Side Effects
1681 Words
When I wake up, I’m in the nurse’s office. Tatia, the nurse, leans over me. She’s also a wolf, which makes for some interesting interactions with the human students. When a wolf has shifted for the first time, it makes them stronger, and when they find their place in the pack, they take on a presence that, apparently, humans find quite intimidating. Half the kids in this school are more afraid of Tatia than they are of whatever exam they’re trying to avoid by playing sick.
I raise myself up on my elbows and notice that my parents are here.
“Sky, how are you?” My mom looks a little worried.
“Uh, fine,” I tell her, honestly. I feel fine. I have no idea what happened, but I feel fine now. I glance at the clock and I’m shocked to see that it’s 2:30 in the afternoon. Lunch is at 11:45. “Oh, it’s… late?” I say. I wish I had sounded more confident since I’m trying to convince my mom to stop looking at me like I might be dying. But the time took me by surprise.
“Yeah, what happened Sky?” My dad’s tone is more even-keeled. He doesn’t look as worried.
“I don’t know… Rosa and I were headed to lunch, and we were going to race, then I passed out.”
“Did you feel any pain, or anything before you passed out?” Tatia asks, tilting my head back as she speaks. She starts peering into my eyes, which is distracting.
“Uh, no, not really.”
“Any dizziness, lightheadedness?”
“No.” She’s feeling my neck now.
“No pain at all?” My father suddenly interjects, looking at me intently.
“No. Or, uh, I felt the heat again. It was worse though,” I say, as the memory rushes back.
“Ah, okay.” Tatia pulls her stethoscope off her neck with a certain finality, even though she never used it.
“Sky, what did you feel?” My father is looking at me intensely.
“Uh, it was the same as before, but it was worse. And I didn’t shake. I just felt warm, it was sort of like my lungs were on fire. I don’t know how else to describe it.” My father closes his eyes and breathes out a little bit, and my mother’s face brightens immediately. Neither of them approach me, knowing I’m not fond of hugs.
“That’s wonderful,” my mother says.
“Is it? It hurt like a mot--”
“--Skylar!” my mom exclaims, “language!” Behind her, my dad and Tatia chuckle, and even my mother can’t keep a small smile off her face. “It’s wonderful because it’s the sign of a strong wolf!”
“A strong wolf hurts at random times when I haven’t even shifted yet? Raw deal. Is it too late to be an Omega?” I say, but I’m interested, possibly for the first time, in information about my wolf. I swing my legs over the edge of the little cot I was lying on.
“A strong wolf senses your mood. When you’re feeling a strong emotion, your wolf will feel it too. When you run, she will want to run. It means your first shift will come soon.”
“Ugh. Well not for at least two months.”
My father nods. “True, but until then, you’ll probably experience more of these types of issues.”
“I’ll write you a note, for your teachers. In case it happens again. I’ll say you’re experiencing seizures of unknown origin.” My mom interjects.
“Being a doctor’s daughter has some perks, then,” I say. “Can we go home?”
“Of course,” says my mom. “Your dad will take you, I have to get back to my shift at the hospital.”
In the car, my father tries to reassure me. I don’t need reassurance, but I appreciate it anyway.
“Sky, we should have warned you. It wasn’t fair of us not to sit you down and talk to you about the heat. We knew our kids would probably end up with strong wolves. We just didn’t know what to do, you’re so averse to talking about your wolf. You always have been.”
“Yeah, well now you know why,” I say, slinking low in my seat.
“I know.” My father lets the silence linger for a moment. He hasn’t mindlinked with Pierce in almost a week, according to my mom. I could tell it was taking a toll on him. Although Alphas don’t have to keep the mindlink with their Beta open, it can be a little painful to go long periods without it. The Goddess intended Alphas and their Betas to be in frequent contact for the protection of the pack. “I’m sorry, Skylar. If we had known...”
“I didn’t want you to.”
“I haven’t decided what to do… I might make him a rogue.” I flinch a little. Being kicked out of a pack was the ultimate punishment. It cuts off your ability to mind-link with anyone, except your mate. It is isolating. Some wolves go crazy. Some get depressed, for lack of a better word. Some try to live as humans, denying their wolves all together. A few find new packs, but that’s pretty rare.
“I don’t want that.” I say. It’s too much. “He didn’t mean for me to hear.”
“He shouldn’t have said it in the first place,” my father growls. I glance over at him. He isn’t looking particularly forgiving.
“Dad,” I say softly. He chances a glance over at me. His expression softens slightly. “It’s okay. Other people were thinking it anyway. He isn’t the only person who said it. He’s just the one I heard first.”
My father doesn’t answer. I hear a low hum, and I know he’s somewhere between a sigh and a growl. It’s his thinking noise.
I stare out the window. I’ve said all I have to say on it. Of course I resent Pierce, I always have. But I don’t think he meant for me to hear. In fact, I know he didn’t, because my father would have sent him to the Goddess if he had heard such a thing, especially knowing I had heard it too.
We pull up to the packhouse, my father driving more slowly than he usually does, deep in thought. When he turns the keys to shut off the ignition, he says, “are you sure you don’t want him kicked out?”
I nod. “Yeah. He’s a good Beta, he’s good for the pack, and I don’t think he meant harm.”
“I can demote him.”
“Not easily, you can’t. His sons aren’t old enough to take his place and we don’t have any other adult men with strong Beta blood in the pack.”
“Okay.” He sighs heavily. “But if you change your mind and you want him gone, just let me know. This offer doesn’t expire.”
I lean over and hug him. He returns the hug and says, “I’m proud of you for choosing what you think is best for the pack.”
I shake my head a bit, and say, “it’s what’s best for everyone.”
After we get inside, I start to head upstairs. Then my father calls after me, “Oh, I forgot. They found your phone on the ground near you!”And he holds my phone out to me. “I think some people are trying to get in touch with you.”
Even as he says it, my phone pings and I see the screen filled with notifications. I smile.
“I’m going to call Pierce over, if you don’t mind.” I shake my head, and then I turn and run upstairs. The bedrooms in the packhouse are spacious and beautiful, although sometimes I wish my bedroom wasn’t just a few feet above what is essentially a common space for the whole 250 wolf pack.
I flop down on my bed, which has dark green sheets and a light blue bedspread, and open my phone. Rosa’s texts account for about 50% of the texts I’ve missed.
Are you okay?
Skylar?
Sorry Tatia told me I had to go to class
Do you need a ride home?
SKY?
SKY YOU’RE FREAKING ME OUT
I’m leaving… I went to the nurse’s office again but she said you still weren’t up and I should go.
Skylar, text me when you’re up?
I really hope you’re okay.
That was really scary.
It’s been hours, I’m nervous.
I’m going to drive over to the packhouse in 15.
That was 12 minutes ago.
I’m up now
A second later another text comes in.
I’m still headed over, see you soon. I’ll bring coffee.
- Writer
