The golden Luna Doctor

Chapter 8

-THEIA-

The man who murdered my father stared at me with hypnotic eyes, his anger barely contained as his inner wolf threatened to break free.

Was he here because of me, or was this some sick joke from fate?

Destiny is a concept I don't believe to. To me, it's merely a construct used by individuals to avoid taking responsibility for their issues. Our journey is shaped by the choices we make.

My pulse was pounding in my ears, but I made a monumental effort to calm myself. The last thing I wanted was him scenting my fear and getting suspicious that I remembered him.

Luckily, his memory was gone, buying me precious time. But I wasn't sticking around for him to piece things together.

I had to flee, fast, when I still had the chance.

Struggling to find my voice, I hid behind my chart, my mouth parched, avoiding his gaze that seemed to see right through me. "Since I don’t know your name, I’ll call you Mr. Doe, okay? Your condition is improving rapidly, and I am confident that you will make a full recovery soon. I need to check on other patients now, but I will return later. In the meantime, if you need assistance, please press this button to call the nurse's desk."

Without waiting for his reply, I briskly moved towards the door, struggling to conceal my inner turmoil.

I hurried through the hospital, doing my best to avoid drawing attention. Once I reached my locker, I quickly gathered my belongings and slipped out of the building. It was safer not to warn anyone. I'll miss Daniela, but reaching out to her would be too risky.

Sprinting through the streets, I was at home in no time. My plan was to get Ethan and go. I'd have to come up with another story about my past to convince him—perhaps something about a dangerous ex-boyfriend. But first, we had to get out of there.

"Ethan?" I called around the house, but I couldn't find him anywhere.

That was strange. It was nearly ten, and he should have been home. I refrained from calling him, fearing my phone might be tapped.

Reaching the top shelf of the closet, I pulled down the duffle bag. I began stuffing it with clothes haphazardly. Lifting a false wooden board, I retrieved a roll of cash I had hidden for emergencies.

I was nearly done when the front door buzzer sounded. Hoping it was Ethan who had forgotten his key, I hurried to answer. If he doesn't return soon, I'll have no choice but to leave without him. Once I feel safe, I'll figure out a way to reach him.

"Honey?" I called before answering the door.

Oana, our next-door neighbor, stood in the hallway, her expression fraught with worry. "Hi Theia." she said, grimacing. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I've locked myself out and need to call a locksmith. Can I use your phone?"

"Of course," I replied, trying to keep my nerves at bay. "My phone's battery is dead, but you can use the landline." Even if the phone was bugged, they wouldn't learn anything useful from me.

I stepped back, motioning for her to enter, but to my surprise, she remained fixed in place, as though an invisible force held her back.

She flashed me a warm smile. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Of course, Oana. Please, come in. The phone is over there by the sofa," I gestured towards the living room before asking, "Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea, water?"

She settled on the sofa and began dialing. "Coffee would be great, thanks."

As I moved to the coffee machine, I mentally kicked myself. Why had I offered her coffee when I wanted her to leave as quickly as possible? I glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. There were still a good thirty minutes before the westbound bus departed. Maybe I could make it in time.

I sensed Oana's presence behind me before I even heard her. She moved swiftly... I barely had time to turn and face her before she charged at me.

I sidestepped, avoiding her strike and letting her slam into the kitchen counter. The coffee machine was sent flying by the impact, landing on the floor, broken.

Recovering quickly, she fixed me with a gaze as dark as night, hissing menacingly. Her lips curled into a twisted sneer as she flashed her fangs.

She was a f.ucking vampire!

"What the h.ell?" I asked, more to myself than to her.

Oana had lived next to us for almost a year, and she chose the very same day that a werewolf came to town to attack me. There was no way that this was just a coincidence.

"Come here, Theia. So I can finally rip that fake good girl facade off your face."

She didn't wait for me to make a move, though. She pounced at me again, and this time, I wasn't quick enough. She pressed my body to the kitchen counter, her ice-cold hands closed around my neck, squeezing hard. As she applied more pressure, I struggled to breathe. Her long nails pierced my skin, and the coppery scent of my blood filled the air. My hands were fighting to remove hers, but I was no match for her strength.

My vision was blurred, but I could still make out Oana's tongue flicking out to lick her lips.

"It's too bad that I have to bring you in alive. But I'm sure he'll allow me to feast on you once he's done. And I guarantee you, b.itch, when I'm through, there won't be a single drop of blood left in your veins." She squeezed harder, and I was on the verge of passing out.

Feeling weak without air, my arms fell to my sides, resting on the kitchen counter. My hands stumbled upon the knife block, and I pulled out the chef's knife. In a heartbeat, I mustered every ounce of strength I had left and drove the knife into her chest. She stumbled back, leaving my neck. I took a deep breath before plunging the knife again into her stomach a few times, before she dropped on the floor, motionless.

I was a doctor, supposed to save lives, but I killed someone. There was no time to break down now. I still needed to run.

My hands and my body were bathed in her blood and I left the kitchen in a hurry to clean myself. I cleaned up in the bathroom and changed into fresh clothes, shoving the dirty ones into the side of my bag. Later, I would burn them.

As I reached down to grab the duffle bag from the floor, ready to make my escape, a deep, velvety voice grazed the shell of my ear, sending a chilling shiver down my spine.

"Going somewhere, doctor?"