Tangled

84 Ava: Doctor’s Care

Dr. Ellison never appears before me again. @

My new doctor is an older woman who smells like a mix of raw meat and chocolate chip cookies. Like a bunny–slaughtering, chubby grandma. It’s an odd mix that makes my nose wrinkle a little.

“Good morning, Miss Grey,” she greets me, her voice gentle and sweet, belying her stocky frame. It only adds to the Disney grandma effect, still with a side of vicious killer. “I’m Dr. Annise Beaumont, and I’ll be taking over your care from now on.”

She moves closer, and I flinch without thinking, tensing at her approach.

The rational part of my mind knows she’s here to help,

but after the disastrous encounter with Dr. Ellison, I

can’t shake the sense of unease that settles in the pit of my stomach. I don’t want to be touched by people

who hate me.

Dr. Beaumont seems to notice my apprehension, knitting her brows together as she watches me. “I’ve heard of your issues with Dr. Ellison. He’s well known

C 84 Ava: Doctor’s Care

to be a bit of a problem child. Too big for his britches after heading

ng off to university. No need to worry, dear. I don’t care what pack you’re from. I’m just going to check your vitals and take a look at those wounds, make sure everything is healing properly.”

Of course. All important things a normal doctor would

1. do.

myself to relax a little

her fingers surprisingly deft

gentle, almost maternal touch is unfamiliar to

she murmurs, -more to herself than to me. “But that’s

blood pressure. “That should go up with some medication changes,” she says, before launching into a casual story about how her daughter had spent a day in the hospital the

toddler?-who’d been ill from

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Doctor’s

shifter parents at daycare. Turns out, she’d eaten something she shouldn’t, and there was no horrifying epidemic taking down little pups in the pack.

drawn in by her soothing cadence, the tension slowly ebbing from my body as she works, carefully checking every wound on my face and neck before replacing each

first glimpse of the ragged wounds on my abdomen, angry and raw, has my breath catching in my throat. Vivid memories of the fight with Todd flash through my mind, and I have to squeeze my eyes shut to block out

pulling me back to the present.

eyes open, fixing my gaze on her face as she carefully peels back the

is one of calm professionalism, betraying none of the revulsion I would expect at the sight of my mangled flesh.

Ava: Doctor’s Care

comments, her fingers ghosting over the edges of the wounds, just shy of touching them. “They cleaned it up well. We’ll need to keep them clean and change the dressings regularly, but you’re on the mend. I know it probably looks awful to you,

in silence for a few minutes, her

and efficient as she applies fresh dressings to my wounds. When she’s finished, she steps back, giving me an appraising look that makes me feel like I’m being evaluated on more than just my

her voice laced with sympathy. “But you’re a fighter, I can see that. And with the right help,

to respond, but she holds up a hand,

rest and heal, Miss Grey. We’ll have plenty of time to talk

Ava: Doctor’s Care

them through

she pauses as though

taken with you, so she’ll be checking on you daily. Most of our healers are on par with doctors, but without the required licensing of the government. I’m not sure how it was in your old pack, but here, we work together. We’re going to keep your antibiotics through IV for

shake my head, flummoxed by her no–nonsense summarization of my

need anything, your call light is…

Dr. Beaumont takes a moment

my bed, picking it

the floor. “Here.

colleagues. can come chat with you, okay?”