04: I AM NEEDED

LAURENE

I got out of the car and ran into the house. Dropping the umbrella outside, I dusted off the dirt from my boots and went in. Emerald, the Alpha King's sister spun to look at me and a smile widened on her lips.

"And to what do we owe this visit from our infamous doctor Laurene?" She asked, walking towards me. She was one of my numerous admirers too. I had saved her life when she tried to abort her kid. From what I had heard, the father of her kid did not want kids, probably hated the idea of having a child and she wanted to please him but eventually the kid died and last I heard, they both separated.

"I am here to see the Alpha King," I told her.

Her smile faded a bit but she soon gathered herself. "He is in his office upstairs." She said, signaling up.

She did not need to tell me how to get there because there was a time I had come and gone from the place in the space of a month. I almost started living here.

I walked up the stairs and made my way to the office. Knocking gently on the door, the Alpha King's voice came through. "Come in." He ordered.

He must have either been informed that I was coming or his instinct told him.

I pushed open the door and stepped in. "Alpha King," I bowed slightly.

I heard a soft scoff and I raised my head to meet his eye. I looked away instantly and bowed.

"How many times have I told you to call me just Asher?" He asked me and I said nothing. I just stood and watched him with a blank look.

He shook his head, probably tired of me being like this or he was already getting used to my ways, not like I cared. I have always maintained this temperance before him. Even though he was the one who had saved me from dying. He used to be an intern doctor too before he became the Alpha King and he even saved my kids so I was always thankful to him but... I always had this thought that he wanted more which made me put that distance between us. I was not going to let my heart be broken the second time again. That's why I have been busy, reading and reading more. Taking care of my kids and making sure I was independent. It took a lot of years to stand on my two feet but it was worth it. It was honestly.

"Why have you called me here, Alpha King?" I asked him, evading his question.

He raised a questioning brow and almost did the most humane thing- rolled his eyes. He shook his head as if resigning to his fate. "I called you here because of something important." He stated, sounding more serious now.

I straightened my back and listened carefully. "A pack in the South has called for help from me. The pack is plagued with some kind of illness that they have been unable to fathom. Here," He passed the file to me. I reached out and opened it. "These are the symptoms and how it started to break out. Go through it and let me know what you think."

"More so, I would love for you to go there to supervise. You are one of the few people I trust in Crescent Moon Pack."

That was the name of the Alpha King's pack. Crescent Moon. A pack that had accepted a pregnant lady who was covered in blood.

I looked at him and sighed. "And what is the name of this pack?"

I knew many packs in the north. In fact, there was that pack I dreaded going back to there.

"Heartless Clove Pack." He told me. That made me narrow my eyes at him. I had not heard of that pack before I left and now... Were they new?

"Is it a new pack?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "No, they had a change of name." He said and I slowly nodded my head.

That made sense. But why would they change their pack name?

I did not know I had voiced that out by the time the Alpha King responded. "Because it was a merge of packs and the second Leader of the pack was claimed to be dead so they changed names and made it one."

My brows furrowed, that sounded similar and familiar. I slowly nodded and rose to my feet. "If that is all, I would like to take my leave," I said, and when he did not answer, I started to walk to the door.

"Laurene." His voice held so much emotion that I had to stop.

Laurene. That name. A name it took a minute to say and one that I have been going by for more than five years since my accident. 'Laurene Carlisle', is a perfect name for someone who wanted to start over and she did.

"Today... Today was the day you were brought into the pack hospital five years ago." He said and a whirlwind of memories hit me hard. How could I have forgotten?

The day I was brought here. A day that felt like yesterday. I had been told that I was unconscious and I was bleeding from a part of my head. Internal bleeding which needed surgery right away, Alpha King Asher had been the one who authorized and paid for everything which also marked the beginning of our closeness. They had to do the surgery immediately after finding out I was pregnant and it was detrimental to the health of the unborn kids. After being in a coma for almost a month, I woke up only to see a new environment.

"How did I get here?" I thought, my vision a little bit hazy from the deep sleep I had just woken up from.

"You are awake!" I heard a voice shriek in excitement or shock. I turned to her and saw how shocked she was. She dropped the tray in her hands and rushed out to get the doctor.

They both entered soon after and did all the check-ups they wanted to.

The next question I asked them was, "What of my babies?"

The doctor smiled and said, "They are fine. You are a strong woman."

I did not know how to feel so I said nothing. A few hours later, Asher came and that was when the interrogation began.

"Who are you? Do you remember?" He had asked me.

I contemplated telling him the truth but I decided against it. I will use this to my advantage, I thought.

"Laurene Carlisle." I managed to give him.

"Where do you come from?" He asked.

I told them I could not remember anything other than my name and that was how they had let me stay in the pack. Registered my name among the pack files and that of my kids too.

"I remember, Alpha King, and will always be grateful to you for your help and -"

"You... You can leave." He cut in.

I nodded but paused when a thought that had been bugging me came again.

"Alpha King," I called and he looked up at me.

"I would like to ask for some favor from you." I grimaced.

His brows jumped up. "And what is that?"

"A little investigation on domestic abuse," I said and he cocked his head to the side.

"I will send you the bits of it. Thank you." And with that, I stepped out of the office and met Emerald downstairs. She offered to give me dinner but I declined politely, saying I had mine waiting for me at home.

As soon as I got into the car, my phone beeped with a message from the hospital.

'Your attention is needed first thing tomorrow morning, Doctor Laurene Carlisle.'

Messages like this could only spell trouble!

° ° ° °

I believe we now know that Shantelle will be addressed as Laurene❣️