It's Complicated
“Sally, would you take bloods from Mr Kelner in bed 3 please?” asked Sister Bond, my supervisor, “and then assist Doctor Wayne with the patient in bed 1.” she added in her clipped, efficient tone.
I nodded and hurried away to fulfill my tasks, several in an everlasting list at this busy city hospital in the English Riviera. Well, that’s what people call Devon and Cornwall isn’t it? No matter, I love this place, even if it is work. I love my job, I love my home, and I love my friends. Life is good.
But life isn’t perfect, not by a long shot. I’m still single, despite my best attempts to seduce my boss. And I don’t mean my boss at the hospital. Nope, I have two jobs. By day I’m a mild-mannered, efficient, NHS nurse at my local hospital. But in my personal life, I am third in command to the Redcliffe werewolf pack. Yes, that’s right, we do exist! And that is where my life becomes complicated. Not because I’m a werewolf, although that can be confusing at times. Especially around the full moon when I have to work with sick and wounded patients, and their blood smells so good, and all I can see is food when I’m supposed to care for them.
No, being a werewolf is easy. I’m powerful and strong, which is why I am a deputy pack leader. The complicated part is my alpha male, Danny Mason, and his lieutenant, Simon Bunce. You see, I am in love with Danny, and so is Simon. I am certain that Danny loves me too, but he won’t commit to a relationship because he cares deeply for Simon. Danny isn’t gay, but he and Simon share a special relationship, and for that he makes exceptions. And this is where the complications arise.
Danny has only recently returned to Redcliffe after a long mission working undercover for the police in Scotland. That is a whole different story. While he was gone, Simon and I commanded the pack. Simon took over as alpha male, and I was alpha female. I still am in some ways, since Danny won’t choose a mate, but I still fall in line behind Simon because he is stronger than me, and Danny defers everything to him.
“Nurse Frost, did you hear me?” asked Doctor Wayne, rousing me from my thoughts. I shook my head, cleared my throat, and ducked my head in an embarrassed gesture.
“Sorry, Doctor Wayne, what did you say?” I asked politely. But it was too late.
Doctor Marianne Wayne couldn’t stand dreamers, and she especially couldn’t stand me. Here in the hospital she was a successful cardio surgeon, with a track record of success and a skill with new medical techniques. At five feet and ten inches tall she dwarfed my petite frame. I knew she was jealous of my naturally blond hair, but what really upset her was my superiority outside of work. Doctor Wayne is a member of our pack, and she wants the job of alpha female. But in wolf form, I overpower her in every way. She could never challenge me because I would win, and she knows that. So at work, in the hospital, she makes my life a living hell.
“Nurse Frost,” she began haughtily, “I asked you to arrange an MRI scan for our patient. And then bring Miss Swift the telephone so she can contact her family.” she finished, before bustling away to her office in a flurry of self-importance.
I sighed, completed my duties, and spent the rest of the day inwardly fuming at Marianne. She might be my superior here in the hospital, but I could make her pay for this behavior. It had been happening for too long now, and I was sick of it. At first I had told myself that it didn’t matter. She was simply jealous about my relationship with our alpha male, and she was using her professional power over me. But I could no longer take the daily verbal abuse, and the public humiliation before my colleagues and patients. It was time to take action, and this went way beyond talking to my HR representative about my grievance. This was personal, and I would use personal methods to resolve it.
When my shift ended I gladly handed over to another nurse, and hurried to the staff room for a shower and change of clothes. I checked my mobile phone and found a brief answer phone message from Danny instructing me to attend a pack meeting that evening. Although his tone was serious, my heart leaped at the thought of spending time with him. My one weakness in life was this man. I would literally die for him, and not just because he was my alpha male.
While in the shower, I contemplated the reason for the meeting. It had been roughly six weeks since Danny had fought for his life against a rival wolf. The enemy, Seamus Tully, had a personal vendetta against both Danny and his vampire twin brother, Jack. Tully had almost succeeded in killing them, but these men are tough, and they share a special bond, which seems to make them indestructible. They are identical, apart from their species, and it does confuse matters. Werewolves and vampires traditionally hate each other. We fight for control and power. But the Redcliffe pack must swear allegiance to Jack Mason, and to his friend Marcus Scott, even though they are both powerful vampires. Many of our wolves are unhappy with this arrangement, but none dare to disobey Danny.
