The Lesser of 2 Evils

KRISTINA, SOMETHING ELSE TO WORRY ABOUT

The painful episodes happen periodically over the next several nights – I’ve never experienced them before and there’s no reasonable explanation for them now. I’ve been hiding them from Beta Scott, who still brings me food every morning, to prevent showing them any vulnerabilities – I don’t want to seem like more of a burden than I already am. Mornings are the only time I see him, my other meals being delivered by other members of the kitchen staff who leave the trays outside my door. The pack knows I’m here – I’m sure they can smell me clear as day, even through the closed and locked door but I have no idea what Alpha Xavier has told them.

No one is trying to kill me so I’ll consider it a win.

One morning, a few days after being moved into the guestroom the pains are back, even over the breakfast hour. When Beta Scott knocks at the door, I do my best to conceal the misery I’m in but it is difficult – the pain is nearly overwhelming. I stay sitting in the window-seat since I know my legs won’t support me while Beta Scott enters the room and places the tray on the small side table. His eyes don’t miss a thing however and are scanning me continually, no doubt reading the body language I’m trying very determinedly to conceal.

“What’s going on, Kristina?” He asks me as he comes to a stop right in front of me. My heartrate is racing, I’m gasping for breath and I’m seeing dots in my vision.

“I, I, I don’t know,” I tell him truthfully. Beta Scott kneels down in front of me, his eyes staring straight into mine. He then scans my body, likely taking in my symptoms.

“Alpha Lincoln is definitely not your mate, right?” He asks me, skepticism all over his face while there is confusion on mine. I shake my head as vigorously as I can.

“No, I don’t think so but I didn’t turn eighteen until I came here. Why?” At those words Beta Scott freezes, back to staring me straight in the eye.

“Holy shit,” he says before standing and backing away from me as though I have the plague. Unsure what’s going on but fearful of his reaction, I attempt to stand but fail and collapse onto the floor. Beta Scott follows me down to the ground, again kneeling beside me. He wraps his arm around my shoulder, the other on my waist as he helps me back onto the window seat, releasing his hold and nearly dropping me as soon as he is able.

He steps away from me, putting distance between us the second I’m secure on the seat. Shaking his head, he’s muttering something along the lines of ‘I can’t believe it’ over and over again while walking backwards toward the door.

“Beta Scott – please! What is happening?” I implore him for an explanation but he just shakes his head at me again before turning and leaving the room, locking my door behind him. No further ahead, I stay on the seat until the worst of the pain subsides and eventually dissipates.

What else is there for me to do?

XAVIER, THAT IS UNEXPECTED

I’m late making it into the office the next morning – my guests and I prolonging their stay beyond breakfast. The horrific burning only happens when I’m being intimate, so I mentally make a note to see the pack doctor about a STD – what else could it be? Never heard of one that affects the entire body but I certainly don’t know everything.

“Yeah… something tells me that’s not what is going on here… but I’m not sure. I should be but I’m not!” Gunner is both angry and confused at the same time, his vague statement helping me in no way. I don’t know what he is confused about – if it isn’t a STD it is something else and seeing a doctor is just smart – because whatever ‘this’ is, it isn’t normal. I’ve never experienced ‘it’ before, not until the past few days and now it’s attempting to take over and ruin my life. I need to get ahead of it and nip it in the bud, preferably with a shot or some pills.

When I get into the office, Scott is already there waiting for me. He is anxiously pacing until he sees me, then his face goes blank before he sits down. Not sure who shit in his cereal, I take my seat behind my desk and wait to see what he has to say.

Unexpected… would be an understatement.