Alpha of Dahael

Chapter 7 - Doctor Visit

The drive stretched in silence, the hum of the engine underscoring Audeion’s dread. Every mile closer to the doctor’s office felt like a step toward another dead end, another failure he couldn’t afford.

Audeion was lost in his thoughts, remembering all of the times that he was sent out of his pack to find help only to find out that something had happened to the person he was looking for. He always thought that he just had bad luck or bad timing, to him it felt like a coincidence, but looking at it from Aaron's perspective, he could quickly deduce that someone was actively trying to sabotage his efforts.

'It couldn't have been his father, he was the one out here pushing him to find a cure. If it wasn't his father then who could it be? 'He rubbed his forehead and furrowed his brow, maybe he would find this one in one piece this time.

'Maybe it was his father's Beta? No, he was always sympathetic and offered him books and articles on his situation to give him hope that someday it could be fixed.'

'Maybe it was his father's followers, they always praised his father and voiced that they never wanted him to step down from the pack,' he felt a small headache coming on and took a deep breath. He looked at Aaron and then at the road ahead, overthinking really wasn't getting him anywhere.

"We're here," Aaron said as he took a right and entered a parking lot. One the walls of the building had a sign saying, 'Dr. Edane's Specialized Office.'

He and Aaron got out of the car looking around them before crossing the parking lot to get to the building. They quickly headed for the entrance which had a generic open sign at the front of the building. They opened the door and the sound of wind chimes rang through the building and a stern-looking secretary politely smiled at them before say, "Hello good afternoon, can I get your names and do you have an appointment?" she said, sitting up from her chair.

"Good afternoon, we spoke on the phone a few weeks ago. My name is Audeion Dahael."

She gave him a once over before looking at her notes and nodding, "Walk in for Mr. Dahael, I will alert the doctor that you're here."

She quickly walked towards the hallway and disappeared through a door at the back. Five minutes later she came back out and nodded. "Doctor Edane will see you now, it's the last door on the right."

He nodded to Aaron, who took a seat in the waiting room as he pulled out his phone and started to check his emails scrolling aimlessly on social media.

As Audeion turned to leave, he caught a flicker of something in the doctor’s eyes—fear, maybe, or guilt. The man’s hands trembled as he shuffled papers on his desk, avoiding Audeion’s gaze. Audeion came out with a look of annoyance on his face, he nodded to the secretary and said, "Thank you for your service, I shall be back another day."

She smiled and nodded, "No problem Mr. Dahael, I look forward to your return."

Aaron got up and opened the front door for Audeion before heading for the vehicle and opening that car door for him as well. He entered the vehicle and turned to face Audeion, "Want to tell me what's going on?"

"The doctor said that he's sorry that I came all the way out here for no reason, he has no idea if he'd be able to help me." Audeion looked out the window as Aaron reversed out of the parking spot and headed back towards the city.

"Is it okay that I ask why you're looking for a doctor?" Aaron asked eyes on the road as to not make Audeion feel uncomfortable with his piercing gaze.

There was a small sigh before Audeion said, "I can't smell rain, blood, smoke—nothing. Do you know what it’s like to live in a world without scent? It’s like being trapped behind glass.." The words hung in the air, sharp as a blade. There was a small screech, followed by a quick sorry before the vehicle was moving again. "What do you mean you can't smell?"

"What I said!" annoyance riddled the tone of his voice. "I don't know what anything smells like, my mother used to try to describe it to me but what use is it to describe something i'll never know what it really smells like."

He sighed in frustration, " The doctor was supposed to fix it but now it seems that I'll lose."

He put his head in his hands, "If I don't get cured before the year ends father is going to remove me from the pack."

Aaron pulled over to the side of the road and turned to Audeion. Aaron’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “He’ll what? Your father would exile his own son?”

"Father says I'm a liability and won't put his pack in the hands of an invalid. He pressed his palms to his eyes, voice cracking. ‘If I’m not cured by the year, my father will disown me. No pack. No home. No family." The words tasted bitter, like ash on his tongue.

It was Aaron's turn to run his fingers through his hair as he looked over at Audeion. He looked so vulnerable at that moment, frustration etched on his face. "I'll help you."

"Huh?" Audeion said, finally looking up at Aaron before straightening himself in his seat. "Why would you help me, there's no benefit."

"My family’s business relies on your pack’s territory. If your father replaces you, our deals vanish. Helping you isn’t altruism—it’s survival. I just know that I'd rather you take over than our family having to kiss someone else's ass to keep the business deals and treaties we have in place."

"My father knows your father, and now I know you, I would like to keep this in the family, so to speak." Aaron started back up the car and they silently drove back home listening to the radio while deep in thought.

Aaron dropped Audeion back at the entrance of his apartment complex with promises to keep in touch. Audeion nodded and headed inside, his mind filled with racing thoughts; so full that he did not see the black car drive off behind Aaron's car as he drove off.

He headed towards the elevator, he just wanted to take a nice warm shower and lay on his bed.

As the elevator doors shut, his mind wandered to the woman he had met a few days ago. Her grey eyes twinkled when she laughed at his antics, the mess of chocolate brown curls framing her face, the freckles that seemed to be the stars and her face the galaxy in which they inhabited. For a moment, he thought he felt a faint warmth in his chest, like a spark igniting. He shook his head, stepping out of the elevator, but the feeling lingered—a whisper of something he couldn’t quite name.

The elevator dinged, and he shook his head and stepped out. He wondered if he would ever see her again.