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.

relax a little beneath

grandma scent, her fingers surprisingly deft as they press against my wrist to check for

touch is unfamiliar to

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

monitor beside my bed, clucking her tongue at my 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

ill

13

217

Doctor’s

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

her soothing cadence, the tension slowly ebbing from my body as she works, carefully checking every wound on my face and

raw, has my breath catching in my throat. Vivid memories of the fight with Todd flash through my mind, and I

voice a gentle anchor pulling me back to the present. “Just focus on my voice, Ava.

fixing my gaze on her face as she carefully peels back the soiled dressings. Her

revulsion I would expect at the

Doctor’s

of touching them. “They cleaned it up well. We’ll need to keep them clean and change the dressings regularly,

for a few minutes, her

steps back, giving me an appraising look that makes me feel like I’m being evaluated on

she says at last, her voice laced with sympathy. “But you’re a fighter,

to respond, but she holds up a hand, effectively silencing

rest and heal, Miss Grey. We’ll have plenty of time to talk later. I’m going to reduce the frequency of your pain medication,

Doctor’s Care

them through the

she pauses as though

par with doctors, but without the required licensing of the government. I’m not sure

her no–nonsense summarization of my care.

If you need anything, your call light

Dr. Beaumont takes

picking it up from

“Here.

colleagues. can come chat with you, okay?” Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Find_Nøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the