THE ALPHA’S HUMAN MATE

CHAPTER 3: KANE

ELENA’S POV:

I walked to a small door at the end of the hallway and he walked behind me.

We used the room to talk to family members of our patients.

I closed the door behind us.

“I have just five minutes to spare, I have to get back to work.”

“Fair enough.”

We both sat on the empty chairs in the room, facing each other.

“As you might already know, my name isn’t James.”

“Yes, that has been established.”

“I’m Kane.”

“Just Kane?”

“Yes, for now.”

I gave a confused look.

“So, Kane. I have so many questions.”

“Shoot them.”

“Why did you leave abruptly the other day without receiving treatment? Why did someone pay your bill with a different name and how did your wound heal in a day when it should have taken weeks?”

I poured everything once.

“Woah that’s a lot of questions.”

“I told you.”

He didn’t answer immediately.

He looked like he was trying to find his words.

“Well, it’s complicated.”

“Try me, I’m a nurse, I understand complicated.”

“This kind of complicated is completely different trust me.”

“Find a way to explain, just try.”

He looked at me.

“Okay, I heal fast. Faster than most people. It’s something that runs in my family.”

“That’s not an explanation.”

He smiled a bit.

“Hm, you’re sharp.”

“I have to be. It’s needed in this line of job.”

He leaned closer to me.

I moved back a little too.

“Look I can’t tell you everything right now because you’ll most probably not understand but I promise I’m not dangerous and I’m not here to hurt you.”

“That’s what everyone says right before they hurt someone.”

“Yes, true but I need you to trust me. I know you can’t trust me fully but just a little, please.”

“And why should I trust you? I don’t even know you.”

He didn’t speak this time. He just looked straight into my eyes.

My chest began tightening. It was the same feeling from that day when I touched his blood.

“You felt that too yeah? When I touched you that day.”

“Yes, I did.” He said quietly.

“What was it, why did it happen?”

“I’d explain but not yet. But I think you do know what happened.”

“I don’t.”

“But what exactly do you want from me?” I asked.

“Nothing much. You know what? Let me come back for check ups from time to time and we can both figure out what’s happening and why.”

“You don’t need checkups, you literally heal in a day even if you get wounded.”

“Ah right.” He said like he forgot.

“Let’s call it something else then.” He paused. It looked like he needed to think.

“Let’s call it getting to know each other.”

I almost said no.

Any smart person would have said no and backed out now but I didn’t.

I hesitated.

“Fine. But if any of this feels wrong at all, I’m done.”

“Yes, absolutely.” He said, raising his hands in the air.

He stood to leave. I stood too.

“Elena.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you for hearing me out.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I still have so many unanswered questions.”

“Yes, and I’ll be back.”

“Same time next week?”

I nodded even before I thought about it.

He was back the next week just like he said.

Then the week after.

The visits were short. Just a check of his pulse and the old wound that had disappeared. A few words too here and there.

But everytime we met, something passed between us. I still can’t put it in words, how I felt when he was around.

I couldn’t get used to it either, it surprised me everytime.

“Your heart rate is steady now,” I said one afternoon he came around.

“Yours too. Though it’s faster than usual right now.”

I pulled my hand back, quickly.

“That’s not… I mean that doesn’t mean anything.”

“I didn’t say it did.” The look on his face was saying the opposite.

I started to notice things about him that didn’t add up.

There was always a man outside waiting for him in this black car. He never came out or came into the hospital.

“Your temperature is rising again.” I said, checking the numbers again to be sure.

“Yeah it has always run like that for me.”

“That’s not normal, Kane.”

“Maybe I’m not normal?” He asked lightly, like it was a joke but something told me he meant it.

I didn’t think of it because pressing him never worked. He would just turn my questions and not give me anything tangible in the end.

I found myself looking forward to his visits more than I wanted to admit.

Yasmine began to notice it too.

“You smile differently when he’s here, I always watch you.”

“No I don’t.” I said.

“You do, Elena.”

“Whatever you say.”

She wasn’t convinced.

I didn’t argue because she wasn’t exactly wrong and I didn’t have a good reason to explain why.

That night at home, I picked my mother’s old box and placed it on my lap.

I hadn’t opened it since she passed 4 years ago but this night, I picked it up.

I felt the corners of the box. I stared at the key she had locked the box with. It smelled of her old perfume. It was really faint but I could smell it regardless.

I thought about Kane. He looked at me like he was holding something back. Maybe not because he didn’t want me to know but because he wanted me to take my time or protect me. I wasn’t sure which it was. I needed clarity on all of this.

Whatever this box carried probably related to this and could offer answers but I wasn’t ready.

I put the box back, I still didn’t open it.

I just wondered what could be in there.

She also didn’t give me a specific time to open the box, probably she wanted me to know myself.

Whichever reason she gave me this box, I’d find out soon but not today.