Chapter 11

The doctor took me to the pack hospital. He asked me to slip on a hospital gown while he prepared the MRI machine.

There was a dressing room adjacent to his office. I removed Eric's clothes and tossed them in a corner not wanting to look at them. Wearing them only made me feel dirty now. He could come look for them himself if he needed them.

After putting on the hospital gown I entered the doctor's office. My thoughts led me to think about Gary and how he'd been a pack doctor. Was this the kind of office he would have had?

The doctor entered five minutes later. I felt very much at ease with him. Similar to how I felt with Gavin. He made me feel at home and he seemed extremely understanding.

"Now Sophie, we are going to do a full body MRI. I'm hoping it will give us some clues as to why your wolf has vanished." He typed on the computer in front of him. "I'll get the nurse to come in and take some details and vitals. Any questions?"

I had millions.

"I'm new to the werewolf thing. Does this happen often to wolves? And what is the best and worse case scenario." I felt as if I should know everything. I didn't need him to sugar coat it.

The doctor moved his glasses up his nose and cupped his hands together. He looked at me seriously.

"This is not common Sophie. In fact, the entire time I have been a doctor you are the first patient to present to me in your condition." He sighed before clearing his throat. "Worst case scenario is your wolf is gone for good. But I'm hoping for best case scenario which is a temporary partial amnesia."

He stared at me, trying to read my thoughts. My face must have displayed a thousand emotions and I processed what he just told me.

"Is there anything else bothering you?"

Everything. Do I tell him about my feelings towards Eric and Gavin? How do I explain it without sounding like some love-struck teenager? We stared at each other for what felt like a long time. I kept opening and closing my mouth like a fish and felt a little stupid. He was very patient with me. I guess that was why he was such a good doctor.

"Ok this is going to sound silly, but I wanted to know about the mate bond." I asked sheepishly. "My wolf didn't explain that much to me, mainly that she would know when my mate appeared. But now she's gone…" This was so embarrassing. Why would an Alpha like Eric be my mate? It was clear that he didn't like me, and he was very much in love with his girlfriend. Maybe all these emotions are part of me losing my wolf.

The doctor nodded his head. "I can understand that all these emotions and heightened senses must be quite frightening. Tell me what you're experiencing. Please know that whatever is said in this room will stay here." He smiled and I felt a sense of relief.

"Well, I have two very different feelings towards Eric and Gavin where I'm drawn to them in different ways."

My revelation shocked the doctor. He was obviously not expecting that.

"Drawn to them? In what sense?" he asked curiously.

"I know Gavin has a mate, but I feel pulled towards him as if I had known him my whole life. I feel as if I can open up to him about anything…." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Your feelings for Gavin are not passionate feelings correct? More of a connection?

I nodded.

"That is very interesting. And Eric? What's going on there?" He leaned forward balancing his chin on the tips of his fingers.

"Eric is different. I find my feelings for him confusing. When he touches me, I feel this warm electrical current radiating from him. Every time I look at him, I'm drawn to him both physically and mentally." My cheeks go red.

"That does sound like the mate bond, but it is different for every werewolf. That's why we rely heavily on our wolves to tell us sometimes it's not always reciprocated."

I look down at my hands. "If it is the mate bond then why hasn't Eric said anything to me? Wouldn't his wolf have told him? Or maybe without my wolf his can't feel the pull?" I already knew the answer. If Eric was my mate, he chose not to tell me because he didn't want a mate, he wanted his girlfriend.

"I would have thought his wolf would still be about to sense the bond whether your wolf was present or not. I can not tell you what Eric is feeling. This is conversation that you need to have with him." The doctor began typing on his computer again.

"I doubt if he want to talk to me at all, let alone about the mate bond." I mumbled.

Suddenly there was a rap on the office door and in bustled a middle-aged, short, plump woman wheeling in a tray of medical equipment. She had a jolly round face and bob-cut brown hair that framed her face. She walked over to the doctor and smiled at me.

