Chapter 63
Dr Hanson was sitting behind her desk and jumped with fright at the crash of the door slamming into a filing cabinet. Maria stormed inside, dragging me behind her, all thoughts of graceful and dignified gone out of the window.
“How dare you agree to disgrace our Luna like this!” Maria screeched. “She may not have been marked or had her Luna ceremony, but she is our Alpha’s mate, she shouldn’t have to be degraded in this disgusting manner for anyone!” She laid into the now terrified-looking doctor. I squeezed her hand gently, bringing her attention back to me.
“Maria, it’s alright. I’m doing this for Daniel, and for the pack. The doctor has a job to do, why don’t we let her do it and get this over with hmm?” I asked softly, praying silently she remembered what Miranda had said about staying calm and dignified throughout. She huffed angrily and threw her hands up in defeat, before crossing them and giving the doctor the stink eye.
“It’s quite alright, the Beta female is supposed to be protective of the Luna, I understand. And for the record, I was and am against this, but if I refused the next-ranking doctor is male. I didn’t think the Luna would appreciate our Alpha decapitating a wolf for following the orders of the elders. Besides, as part of this exam is a pelvic, I thought an experienced female was a better choice than a male who hasn’t done one since medical school.” The doctor stated bluntly to Maria, who grunted her disapproval.
“Dr Hanson, is it? I’m Charlie Phillips.” I extended my hand to her; she shook it somewhat taken aback by my response.
“Yes, Luna, that’s correct.” She replied warily.
“Charlie, please.” I smiled, hoping to make the whole thing as painless as possible.
“Alright, Charlie, you may call me Sarah if you wish.” She curtly sat back down and offered me a seat with her hand. I took one and looked to Maria to take the other. “Right, so just a few questions and we will head next door to take some blood and do a brief physical, does that sound acceptable?” She was looking at me, but I knew the question was actually directed at Maria, who again huffed her displeasure.
“Yes, that’s fine, thank you, Sarah,” I answered for the both of us and tried not to laugh, as Maria had reverted to a stubborn teenager having a strop.
“Alright, let’s just dive right in then, shall we?” Dr Hanson proceeded to ask me about my family history, childhood illnesses, blood type, vaccinations, and sexual history, which was mortifying. Once she had filled out the form in front of her, she led me into an exam room, the walls, floors and ceilings were white, like the rest of the hospital. She had me disrobe and put on a gown, I had my height and weight measured, before a kind-looking nurse, came in to take my blood and vitals. After all that, Dr Hanson returned and gave me a pelvic exam. She told me everything looked good and left for me to get dressed, instructing me to come into the office when I was ready. I returned to the same chair I had left with Maria who had refused to leave my side for a second, she had actually growled at the nurse for making me wince when my blood was taken.
“Everything looked perfectly normal, so if the blood comes back with no issues, there should be nothing on this end for the tribunal to question. I would like to schedule a repeat visit after you’re marked, so we can remove your implant and check your ovulation, but that can be done whenever you’re available.” She stated in an almost bored tone.
“Why would I have my implant removed once I’m marked?” I asked, confused, Daniel and I had spoken about kids briefly, but I was nowhere ready to have them yet.
“Well, because after your Luna ceremony, you will want to produce an heir as soon as possible... won’t you?” She asked, all boredom disappeared from her voice and a sceptical, and pressing tone replaced it.
“Don’t try and put that old-fashioned thinking onto her, she will have pups when she and the Alpha decide and the elders can’t do anything about it, tribunal or not!” Maria snarled, jumping out of her chair and almost across the table before I could stop her.
“That’s all, we’re done here.” Dr Hanson quickly replied, closing the file in front of her and pushing her chair back and away from Maria. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards me.
“It’s over Maria, we can leave now, okay?” I asked her gently, she growled at the doctor again, before she stormed out of the room, leaving me behind. I forced a smile to the doctor and followed Maria out, and back to the elevators. “What was that about?” I asked when I caught up to her waiting for the elevator.
