REBORN INTACT

CHAPTER EIGHT

JELENA

Becoming a veterinary nurse wasn’t really an issue for me. Deep down, maybe it was because I wanted my father’s approval, or maybe because I desperately wanted to feel useful to the pack.

My life goal had always been to become a doctor, but my body simply couldn’t keep up with the stress and endless workload. I was more human than wolf, and I suffered from the same things humans did and the pressure constantly made me sick, so eventually, I gave up.

I had the brains for it though and that was the painful part, I still remembered the day I told Father I wanted to quit school and take a break and the memory remained permanently etched into my heart.

“I thought you could at least be useful. You’re just like your mother, she couldn’t even stay alive for a child she claimed to love,” he had said calmly from behind his office desk.

Those words pierced through me like blades and even now, my eyes watered whenever I thought about that moment.

“Ma’am, you have an appointment with a German Shepherd now,” my assistant says, poking her head into my office.

“Send them right in,” I reply softly.

Time to work and enough thinking.

This clinic is the only place where I truly feel at peace. Leaving the mansion and coming here always gives me room to breathe, if I had the choice, I would have moved out of that house long ago, but according to Father, a female couldn’t live alone.

You would think that came from a place of love but I still remembered Vanessa’s excitement the night I mentioned moving out during dinner.

Father had gone completely berserk and he stormed out of the dining room, and later that night, Vanessa called me into her room with the most satisfied look on her face, the joy she felt while humiliating me had been painfully obvious, she loved moments like that, moments where Father looked at me with disappointment.

She had gone as far as reminding me that I couldn’t even transform fully like my mate or even be called a werewolf at this rate and do things other werewolves did during the full moon. According to her, my existence alone had already brought Father enough pain so moving out was never going to happen.

The soft whimper of the dog in front of me pulls me back to reality.

“You’re hurting from within, aren’t you?” I murmur while gently petting the beautiful dog.

The weight of pain coming from her is so strong that it almost squeezes my chest.

“Her name is Coo,” her owner says quietly.

“Okay, Coo. Would you be a good girl and let me check your heartbeat?” I ask gently.

That seems to work because she relaxes slightly beneath my touch and after several tests and examinations, my heart sinks.

Kidney stones and it’s bad.

Cases like this always destroy me emotionally because their lives are so fragile already, they don’t live long enough as it is, and surgeries like this carry terrifying risks.

“I’m sorry, Coo,” I whisper while stroking her fur gently.

Then I turn toward her owner.

“Can we speak for a moment?”

The woman already seems to understand that something is wrong because she immediately nods and follows me a little farther away.

“I’m really sorry, but she needs surgery as soon as possible,” I explain carefully. “She has kidney stones, and things are looking very serious and we’ll need to operate quickly.”

The tears come almost instantly.

“Oh God, please, ma’am, do everything you can to save her,” she cries. “She’s my comfort dog.”

My chest tightens painfully, I understand exactly how she feels and sometimes I wish I had a comfort animal too but I never got the chance.

I gently pat her back.

“We’ll do our best,” I assure her softly. “Just confirm the surgery appointment date at the front desk outside, and we’ll let you know when Mr. Daniel will be available for the operation.”

“Thank you so much,” she whispers shakily before walking away.

I sigh deeply once she leaves, just another day that somehow manages to hurt me even more, I glance down at my wristwatch and realize it’s already closing hours.

“Lucia, do I have any more appointments today?” I ask my assistant as I step toward the reception area.

“No, ma’am, that’s all for today.”

Finally.

Today suddenly feels like a good day to relax and maybe get my feet wet in the pool for a while, but my ringing phone interrupts the thought immediately.

I smile slightly when I see Daniel’s name flash across the screen.

“Hi, about-to-be-married man,” I greet teasingly as I answer.

“Hey to you too,” Daniel replies with a chuckle. “How are things holding up over there without me?”

“I don’t know. Great, I guess,” I reply while leaning against the counter. “Although you already have a surgery waiting for you next week, and it’s very serious.”

“Oh wow, so you’re stealing honeymoon moments from me already? You’ll have to explain that to Mary.”

