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“The potion… the treatment! It was in theb. I only stepped out for a moment, and when I returned, it was gone.”
We’d been running tests on the potion to ensure it was safe for werewolf consumption, so it was possible that he just misced it. That didn’t seem like Noah, though. He was still training, but he’d never make a mistake like losing an entire potion bottle.
Especially not one that carried so much importance.
“Stay put,” I said. “I’ll be right there.”
My own anxieties heightened, as I rushed around, looking for my coat and keys.
How could the potion be lost? Could someone have taken it?
I didn’t want to think so poorly about anyone in the hospital. Every Healer took an oath to always protect the people, to never knowingly do harm.
By stealing that potion, the potential thief was endangering all of the lives of those who the potion was designed to save.
Some of the ingredients in the potion were rare. Did I even have enough of everything to make more if I needed to?
I wasn’t sure. I had to get to the hospital and assess the situation. This not knowing was making my head spin.
Because I was in such a rush, I didn’t notice until I was pulling into the parking lot that I had forgotten about my disguise. I didn’t
have my scar stickers or my medical mask. But there wasn’t time to go back for it.
With lives on the line, I had to just risk it.
Inside, I hurried up the stairs to the floor that held my office. As soon as I stepped out from the stairwell, I saw Olivia headed
toward my same destination. It was then that I remembered she was to be my first appointment of the day. She was running early.
She reached the door before I could, then, ncing down the hallway, saw me and stopped. At once, her eyes went wide as her jaw
locked.
“What is a whore like you doing here?” she snapped at me.
Just like that, we were at a standstill. I needed to get into the office Olivia was standing right in front of, but with her hand on the door handle, I couldn’t exactly sneak by her. To bully my way in, I’d have to forcibly move her, and I wasn’t keen on that idea
either.
Physical strength was not one of my fortes, but even if it was, Olivia was still a patient. As a professional, I could keep a level head about this. I could resolve this standstill without resorting to mockery or violence.
I wasn’t Olivia.
She looks at the door in front of her, and then back to me. “Did you think you could see Healer Amanda yourself?” Her face remained skewed up with anger, even as sheughed. “The best Healer in the world isn’t going to make time for some lowly ex-
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housewife who works at a grocery store.”
The truth sat on the tip of my tongue, but I held it back. I didn’t really want Olivia to know the truth, yet it was getting more and more difficult to conceal it with each insult she flung at me.
“How would you even afford to pay her bill?” Olivia said. “In fact, someone like you shouldn’t even be at this hospital. It’s only for elites. Who are you again? No one.”
She lifted her chin so that she stared down her nose at me.
“You should have nevere back here,” she said. “No me. Not the pack. And certainly not Julian.”
At that exact moment, Noah opened the door to the office from inside. Olivia stumbled, not expecting the door to open, but then
steadied herself. As she did, Noah looked at me.
“Ah, Healer,” he said to me. “There you are.”
Olivia’s eyes went wide. She checked behind herself but there was no one else in the hallway.
“I’ve been waiting for you to arrive,” he continued. “We have urgent matters to discuss.”
“Yes. Of course,” I said, and moved to step closer to the door. I couldn’t step through it yet, though. Olivia remained in the way.
She looked between Noah and me in disbelief.
“If you could please step aside,” Noah said to her. “The Healer needs to enter.”
Olivia’s face was one of shock. “…Healer?”
12:39 PM Tue 26 Aug