Accidental Surrogate

3rd Person

Cora’s first week working with the doctors at the airfield was both overwhelming and fascinating. She felt like she was lightyears behind the Vanaran physicians in medical expertise and technological know-how, but they were welcoming and patient with her deficiencies. She threw herself into the work, accepting the fact that she’d have to start as a glorified scrub nurse until she learned enough to start doing major procedures and seeing patients on her own.

Cora felt as she had in the early days of medical school, as if her brain was a sodden sponge already oversaturated with new information but still trying to soak up more. The work was fascinating, but it was also devastating and draining. This wasn’t like being in school and practicing on her fellow students or cadavers – her patients were real people and they were suffering so much more than injury or disease. They were grappling with grief and loss – for the lives and homeland they cherished if nothing else.

By the end of her fourth day on the job, Cora was ready to collapse. She looked around at the other doctors and wondered how on earth they found the strength to keep up this work. She was tempted to ask, but instead she gritted her teeth and pushed through the last hour of her shift. About half an hour before they were set to finish for the day, Cora found herself with a rare moment of quiet, There was only one patient left, and the head surgeon already had too many helping hands for her to pitch in.

Cora began to clean her work station, disinfecting!. everything she’d touched and wiping down every surface in sight, before neatly stowing her supplies, She was intently serubbing her hands when a familiar voice sounded over her shoulder. “Do you have time for one last patient?”

She looked up to find her new colleague, May, standing behind her with a kind expression, Cora looked around, both searching for the patient in question and a subst!tute for the sick bay she’d just packed up. Her eyes landed on the other woman’s, which seemed viable. “Can I use your workstation?”

“Sure.” May agreed, “it’s sanitized but haven’t put everything up yet.”

“Who’s the patient?” Cora asked, pulling on a fresh pair of gloves.

“He requested you by name,” May shrugged. “I think he’s part of your own delegation.”

Cora’s traitorous heart skipped a beat, and a moment later Roger appeared, cradling his left hand. Cora narrowed her eyes, determined not to let the b.utterflies causing chaos in her tummy sway her judgment. He stood in the doorway, all masculine charm and Alpha dominance – and as usual, his full attention was glued to her blushing face.

“You know there’s an in-house physician at the Palace.” She stated coolly. I’m sure his team can handle whatever ailment plaguing you.}

“But the palace is so far away, and you don’t have any other patients, right?” Roger inquired, a devious glint in his eyes.

Just because I don’t now, doesn’t mean an emergency might not come in at any moment.”

on her h!ps. “And if my hands are tied

other physicians packing away their stations?” He suggests, nodding to the

wrong

his hand, which had a large but certainly non-urgent splinter of wood embedded in

week now. True, he hadn’t made a move since that confusing night at dinner, but his presence was impossible to escape. She could always feel when he was near, and half the time she wasn’t

under his searing gaze, forever trying to block out his husky voice so it wouldn’t make her pulse race. Things had gotten to the point that Cora was practically looking around corners to make sure he wasn’t

self-preservation out the window. “Are you fvcking kidding me, Roger? You do realize that people are actually dying here, don’t you?” She didn’t wait for him to answer furiously ripping off her gloves. “This isn’t cute, you know. Do you have any idea what

the looks of it, it’s been the sort that means you’re in dire need of a laugh.” Roger

that’s supposed to be you?” She snorted derisively. “If that’s your example of your humor, then I’m not interested in hearing more, and I

you drink more than once, Cora. Roger corrected

should have said that

in a

with a smirk. “Why

not scared are

can’t be baited that easily either, but I assure

Roger pressed, moving forward so that he loomed over the curvy

enjoy a night off from all this stress

countered fiercely. “If I do, I might forget what a j.erk you

closer. “Should I take that to mean

knew the ice cream

ice cream was a dirty trick and you know

truth it had been the best ice cream she’d ever tasted, and though she’d only meant to take a single bite before smashing it in the wolf’s smug face, she’d ended up devouring it all in a