272
Matt
My blood ran cold at that, and I met her gaze. I hadn't been letting myself think about it.
"And if you're the one who's always kept things in the background running smoothly, if he's that dependent on you, whether he realizes it or not, what do you think he's going to do if you die?"
I blinked. The thought set an ache in my chest that I couldn't bear.
"What about being an outpatient? He's got a job. He can't keep an eye on you all the time."
"And me? I'm unemployed at the moment. You expect me to hang out here for hours at a time."
She scoffed at me. "Unemployed isn't the same as broke."
I chuckled. "No, it's not, but don't you think we should save financial talks until at least the fifth date?"
She cocked an eyebrow. "You expect to live long enough to make it to the first the way you're carrying on?"
I hissed. "That almost hurt."
"Good." She shook her head. "There are ways we can make it work. I can help you coordinate things to make sure Tony has the support he needs so you can focus on your health."
I considered her offer, realizing the truth in her words. "I appreciate that… I'll think about it."
She pursed her lips. "You've got until Dr. Mountainheart comes back."
I laughed. It caught in my chest. My lungs seized, and I started coughing. She helped me turn onto my side. There was phlegm or something. I didn't want to look, but she pulled my hand away from my mouth to look. The look on her face told me everything I needed to know. As I met her gaze, I could see the future she was talking about.
I could see Tony in that solemn black suit, staring down at two graves: mine and Ginevra. I could see Oren there beside him. Quillan was sobbing, wanting to be with Tony, but Eliza had him firmly by her side. I could see him going back to Blue Moon because it was easier. I could see all of Ginevra's last words fading away as Tony lost himself to Blue Moon.
My heart clenched, and beneath that pain, anger bubbled and surged. I couldn't let that happen, and it would if I wasn't there.
He'd be alone in a way he'd never been before. I could see the light leaving his eyes and misery settling in. The mere idea of it sent shivers down my spine.
"I can't let that happen," I muttered, more to myself than to Arwen.
Whoever that woman was, whatever her intentions were, she was aiming for that. The malice in her eyes was complicated and pointed. Who was she? What did she know?
I looked up at Arwen, who seemed surprised, but she nodded.
"You don't have to. You just need to accept the help that's being offered."
I nodded, hoping that it could really be that simple. Before I could dwell too much on it, Dr. Mountainheart returned, holding a set of papers and a small sack that clinked every time he moved. He set the bag beside me and sighed.
"Let's start with the easy part. As a healer, I'm allowed to give you samples. There are enough in this bag for a week's treatment. I expect to see you back here for another check-up before these run out."
I blinked, looking at the sack. I nodded slowly, and he gave me the pages.
"These are resources for you to get more assistance and a release for treatment going forward. You'll need to have it on record before I can write a formal prescription. Once you get the aid, the prescription should be affordable, but it may take a while... Hence the check-ups."
I swallowed and nodded. My hands shook as I looked at the pages. I didn't need the financial assistance, but it would be nice not to have a paper trail.
"I won't sign a prescription until you ask me."
I looked up at him, and he gave me a small smile. "You're not the first werewolf to try to get out of a pack to come to Yellow Ridge. We'll keep as much as we can off the records."
I nodded, signing. "Thank you."
I handed the release back to him, and it vanished into lights. The gravity of the decision hit me. There was no way out of this now.
"Part of this treatment plan involves you taking classes," he said. "The second page has information on it. They're free classes offered here in Black Moon."
I nodded again, feeling more numb. Then, that woman appeared again, glaring at me as I listened to Dr. Mountainheart tell me which potions to take now and how to take them in the future.
"Don't you dare," she growled. "Put it down."
I met her gaze. Something in me started to ache more. My hand shook. I felt myself losing strength, like I was going to pass out. My stomach felt like it was on fire. I stared back at her, meeting her gaze with a defiance that wasn't entirely mine.
The image of Tony standing with Oren over a pair of graves flashed through my mind. And I tipped it into my mouth and swallowed.
"You'll regret this," she hissed and started to vanish, fading though she didn't seem to want to.
The potion's taste was faintly sweet and a little bitter, with a sharp edge that cut through my senses. As it touched my tongue, an involuntary shiver ran down my spine. Yet, beneath the bitterness, there was a haunting familiarity that seized my attention.
Suddenly, I was transported back to my childhood. The aroma of hot chocolate filled the air, mingling with the sweet scent of marshmallows. The kitchen of the Estate in the silence of an early morning or a late night. It was hard to tell what time of day it was, but I remembered that it wasn't every day that this happened.
I saw my mother's face, smiling at me, mixing two little vials into two cups of hot chocolate. I could hear Oren's voice and maybe Tony's as she pulled down another pair of mugs for them.
I remembered that she always made enough for many, even if she only ever doctored mine and hers.
My jaw trembled as the realization settled on me, clearer than ever. She'd known, and she'd been working so hard to hide it. I bit my lip and tossed the empty vial as a bit of the pain in my chest eased.
"Are you alright?"
I nodded, hearing her laughter, feeling the warmth of those quiet moments when it was just us. My mother's eyes sparkled with warmth as she handed me a cup, and in that innocence, I had no idea that she was saving my life, not just from my power eating me alive, but probably from Oren too.
As the memory receded, I found myself back in the hospital room, the bitter aftertaste of the potion lingering on my tongue. With that bitterness came anger. He would have killed us both without hesitation if he'd known. I reached up, feeling my face as I thought about it. I knew the truth now, but how had she hidden it then, let alone now?
"What would happen if I put it in hot chocolate?" I asked.
He hummed. "Depending on how it was prepared, the efficacy would be increased. Why?"
I swallowed. "I'd... be able to go longer without it."
"Yes, but you'd have to know how to prepare it. That's at minimum second-level healing potions brewing..." he said slowly. "You've... taken this potion in that fashion before, haven't you?"
I closed my eyes and nodded bitterly. My mother had been a healer.
Probably a really good one.
"Could I find a book on it?"
"Sure. Potion Efficacy for the Everyday by Eve Ashgrave."
The title felt like a punch to the gut, and I nodded. I could see the title flashing through my mind. Had I found a copy of it in the house once?
Had that been how I'd learned her real last name?
"Thank you," I said. "I'll... look into it."
"You're related," Arwen said, staring at me.
My lips twitched, and I nodded. My eyes stung as I slipped off the bench, feeling steadier.
"I should... get going."
After Dr. Mountainheart left, I gave Arwen my number and headed to the front desk to pay for the visit and head out. My next stop would be a supernatural bookshop and wherever the Black Moon Magical Academy was. My phone chimed with a message from Arwen.
Tonight at 6. See you then.
I didn't know what her plan was, but I felt a bit more at ease knowing there was one.
"Matt!"
I almost groaned as I turned and looked down the street. My phone chimed as I turned to face Eliza, looking more harried than ever.
"What do you want?"
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