Chapter 9 #3
Dr. Walsh glares at me while I shrug my shoulders. Am I coming on a little strong? Possibly. However, the nuance of this may not be something she notices with all the medication in her system.
“Silas.”
My lips curve as she says my name and she sighs as she lays back on the pillows.
“I feel a little queasy,” she admits softly.
“I’m going to push an anti nausea medicine through your IV,” the doctor says, digging it out of his bag.
He’s got a pharmacy in there, and has had things delivered as necessary. I don’t care what this costs us, I simply want her to feel better.
“If something hurts, please tell me. You’re not complaining, you’re informing me,” he murmurs, administering the medication for her.
“I am here for you, alright? We can try something on the lighter side later if you find you’re hungry.
I don’t want you to get ill since I can tell you haven’t eaten in a while. ”
“Okay.”
My little fighter watches both of us closely, and I notice she rubs her stomach more insistently. Dr. Walsh fusses with her IV for longer than necessary, and I force myself not to stare at him.
Whatever he’s doing is for the good of his patient and I fully believe that.
“I’m going to dig out a heating pad,” I decide, standing slowly. Her eyes still dart toward me and her words follow me as I begin to walk out of the room.
“Why would you do that?”
“It’ll help your cramping,” I reply without a backward glance.
I’m feeling too much, and the last thing I want to do is spook her. The way she speaks is reminiscent of someone who hasn’t had a passing kindness in fucking years.
She’s so young, and it makes me so fucking angry that this is the hand life has dealt her. My little fighter is drowsy as I drape the pad over her stomach and I click the button to warm it up. It’s a rechargeable heating blanket of sorts, and I use it often after runs.
The run club is a fucking beast, and they don’t take it easy on anyone.
“That’s nice,” she says softly, watching as I sit down.
“I don’t know what life has been like for you,” I say carefully.
“People joke that I have trouble seeing someone in trouble due to my penchant for helping others. However, I think a good alpha feels actual pain when they see injustice. I’m not exactly a saint, far from it actually, but when I look at you and know I can do something to make the crease of pain between your brows ease, I’ll do it. ”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any good,” she says, her attention moving back to the Doctor.
God, my insides hurt with how easily she says this.
I can tell she’s feeling loopy because she hasn’t cried and emotions outside of fear seem just out of reach.
“I’m sleepy again. Did you do something? ”
“No. I gave you a sedative earlier in the day to help you sleep as your body heals. You’re burning a lot of energy.”
“Okay,” she rasps, blinking as she begins to fall asleep. “My name is Alisa. Please don’t make me regret telling you.”
“Never,” Dr. Walsh and I promise at the same time.
“Do you have a last name?” I ask, hoping against hope I’m not pushing my luck too far.
“I barely remember it,” she says, her voice sounding as if it’s coming from far away as she drifts off. “No one’s called me by it since I was fourteen and I was in school.”
My eyes shut as I let her truth crash over me and I tuck this piece of information close to my heart. She may only be telling me this because she’s high on her medication, but I’ll take it.
“Silas.”
“Yeah.” Opening my eyes, I find Dr. Walsh staring grimly at me.
“I lied. I did give her pain medication to ride this out. It’s what made her fall asleep.”
“Her whimpering couldn’t be good for her sleep,” I say dismissively. This is why I’m not a good man. Dr. Walsh’s reasoning is perfectly acceptable and Alisa will never know he lied. “Did you hear what she said?”
“I did. Since the age of fourteen is a long time to belong to someone else,” he mutters. “Or multiple people. The brand…”
I flinch as I put together something I couldn’t earlier in my worry last night.
“What does it say again?” I ask. His eyes close over and I shake my head briskly. “I don’t need to fucking see it, Doc. I need to know what it fucking says. Trust me, it’s important.”
“It says ‘Property of Clara’,” he says softly.
“That’s what I thought,” I groan. “God, I’m so fucking stupid. I need to talk to someone. Clara was an auction madam in Savannah. She recently lost all of her human inventory, and I have many reasons to believe Alisa was one of them.”
“Fuck.” Dr. Walsh’s gaze flicks back to the bed and he pulls up a chair as he sits down heavily. “I’ll keep watch. Find out what you can. It’s easier when a person connects the dots without having to tell you their story when they don’t have a reason to trust you.
“They may hate that you know, but it is easier.”
I know he’s speaking from experience and I sigh as I stand up. I have a date with Pack Tremaine and their omegas to keep. They just don’t know I’m headed their way.