon fall down my cheeks.
“Lady Karin?” Maggie says as she and Joy join my side. Looking out the window, she shakes her head. “I’m sure there is an explanation for this.”
“For the Second Prince to be taking a leisure stroll with the woman that tried to kill me? The same one he said things were done with. I’d love to hear it.”
“I swear she hasn’t been on the premises since that day.”
I chuckled. “Well, she’s here now.”
Joy places her hand gently on my shoulder. “I’m sure Maggie’s right. There has to be a reason. Just talk to him.”
Her words drown out as I watch Cherry’s smile soon cover her entire face as she locks her arm inside of Ansel’s. Turning away, I lay back down. “I’d like to be alone now, if that’s okay.”
“Okay. We’re here if you need us,” Maggie says, and they leave the room.
