17 Chapter 17 – The Healer
Zelena.
I opened my eyes slowly. The sun was already shining brightly through the window. I reached my arm behind me and felt around the bed. I sat up quickly and looked around the room. Gunner wasn’t there. I took a deep breath and yawned, stretching my arms out above me. Wait, my chest didn’t hurt. I twisted my back from side to side waving my arms in the air, my ribs didn’t hurt at all. I got up from the bed and walked around the room, still no pain. I noticed the bookshelf and decided to take a look. There were so many books, some with older worn covers and others a bit more newer looking. I picked up a small red book and read the cover ‘A Lycanthropy Reader, WEREWOLVES IN WESTERN CULTURE. I flicked through the pages and put it back on the shelf, a little too intense for some early morning reading. I picked up another one and read the cover, “The Garden of Eden‘ by Ernest Hemingway. Not what I expected from a teenage werewolf soon–to–be–Alpha. I put it back and my eyes fell on a really old looking book. I pulled it out and it is big and very heavy. It looked very worn down and must be hundreds of years old. It was bound in leather with a brass buckle. I turned it over and on the back are three crescent moons all
twisted together, branded into the leather.
“Careful with that one, it’s older than my great–great–grandpa‘ Gunner’s voice came from the doorway. He was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed in front of him. He was wearing a tight plain black t–shirt and jeans. I looked him up and down and smirked, good God he is handsome. I carefully put the book back on the shelf and crawled back onto the bed sitting up and smiling at him.
“How’d you sleep gorgeous?” he asked walking over to me,
“Pretty good actually
“That’s good” he leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. I frowned, a little disappointed. 1. am still yet to taste those lips.
“Get dressed, Artemis is here” he said standing up again,
“Who’s Artemis?”
“He’s our healer, he’s the one that bandaged you up when I brought you here“. I figured that he had brought me here, the how part though, I haven’t worked out yet. I haven’t had the stomach to asked him about what happened that night.
“Okay, but I don’t have any clothes” I said with a shrug of my shoulders. He smiled and nodded to three plastic bags sitting by the bathroom door.
“I sent my sister out shopping for you. She was more than happy to spend my money” he huffed. He bought me clothes? I’m not sure I like that, but I won’t lie, I’m a little excited. I don’t get new stuff very
often. My dad used to bring back op–shop clothes once or twice a year. But never anything new or pretty. I was itching to see what was in the bags.
“I’ve gotta go help Dad out with some things. Once Artemis has seen you Mum will have some
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food ready”
“Okay boss” I smiled,
“Mm… boss ay? I could get use to that he smirked leaning forward again. I lifted my chin ready for a kiss but instead he growled playfully and snapped his teeth at my nose, he quickly stood up straight and walked to the door.
“Don’t take too long, he’s waiting downstairs” he winked and blew a kiss at me and left. I jumped up and sat on the floor and proceeded to spill the contents of the bags over my lap. “Woo pretty” I thought lifting up a black singlet top with lace sleeves. There were a few other tops and some jeans and denim shorts, even some boots and sandals and thankfully, some underwear. I sniffed at myself, I could use a shower. Badly. But Gunner said that the healer was waiting. Shit. I suppose I will have to shower after then, gross.
I got changed into the jeans and a loose bright blue top, they were a little big on my small gaunt frame, but I appreciated the gesture. After slipping on the sandals, I walked quickly out the door and down the stairs. Waiting in the foyer near the front door, was a short older man with a grey beard and long thick hair with streaks of dark brown and grey. He was wearing a big long brown coat that hung past his knees. Weird, seeing as it isn’t even a cold day. As I got closer to him, I could make out his features more, he was very exotic looking with tanned skin and dark eyes with wrinkles on the corners. I got to the bottom of the stairs and he nodded at me, then walked to a room on the left. I followed him in, and he pointed to a cream–colored armchair. I sat down and
put my hands in my lap. He knelt down in front of me and began to lift my shirt,
“Whoa!” I said pushing his hands away. What in the hell is this creeper doing? He looked at me and frowned.
“I need to check the ribs he grumbled in a thick foreign accent, that I couldn’t place.
“Oh, okay” Hesitantly, I lifted my shirt to show the bandages around my abdomen. Wearing at permanent scowl and not saying anything further, he started to unwrap the bandages, not sparing me a single glance. He dropped the pieces of fabric on the table and started to press and feel around my ribs and torso. His touch made me very uncomfortable, but surprisingly not pained. Having a stranger laying his hands on my body made me feel very uneasy. I don’t know this man. I know that Gunner said he helped me, but I don’t remember that.
“Does this hurt?” he grumbled,
“No” I answered,
“How about this?”
“No”
“And here?”
“Nope”
“Hmm… he groaned pulling my shirt back down.
“Ribs are healed” he mumbled. Heed away and fiddled with his medical case. Wow, that was
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quick. Hank has broken a rib before, but they’ve never healed this fast. Must be my new wolfy powers.
“Now the neck, pull down sleeves” he demanded, then paused,
“Please” he added with a frown.
This Artemis guy is a little rough around the edges but efficient, I guess. I pulled my arms out of the sleeves and pulled down the shirt to the top of my breasts. He started unwrapping the bandage from around my neck and chest. I felt so exposed and uncomfortable. I wish Gunner was here. He dropped the last of the bandages on the table and began to Inspect the burns. He used his hand to lift my chin but other than that, he didn’t touch me, much to my gratification. He looked over my neck from the front to the back. I was waiting for me to comment on the slashes on my back, but he didn’t speak to me directly. I could hear him huffing and mumbling inaudibly to himself, yet he made no comment about the markings. Surely they haven’t healed yet. After a minute he turned away and rummaged through his bag.
“The neck is okay his said while not facing me,
“No more bandage, just cream now“.
He kept digging through his bag and then turned around holding a glass jar with mossy green goo looking stuff inside.
“After shower” he said tapping the lid of the jar. He stood up, put the bandages and the rest of the things in his bag and turned to walk out.
“Thank you” I called to him. He stopped and nodded at me from over his shoulder and walked out the door leaving it slightly open. I held the jar up and inspected its contents. It’s an awful green booger looking glob and smells like moldy tree moss. Whispering in the foyer caught my attention, so I put the jar down and leaned forward, trying to listen
“Too quickly” was Artemis‘ voice,
“What do you mean it was too quick, how is that possible?” it sounded like Roe, Gunner’s mum,
“Not possible”
“Could it be the bond, is it making her stronger?”
“Is possible”
“What do we do with them now?”
*Need to be careful, give too much to one and other gets weak”
“Thank you, Artemis, your help is always greatly appreciated“.
There were footsteps, a door opened and closed again. What was too quick, were they talking about my healing? What did she mean by bond and how is it making me strong? I need to find out what’s going on.
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