Anyway, one slightly unusual side effect of this whole mess was Jack’s human girlfriend, Jessica Stone. I have known Jessica for a few years now, since she moved to Redcliffe. She and Simon became close friends, although I had my reservations in the beginning. I have learned that it is almost impossible to have human friends and keep your supernatural secret. My colleagues at the hospital just think I am a shy, retiring woman, and that’s fine with me. They will never get caught up in my business, and I will not have to worry about them. But somehow Jessica was different. Simon insisted on befriending her, and then I got to know her too.
The problem arose when Danny met her. He has developed some sort of infatuation. We now know that she is not entirely human herself. She had some witch heritage that has lain dormant all her life, and she is only now beginning to realize her true potential. She does not see Danny as anything more than a friend, at least I don’t think so, but just lately there have been some awkward moments. Jessica was taken hostage by Seamus Tully; he brought her into our lair to challenge Danny for leadership, and then he almost killed Jessica. She survived with the aid of a blood donation from Jack. But now Danny wants her to return to our lair as a friend. Humans should not enter our secret place. It is sacred.
The meeting this evening must be something to do with the whole Jessica situation. And it could be about Danny’s position as alpha male. He was away from Redcliffe for four years working undercover, and we heard almost nothing from him in that time. He never came home, not even for a visit, and some of our wolves had never even met him before. They were turned on the approval of Simon and myself. As a result, many of the wolves refuse to acknowledge Danny as their alpha, despite Simon’s insistence and mine. Danny needs to reassure the wolves that he was working for their well-being, but mainly he needs to reassert his authority. And it is my job to stand beside him and pledge my allegiance.
I dressed in a smart, dark purple shirtdress and tan suede knee-high boots. The dress had three-quarter length sleeves and the buttons were diamante so there was an added touch of sparkle, which I loved. Clothes are important to me; they reflect my mood. I like to look good and always be well presented. This outfit was chic, classic, and yet casual at the same time. And I knew for a fact that Danny liked to see me in this dress. Yes, I had previously planned to see him after work, regardless of whether we had a meeting or not. We had our own business to attend to.
The sun was setting as I pulled onto the car park of the Ship Inn on Redcliffe promenade. This was the location of the lair of the Redcliffe wolves. Not in the pub, but in the caves beneath. Actually, the caves were accessed from rough passages cut into the cliff face on which the pub sat. The pub itself belonged to our pack master, but was managed by Simon Bunce, second in command to the Redcliffe pack, and my love rival. When I walked into the building I was greeted with the smell of home cooking, and the pervading scent of alcohol and human sweat. It had been a hot, late summer day, and the pub was full of tourists enjoying their holidays. I wrinkled my nose and tried to ignore the scents as I made my way down the steps into the cellar, and across to our secret door, hidden deep in a dark, disused corner.
My heart lifted when I felt Danny’s presence in the lair. I walked down the entry corridor, through an anteroom and into another corridor from which our offices and common rooms were located. The lair was more than just a meeting place. It was a home for our wolves, a place where they could escape human expectations, and just live naturally. Anyone was welcome to come and go as they pleased. I knew that at this time we had a couple of teenage wolves, newly turned, staying with us. They were still adjusting to their new bodies, but I was very impressed with their resilience. They had been turned by accident, when they were inadvertently involved in a fight between two pack members. Those wolves had been dealt with very efficiently, and were no longer a threat to Redcliffe. Indeed, I had been responsible for meting out their punishment.
I approached Danny’s office door, saw that it was ajar, knocked once and then entered. He knew who it was from my scent, and he was smiling as I walked into the room. He stood up from his seat behind the desk, and ruffled a hand through his dark hair in a gesture that made me go weak at the knees. Danny was wearing his customary bleach-blue jeans, a surfer t-shirt, and a printed shirt thrown over the top, unbuttoned. The t-shirt and shirt were in shades of bright green and yellow, very cheerful and playful. Danny was the only man who had ever made me feel like a helpless female, but for him, I didn’t mind. He knew my strengths, and he respected me for them.
“You wanted to see me, Master?” I asked formally.
Danny suddenly leaped round the desk and grabbed me in a passionate embrace. I cried out in surprise as my body impacted with the rough stone wall, and I hungrily returned his kisses, growls of excitement escaping from both of us. He ground his body against me, fondling and grabbing my curves, as I pushed my hands underneath his shirt and raked my nails across his skin, our beasts rising in response to our lust.
