赤裸裸的滑稽故事

Caleb arrived in Galen’s room not long after Peter had left. The two friends joked and chatted for a moment before sharing the critical details of their respective days. Caleb explained what had happened with Ashleigh and what followed with her family.

Galen was shocked and confused by the diagnosis. He had never heard of the mating sickness and worried that it might influence Caleb at the full moon the next night.

“From what I read on the subject, Ashleigh will take the brunt of the bond during this moon. The main reason that Bell elected to keep her sedated was because of the intensity of the bond. So Ashleigh will be feeling it for both of us,” Caleb replied, correcting himself, “or, I suppose, all three of us.”

Galen’s eyes widened. Remembering the full moon in Summer, he couldn’t help but wonder if sedation was enough.

“In theory, I won’t feel much of anything….” Caleb’s voice drifted off.

Galen looked at his friend. He smiled softly.

“She’ll be ok,” he said, “they will monitor her. They will keep her safe.”

Caleb only nodded in response.

“And what of your mission?” Caleb asked. “Did you ask Bell about the missing file?”

Galen began to share the details of his conversation with Peter, focusing on the new information he received about the pack reports.

“Spring and Autumn had losses to wolfsbane?” Caleb asked incredulously.

Galen nodded.

“That is what was reported to Winter. Obviously, not what was reported to us, so at this point… who knows what the truth is,” Galen sighed.

“I don’t believe the misinformation is coming from Winter,” replied Caleb._.

“No, I don’t think so either.”

Between this and the bug infestation within Summer, it was clear that something was coming. The other packs were making silent moves. But the question was whether they were working together or on their own.

“Regarding Ashleigh’s missing report,” Galen began, getting Caleb’s full attention, “it seems that Bell wasn’t responsible for most of her care. So, her report was prepared by Peter. He was the one that took over her treatment once she arrived at the hospital. He gave me the long and short of it. It sounds like she had it pretty bad.”

Caleb nodded, listening carefully as he thought back to how he had felt that day. The excruciating pain and weakness. Their bond shared her suffering, but only a portion of it. His heart ached to think how she must have felt. He shook away his thoughts, focusing on the information being reported.

“Ashleigh told me that Bell was the one that saved her life,” Caleb stated, “But you are saying that it was Peter?”

“Well, not exactly,” Galen began. Then, pushing himself into a sitting position, he let out a soft, painful groan.

“Have you learned your lesson?” Caleb asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh please,” Galen replied, giving Caleb a look of heavy sarcasm. “Like you would have had a ‘peaceful’ response to the situation.”

Caleb shrugged his shoulders, looking away to hide his smile.

“Anyway,” Galen said, “Peter was the one who treated her in the hospital, and yes, of course, was a vital part of saving her life. But Bell was the one who found her and gave her an emergency transfusion. Without Bell, Ashleigh would have never made it to the hospital.”

Caleb turned back to Galen, a focused look on his face.

“Bell gave her an emergency transfusion?” he asked.

Galen nodded.

Caleb turned away.

“What’s wrong?” Galen asked.

“Nothing,” Caleb replied, his expression softening, “I was just thinking that we should send Peter a few gifts, Bell too.”

Galen laughed.

“What?” Caleb asked.

“I knew you were going to say that.”

***

Bell was exhausted.

Her day had already been full before Ashleigh had come into the hospital. But seeing her friend in the state she was in took a lot out of her.

Bell had come home hoping to take a warm bath and rest. But in the three hours, she had been home, she finished charting four different patients and called to request updates on those same four patients. Then, finally, she was visited by Luna Corrine to confirm there was nothing else they could do for Ashleigh.

The sun had already set. But the day continued to drag on for Bell as she heard a knock at her door.

With a disgruntled sigh and light growl, she pushed herself off her chair and went to greet her uninvited guest.

“Look,” she sighed angrily as she was opening the door, “I don’t have anything else to tell anyone else. Call the hospital if you need an update on your loved one– Alpha Caleb?”

