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.”

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

wolf pursed his l!ps. “One of the other physicians packing away their

huffed, “what’s wrong

had a large but certainly non-urgent splinter of wood embedded in his palm. “I think

for more than a 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

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

latest outrage, Cora threw her well-honed sk!lls for 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

replied, From the looks of it, it’s been the sort that means you’re in dire need of

of your humor, then I’m not interested in hearing more, and I

once, Cora. Roger corrected her, a note of warning

that I

amended in a

He answered with a smirk. “Why

scared are

can’t be baited that easily either, but

that he loomed over the curvy human. You’ve said

a night off from

want to humanize you.” She countered fiercely. “If I do, I might forget

closer. “Should I take that to mean

ice cream would

cream was a dirty

not to let him see how much she’d enjoyed it. In truth it had been the best ice cream she’d ever tasted, and though she’d only meant to take a