We jumped apart as someone cleared his throat loudly. Danny turned round, and we saw Simon standing in the doorway, grinning at us mischievously.
“I don’t like to interrupt, but the pack is assembled in the throne room.” he said, inclining his head, “maybe I could join you both to finish this later?” And he winked and licked his lips.
Danny laughed and embraced Simon in a far more chaste kiss than he had shown me. Simon was the only wolf who could speak to our master in such a familiar way without being punished. Actually, Danny does punish him, but in the way that Simon likes, if you get my meaning!
I was not surprised to catch the scent of a human as we followed Danny along the corridor and into the throne room. It was Jessica Stone, our friend and lover of Danny’s vampire brother, Jack. The vampire stood with her beside the platform on which sat our thrones. They held hands, and Jessica looked around the room nervously. Jack was angry, and I shivered as his power reverberated off the stone walls, rousing the stronger of our wolves, and causing them to growl at him. They soon stopped when Danny strode forward and leaped onto the platform. Simon and I followed, taking up positions on either side of our master. The meeting began.
It turned out that one of our wolves had threatened Jessica in the bookshop that she owned in Redcliffe. Our females were very hostile towards the human. Well, she wasn’t really a human. She was a witch, but was only just discovering her powers. Many of the wolves didn’t trust her, but I had known Jessica for a few years and I counted her as a good friend. I hoped she still saw me in the same way now that she knew my true heritage. I glanced over at her and gave her a reassuring smile. She saw me looking and smiled back with obvious relief. I nodded once. I would protect her if need be. She knew that. I focused on my master as he spoke to the assembled wolves. He was angry. Someone would be punished this evening. I wondered who it would be.
Suddenly Danny launched himself into the crowd and grabbed a wolf by her hair. It was Marianne Wayne. She had threatened Jessica? When? It must have been late in the afternoon when she finished her shift. She always clocked off at 5:30pm, having no regard for her human patients. She would leave them in the care of the next doctor on shift, and she would be gone. I didn’t agree with it. I didn’t understand how Marianne managed to keep her position. Indeed, I didn’t know why Danny even allowed her to remain in the pack. I suppose he kept her close to make sure she didn’t try and usurp him. I watched as he dragged her roughly onto the platform and proceeded to beat her. She was in big trouble.
When he had finished, she knelt at his feet, bloodied and defeated, crying in pain. He raised his head and glared at the pack, daring any of them to defy him. His power filled the cave in which we stood. It bounced off the hard walls, and some of the younger wolves struggled to contain their beasts as they felt it envelop them. I glanced at Simon, he nodded, and together we silently sent our power out to those who were in difficulty. They calmed down, and everyone kept their human form as Danny instructed us all that Jessica Stone was a friend of the Redcliffe pack and would be treated as such.
“If I should choose a mate,” Danny shouted, “You can all be assured of who that will be.”
He turned and fixed his amber eyes on me. I kept a straight face but my body trembled with sheer devotion as I felt the force of his love. I would always be his first choice for a female. He didn’t need any of the other wolves. All he needed was Simon and I. I looked around the room, and felt the respect from my pack as they looked from me to our master. Marianne Wayne still sat in a huddle at Danny’s feet, crying softly and holding a broken arm. She would heal overnight as all wolves did. But this lesson would stay with her for a long time.
“Now,” Danny said loudly, “This meeting is over. You are dismissed,” He looked down at the wolf cowering at his feet, “Not you,” he said gruffly to Marianne. He looked at me.
“Take her away, and punish her,” he said.
A pang of surprise shot through me. Surely he had punished her sufficiently? Apparently not. I nodded once.
“Yes, Master,” I said in my official voice.
I walked forward and grabbed Marianne roughly by her uninjured arm. She cried out in pain as I jerked her to her feet. I smiled sadistically as I marched her out of the room. We had a specific room in the lair that was kept for punishment. It contained two huge iron cages and various implements of torture and restraint. I was the enforcer for the Redcliffe pack. Danny liked my methods for teaching our wolves a lesson when they misbehaved. He knew about my working relationship with Marianne. Now I would teach her the error of her ways once and for all. I shut the door behind us and locked it, pocketing the key. This wolf was at my mercy. I set to work.
END