"You must be the lovely Sophie." She remarked. I nodded and smiled.

"We'll get started in a moment dear, just need the doctor for a minute."

They both walked out, and I was left alone again in his office. I felt so stupid asking his about the mate bond. Were these feelings even real? They could just be part of my wolf missing.

The plump nurse returned a couple of minutes later without the doctor. I felt a little disappointed, he was a nice man and his presence made me feel at ease.

"My name is Jenny and I'll be looking after you today. First let's start off with some details."

She began typing on the computer as I listed of my full name, birthday, parents' details, next of kin and contact details. Then she asked me a series of questions about my health and medical history while she took my temperate, blood pressure and pulse. I couldn't tell her anything about family medical history and she was very understanding of my situation.

"That's ok dear. We can take some blood and see if there's anything untoward there but from what I can see you are perfectly healthy."

The nurse strapped on the tourniquet and pulled tight. I hadn't had a blood test before, but I'd been with Gary once when he'd needed one. The nurse then gently tapped my inner elbow and pressed around.

"There we go." She mumbled to herself pumping her fingers up and down on a plump vein. "Small pinch now dear."

I actually didn't feel anything. My senses were overcome with the smell of blueberry cheesecake. It calmed and soothed me. I relaxed into the chair.

"All done." Jenny said snapping me out of my trance. "Let's get you to the MRI room."

I stood up and followed the nurse. We walked down a long corridor lined with many different doors before turning right. Jenny then steered me towards a low-lit room.

"The MRI machine does make a lot of noise We often suggest some music to help. Would you like some music?"

I nodded. Anything to drown out my own thoughts right now.

"Ok, lie down here and pop on these headphones." She stepped over to a narrow bed and handed me a set of headphones. "We will be able to communicate with you through them. You will have to lie completely still but we will let you know when." Jenny patted me on the shoulder and made her way out of the room.

Over to the right was a glass panel. I could see the doctor sitting at the computer screens and he smiled and waved at me. I smiled back and then lay down on the thin bed. I placed the headphones on and was met with the doctor's soothing voice.

"Just get comfortable for now. We'll begin shortly." His voice cut off and was replaced with soothing music that lulled me into a meditative consciousness.

I thought the MRI would have taken longer than it did but was presently surprised when the lights came on and the music stopped. I got up slowly, feeling a little dizzy from lying there and waited for the doctor.

He entered the room and handed me a robe. "You look cold. Let's go to my office and discuss my findings, shall we?"

Was that a good thing or a bad thing? All I could do was nod my head and quickly followed after him. The scent of blueberry cheesecake wafted from in front of the doctor and I inhaled it. Maybe the kitchen was making it?

Suddenly I heard someone cry out.

"Doctor!" Nurse Jenny called.

"Doctor please. Help me, I'm bleeding!" I look around the doctor and see Eric's girlfriend clutching Eric's arm with one hand and her stomach with the other. My eyes look towards her stomach as I notice a little bump I hadn't noticed before. I look up at Eric and see nothing but hurt and pain in his eyes.

"She's pregnant!" I yell.

I see red. I charge towards her, but Eric stood in front of her and growled. She screamed in pain again and I could smell the scent of fresh blood. I couldn't be here anymore. I had to get out. I looked around and recognised the way we had entered the Pack House. I took off and didn't look back despite the desperate calls from Nurse Jenny and the Doctor. I had to keep going.

Once outside I took off towards a grove of trees, darting in and around them. I turned to look behind me and was relieved to see no one had followed me. Next thing I knew my foot lodged itself in a tree root and I fell to the ground. The pain was excruciating.

"Sophie…stop!..."

Was that Dove? She sounded so far away.

"Sophie?... Can you hear me?... Watch out, he's coming…"

My mind searched for Dove, but she was gone again. I closed my eyes begging her to come back but there was nothing. Suddenly, I was met with growls and my eyes sprang open. There in front of me was a black wolf with obsidian eyes staring at me.