Bound

Chapter 8

"Hey! Uh, I thought you'd still be asleep..." Nick said to me, a note of surprise to his tone. He stood in front of me with a tray in his hands, covered in various different breakfast food and drink. "I uh, brought you breakfast."

I sat on the windowsill, looking out. Sleeping wasn't something I did a whole lot recently. I preferred to spend my nights having visions. Improving them. I hadn't tested them in a while, but I felt sure that I was getting them further in advance now. 

"That was kind of you." I replied, smiling warmly. I was somewhat surprised he hadn't kicked me out of his home yesterday, after I had told him what I was. But Nick was good at surprising me with his reactions. It shouldn't have done, really. It was in his nature to care for animals. 

After our revealing conversation last night, we had gone our separate ways to bed. I wanted him to get some rest, to sleep on what I had told him. I knew it was a lot to take in. 

He handed me the tray and I nibbled absentmindedly on the food. I had had most of it before. Breakfast food was easiest to make, and as wolves we needed it for energy for the rest of the day. Regardless, I was grateful that he went to the effort. 

"So I was thinking." Nick began. I raised an eyebrow, was this the part where he kicks me out? "You let me into some of your life yesterday... so I want to do the same. I was wondering if you wanted to come into work with me today?" 

I was surprised. I hadn't willingly let him in, he had followed me into the pack lands. I didn't have much of a choice there. Still... I was curious. I had seen where Nick worked through my visions, but I was eager to see it for myself. 

Nick took my hesitation as unwillingness, and quickly amended himself. "Uh, I mean... you don't have to, of course. I just thought..."

"I'd love to." I told him, smiling brightly. He staggered slightly at my response, mumbling something about going to get ready before heading to his bedroom.

Nick returned a few moments later, once I had eaten my food, wearing the clean white outfit I had seen him wear through my visions. "Uh, shall we go, then? It's not far from here, I normally walk." 

I nodded my consent and got up, following him out the door. Before we left, Nick threw a bone into the kitchen for his dog, Bruno, to have while we were out. 

True to his word, it was a short walk, and we reached the place fairly quickly. The Veterinary clinic was on the corner of a fairly busy street, surrounded by various clothes shops that I didn't particularly care for. Nick ushered me through the door quickly, and a bell went off as we walked through, signalling our arrival. 

A short woman behind the desk looked up in acknowledgement, but stayed silent, her eyes lingered on me for a brief second before turning back to the magazine in her hands.

"Heidi." Nick greeted, smiling at her. She ignored him, though Nick didn't seem to find her behaviour unusual. 

He showed me through to a back room, where he stored his possessions in a locker, storing the key in his breast pocket. "We don't open for another ten minutes, but all the vets come in early to set up for the day." He told me, heading back through to the corridor and opening the door to a different room. I sniffed the air immediately, there was a man in the room but... his scent... he had the scent of a werewolf? A familiar one too, though I couldn't place it... 

The room had a raised silver table in the centre, and it was surrounded by countertops on the walls. "Charlotte, this is my advisor, Doctor Kent Lloyd." The name wasn't particularly familiar, wolves didn't tend to use surnames, only in official documents.

The man in question stood against one of the countertops, wiping it clean with a rag and some disinfectant. He turned, presumably to greet me. 

He froze when he saw me, and my own eyes widened in surprise.