Bell was stunned, to say the least. She had expected, literally, anyone else but him. As he looked down at her, she assumed she would see the stern, cold man she had seen several times before. But instead, when their eyes met, she saw warmth and a slight smile.

“Good evening, Bell,” he said.

“Uh… hi,” she replied, blinking rapidly as though she thought he was some kind of hallucination.

“May I come in?” he asked.

“Oh… so you meant to come here?” she replied. Caleb let out a light chuckle. It only added to her confusion. “Ok… sure, I guess… uh come in.”

“Thank you,” he answered as he moved into the room.

Bell looked out behind him, expecting to see someone else with him. But, to her surprise, he was alone.

“Galen is still in the hospital for observation. I am told he will be able to leave in the morning,” Caleb said.

Bell quickly shut the door and turned to face him.

“Cool,” she replied, as nonchalantly as she was able at the moment, “I didn’t ask.”

“Not with words,” Caleb replied quietly.

Almost too quiet for her to hear, almost.

Bell pushed off the door and walked into the living area.

“Come in,” she said as she walked to a tray with two glasses and a pitcher of water. “I wasn’t expecting company. So I don’t really have anything to offer you beyond some water.”

“I don’t really need anything, thank you,” he replied, looking around her living room.

Her home was decorated simply. The furniture was comfortable, with lots of cushions and throw blankets. An oversized couch with a lounge extension. It was burgundy. It sat before a fireplace.

The fire was lit, casting a warm yellow glow on the rest of the room. A small dark wood coffee table between the couch and the fireplace had papers and wrappers scattered across it.

“Like I said,” Bell commented, “I wasn’t expecting company.”

From what he could see, she moved forward and gathered up the wrappers, Nutter Butter, Butterfinger, and Kit Kat.

“Please, have a seat,” Bell said as she dropped the wrappers into a wastebasket. She went over and poured herself a glass of water.

Caleb moved to the corner of the room, to a small desk and chair set. Taking the chair, he turned it toward the couch before sitting down. Bell took a seat on the sofa nearest to him, setting her glass on the table beside them.

“So…” Bell said awkwardly, “is there something I can help you with?”

Caleb smiled. He looked towards the fire as she spoke.

“I just spoke with Galen. He had a chat with Peter. I believe you know him. They talked about the reports that Galen requested from you on the cases of wolfsbane.”

Bell swallowed. She wondered if she shouldn’t have ignored the requests to visit from Galen. Was there something strange in her reports? She had clearly done something that drew the attention of Alpha Caleb.

“There were some questions about the treatment that Ashleigh received, but no report had been provided. Luckily, Peter was kind enough to explain that he had treated her,” Caleb said. He reached out and grabbed the fire poker, adjusting one of the logs that had slipped.

‘Oh… so that’s it,’ Bell thought to herself, ‘he’s just concerned about Ashleigh.’

She remembered the look on his face when he had brought Ashleigh into the hospital that afternoon. The concern in his eyes. Something was going on. She knew it.

“Yes,” Bell replied with an awkward smile. She took a sip from her water. “He treated most of the patients at the hospital that day. We were all lucky he was able to save her.”

Caleb nodded.

“I did get a chance to look at her report,” he said, looking toward the ground, “I found it interesting.”

Bell nodded, taking another sip of her drink.

“It says that she received an emergency blood transfusion,” he stated.

Bell swallowed a large gulp of water. Her heart began to beat just a little faster. Then, she cleared her throat, putting the glass down on the table.

“Yes, she did,” Bell smiled carefully.

“It’s interesting, though,” Caleb said, “the chart simply states that she received blood as a part of her treatment.”

A foreboding sense of dread began to settle over Bell.

“Yet, Peter quite specifically said that you gave it to her,” Caleb said, turning to look at her, the firelight reflecting in his eyes. “I would like to ask you a few questions, Bell.”