“I’m sorry, that old-fashioned, bullshit thinking just winds me up. It wasn’t about you I promise.” Maria said breathing heavily.
“So, what’s it about then?” I asked, putting my arm around her, concerned at her distress.
“I had only been eighteen three days when I met Ben, I mean we were in school together, but he is a few months older, and we didn’t run in the same circles. It was summer vacation, so I hadn’t seen him in weeks, anyway, we saw each other and instantly knew we were mates. We completed the mate bond pretty quickly and for the first few days it was amazing, but then the expectations started. People picking at me, I had to learn to be the Beta female, how to be the social chair of our pack until Daniel found you and I was expected to have a baby to ensure there was an heir in the event Daniel never found you. It was exhausting and overwhelming and terrifying! I was barely eighteen, I had gone from having my whole life ahead of me to being some breed mare for a bunch of old farts who I had never even met.” Maria explained as we got onto the elevator. “I was so scared and depressed I could barely get out of bed. Ben covered and insisted we were just young and in love and put off the whole baby thing until Daniel became Alpha. He took the brunt of the disappointment, he told everyone he wasn’t ready to be a father, and then Daniel put off becoming Alpha, but it was so much stress I couldn’t cope under the pressure of everyone else’s expectations. When we got married a few years later, we still weren’t ready for pups, and Miranda was Luna, so she insisted we stay at the pack house. I had to leave the pack to get birth control because of the judgment and hassle I got here; it was so bad I was put on antidepressants too for a while. And I don’t want that for you. Ben and I are going to start trying for a baby soon, so hopefully that will take some of the pressure off you and Daniel. But now, it’s for us, not for them, we have been together for fourteen years, and we are ready for the responsibility of parenthood now, in a way we weren’t before. Plus, we are finally out from under Miranda’s thumb, which has helped my depression and anxiety. Mental health is still a taboo subject within Lycan communities, it’s considered a human weakness. Which is absurd, but I didn’t want you going down the same road I did, you’re still so young, and have too much on your plate to be worrying about having a pup to deal with too.” I pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, it must have been hard for her to confide in me, and I was so grateful for her protection, love and friendship. I pulled back when the lift binged, alerting us that we were back on the first floor again. I put my arm around her waist, and we walked out of the elevator and through the lobby together. Giving each other strength, as we exited the building. I had barely stepped outside when I was swept off my feet and away from Maria, into Daniel’s arms.
“Ben could feel Maria’s anger and pain, but she wouldn’t open the link to tell us what was going on. I swear one more minute without answers and I was going to tear the arms off of anyone who wouldn’t tell me where you were.” He murmured his nose and lips against my skin, my feet dangling off the ground as he held me tightly.
“I’m sorry we worried you. It was fine, I’m fine, I think it brought up a lot of things for Maria though.” I whispered to him, as I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him just as tightly, allowing our closeness to comfort us both before we had to leave each other again. When Daniel’s enormous form had stopped vibrating with anger and worry, we put me gently back on my feet and led me to the car. I looked around for Ben and Maria but was unable to see them as we pulled out of the small lot. Once again, Daniel took my hand in his as we drove in silence to the tribunal, I checked my makeup and hair in the mirror. Without anything to fix with either, I resumed my dead-eyed stare at the road before us. I focused on my breathing and my scripted answers, determined to make them like second nature until we pulled up outside an older brick building. It was pale grey and had two columns on either side of a large double door, that was a dark stained wood. There were brass handles on both doors, hedges lined a raised courtyard and either side of a stone path to steps leading up to the entrance. It looked like a courthouse or something, it was clearly well looked after and was almost in the centre of the town. I saw a few people closing shops or walking through the square with grocery bags. As I continued to focus on the people around us, I realised there were no dogs anywhere, or cats, and the thought of a pet coming face to face with a giant wolf made me collapse into hysterical giggles, much to Daniel’s bewilderment.
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