The mention of Mary instantly brings a smile to my face, I don’t really have friends, but if I did, I think I could genuinely consider Mary one.

“Just tell her it’s a cute full-maned German Shepherd,” I say with a laugh. “I’ll send her pictures later, she’ll definitely agree it is urgent”

Mary was unbelievably weak when it came to dogs and even though she was human and couldn’t sense emotions the way I could, her heart still broke anytime an animal was in pain.

“Fair enough,” Daniel says. “So, packed for the wedding?”

“Yeah, I am,” I answer. “Aaron and I are meeting at the airport, and then it’s Las Vegas in a few hours.”

The words alone already make me mentally prepare myself.

“Nice. Well, see you soon then, and try to have fun traveling.”

“I’ll try,” I murmur honestly.

After ending the call, I head back into my office to grab my bag before leaving the clinic, the drive home is quiet, and honestly, I prefer it that way.

The mansion appears in view far too quickly for my liking and the moment I step inside, the familiar suffocating atmosphere wraps around me immediately, home never really feels like home.

“Welcome back, miss,” one of the workers greets politely.

“Thank you,” I reply absentmindedly while walking upstairs.

Thankfully, I don’t run into Father or Vanessa and I honestly don’t think I have enough emotional strength for either of them tonight.

Once inside my room, I shut the door behind me and release a long breath.

Silence.

I move toward my already packed suitcase sitting beside the bed and stare at it for a moment, Las Vegas, the city of sin and where the wedding is holding

Aaron.

My chest tightens slightly at the thought of him, things between us had been strangely complicated lately

Sometimes I still caught myself remembering the old Aaron, the version of him that used to look at me like I was everything good in his world but things had changed, people changed, love changed too, apparently so it is just us transitioning and I shouldn't think too much of it

I quickly shake the thoughts away before they can ruin my mood completely, this trip could at least serve as a small escape from the chaos here.

A mini vacation.

Even if it only lasted a few days, I head into the bathroom for a quick shower, letting the warm water wash away the exhaustion clinging to my body and by the time I finish getting ready, evening has already settled outside.

I change into something comfortable for the flight and pull my suitcase downstairs, Mr Daren our butler, helps me load everything into the car while I mentally prepare myself for hours of pretending to be okay around people.

“Daren, I need you to go wash my car now” Vanessa says as she walks past me without acknowledging my presence

Nothing new, she doesn't like it when I get helped by anyone so nothing new

The ride to the airport is surprisingly smooth, traffic must finally be showing me mercy for once and by the time I arrive, Aaron is already there waiting.

My heart betrays me a little at the sight of him, he’s dressed casually, yet somehow still manages to look unfairly attractive, his eyes meet mine almost immediately.

“There you are,” he says while walking toward me.

“Traffic didn’t kill me today,” I reply lightly.

“That’s shocking.”

I roll my eyes, and for a brief moment, things almost feel normal between us again, like really almost.

He takes my suitcase from me without asking and starts walking beside me toward the entrance.

“How was work?” he asks casually.

“Tiring,” I admit. “One of our patients needs surgery urgently.”

“That bad?”

“Very.”

He glances at me briefly before nodding.

“I know that look.”

“What look?”

“The one where you’re emotionally attached already.”

I sigh dramatically.

“She’s a sweet dog.”

Aaron chuckles softly.

“You always get attached.”

“That’s because they deserve love,” I mumble.

His expression softens slightly at my words, and for some strange reason, I suddenly can’t look at him directly anymore, we continue through the airport in comfortable silence after that and soon enough, we board the plane, I sit by the window while Aaron takes the seat beside me.

As the plane prepares for takeoff, I stare outside quietly, watching the city lights blur together beneath the darkening sky, I feel something dangerously close to relief maybe because I’m finally leaving the mansion behind, even if it’s temporary and no one here knows me and somewhere deep down, I’m hoping this trip changes something between Aaron and me.

I honestly don’t know.

The plane finally lifts into the air, and I close my eyes briefly as the city disappears beneath us.

Las Vegas here I come.