Page 14

Marissa

Last night’s party was the best we've ever had, thanks to the entertainment portion of the evening, and I'm just getting warmed up. I’m sure it will be talked about for years to come. I was told that Knight had to actually carry her home last night because she was so dizzy she couldn’t walk.

That means both those goody-two-shoes were drenched in fruit punch last night. I laugh at the thought.

I slip out of bed, leaving Miles still sleeping. After a quick shower, I dress in shorts and a tube top. I head out the door to the med clinic. Walking through the clinic corridor, I run into Rachel, the med tech. “Marissa.” She nods. “Do you need to see me?” She eyes me warily.

“Yes.” I smile.

“Go on into room #3 and I will follow with my hologram cart,” Rachel replies .

I sit on the exam table and glance around at the various charts on the walls.

Several run-of-the-mill announcements about the different body parts of the wolf systems. Front and center, there is a Cheating Mate Syndrome symptoms chart.

They’re really pushing that hard. It’s like an entire movement in the shifter world right now.

I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of it based on what I saw at Stone Mountain.

But it should be easy to pull the wool over Rachel’s eyes.

“So, how can I help you?” Rachel enters the room, pushing a cart with her holographic screen connected.

“Everything we talk about here is confidential, correct?” I ask.

“Yes, of course. However, we’re not as strict as humans.

All medical records are accessible to medical professionals at every facility across the territory, since electronic files are stored in a centralized database.

This consolidation of records enables us to diagnose and treat illnesses or conditions more quickly and efficiently.

We cross-reference health trends to ensure correct diagnosis.

And, our health records are also accessible to the Alphas and the Alpha Commander,” she explains.

I squirm uncomfortably. I need to approach this carefully. If I’m going to lie, I have to be good at it. I usually am. “Please be as discreet as possible, but Miles is cheating on me with Paisley.”

“Honestly, that wouldn’t surprise me, if you hadn’t said ‘with Paisley’. In that, I think you’re mistaken.” Rachel states coolly. “Paisley isn’t the cheating type, and besides, she’s done with Miles.”

Why does everyone defend Paisley? This really bugs me! You’d think she was a darn saint! I seethe, as my claws try to come out.

“I know he is, I caught them!”

“How did you catch them?” She looks skeptical.

“I walked in on them in our apartment one morning,” I lie. “I went to town to run some errands and discovered I left my purse. So, I went back and there they were.”

“What day?”

“Huh?”

“What day did you find them in the bed together?” Rachel insists.

“Oh, it was last Monday.”

“What time?”

“What difference does the time make?” I fume.

“Answer the question, Marissa. ”

“I don’t know. Ten o’clock?” I say. Lying has always come easily to me, but Rachel is the grand inquisitor. She doesn’t give it up.

“So, you’re telling me, she skipped work on Monday morning?”

“Huh?”

“You expect me to believe that they both skipped work Monday morning, and it’s not all over the rumor mill? And, how am I just now hearing this?I’m sure you threw a fit for all to hear.”

“I–I–maybe it was lunchtime. We’re quibbling over semantics,” I huff, waving my hand in the air.

“Fine,” Rachel acquiesces. “Is there anything else that supports your claim?”

“Oh, yeah!” Symptoms! Shoot! She means symptoms. “Vomiting, nausea, you know the normal symptoms associated with CMS.” I point at the poster on the wall.

She notes the chart, then looks back at me with narrowed eyes.

“You’re telling me you were experiencing nausea and vomiting on your way to run errands, but you only turned back because you forgot your purse, not because you were experiencing CMS symptoms?” she asks suspiciously .

“I don’t believe you. What’s your angle here, Marissa? I treated Paisley when she was going through Cheating Mate Syndrome, and there’s no way she could’ve driven. She could barely pull herself away from the toilet. She was immediately rushed into surgery because she had bleeding wounds.

“If what you’re saying is true, show me your stomach. I want to see the scars.”

I grab my shirt and hold it down, arms wrapped around myself.

“No. I don’t know why you won’t believe me, but I’m done with your attitude.”

“Get used to it, Marissa. I don’t know what you are playing at, but I don’t fool easily, and I’m not dumb enough to fall for your schemes.” Rachel warns, pointing a finger at my face.

“Paisley has suffered enough at your hands, and it needs to stop. Don’t think for a moment I don’t know you were behind that cruel prank on her Saturday night at the pack party. I’ll put a stop to you if it’s the last thing I do.”

She walks to the door, dragging her cart behind her.

“Miles used to be a good guy until you twisted his mind. Straighten up and be a good mate to him, Marissa. Don’t you think it's time, after everything you’ve put him through?

Although after what he did to Paisley, he pretty much deserves what’s coming for him.

” She storms out, slamming the door behind her.

“Well! That didn’t work out as planned.”

I peek out the door to find the corridor empty. I begin to walk away when I spot a cardboard box marked in bold black letters: Amra, conveniently sitting on the nurse’s station counter.

When I pick it up, I see it’s labeled Medical Clinic, Wind Howl Pack, Attn: Rachel . The sender is A Healing Hand, the alchemist who manufactures Amra in Sparksburg.

I slip the rattling box into my bag, looking around to make sure I’m not seen. I hurriedly sneak out with my prize.

Looks like I’m finally going to have some fun tonight.

I giggle.

Once I’m back in our apartment, I lock the bathroom door behind me.

Then, open the box and take a look inside.

I realize there’s enough Amra in the box to last one person for months.

Biting my lip, I mull over whether I should take out a couple of bottles and then return the remaining, but no, they’ll notice that someone has tampered with the seal .

I sit on the floor in front of the sink and take out an old, empty makeup bag. After taking a couple of capsules out of one bottle, I transfer the remaining bottles to the bag and put them in the back under my sink. I throw a towel over it and close the cabinet doors with a satisfied pat.

Putting the extra capsules in my nightstand drawer, I keep a couple and bounce off downstairs. It’s still early in the day. If I can get Miles to take these soon, it’ll probably mask any symptoms he might have tonight.

Going to the kitchen fridge, I pour Miles and me each a glass of orange juice. By now, he should be finished with his morning workout and ready for something cold to drink. I open the capsules and empty the powder into his glass. Using a teaspoon to stir it, I take the glasses to the pack gym.

“Hey, babe,” I call out to Miles, who’s covered in sweat and breathing heavily, standing next to Knight. It appears that he and Knight have been sparring. “Would you like some juice, Miles?” I offer the glass. He takes it and gulps it down greedily.

“Thanks! That hit the spot. That was very thoughtful of you.” He pulls me to him, and I give him a hungry kiss. I’m so excited about the prospect of going out tonight, now that he has taken his anti-Cheating Mate Syndrome remedy for the day. I giggle with glee. I’m almost giddy.

Not interested in my glass of orange juice any longer, I offer it to Knight, who accepts it readily. All men can be led so easily and are absolute suckers. I could’ve spiked both their drinks with poison, and they’d be dead right now. Trusting fools.

“Miles, the girls and I are going to be doing a spa night tonight, if that is alright with you. Maybe you and the boys can have a poker night at the pack house or something.” I plot.

“That sounds like a great idea.” He agrees. “What do you think, Knight? Poker with the boys later?”

Knight nods. “Yeah. Could be fun.”

“It’s a date.” I sing-song as I turn and leave the gym. I have some plucking, shaving, and maintenance tasks to deal with. Tonight, Momma is going hunting for fresh meat! My smile is permanently fixed, and my motor is humming.