Page 19 of Wolf's Midlife Bite

Two women. Two women had been killed and dumped in the woods, or perhaps killed in the woods. The blood scent was there, but he hadn’t seen any massive wounds. Brody didn’t know how she’d died; he only knew that being near the victim made a sinking pit open up in his stomach. This was too close to home and wasn’t just a one-off event.

What about Robin? Was she safe from whatever was happening? He had no evidence suggesting she’d be the next victim, but that strange nagging at the back of his mind wouldn’t let go. At the very least, he knew she’d be vulnerable due to her state. There was no telling when she’d shift, and whether she wanted to need him or not, she would.

He pulled in a deep breath and continued his search. Brody had already decided that she needed her space, but it was going to be hard to give it to her.

10

“How many cupshave you had today?”

Robin grabbed the half-and-half and added a generous splash to her mug. “Not enough, apparently. I’m exhausted. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“You shouldn’t let it stress you out,” Maggie said sympathetically. “Dr. Watson is always pissed about something. He’s probably already forgotten about it anyway, so try not to let him ruin your day.”

Slowly stirring the half-and-half in, Robin watched the white swirl turn a deep caramel until everything in the mug was just the right color. Maggie thought she was still upset over yesterday’s incident during Brody’s cleaning, both the blood exposure and Brody’s confrontation with Dr. Watson. It had all felt like a big deal at the time, so it made sense that Maggie would think she’d still be upset over it.

The truth, however, was much more complicated.

“I won’t,” she promised anyway. “I really just need to get through the day. I don’t have the energy to argue with anyone. I accidentally flossed my ten o’clock twice. She didn’t notice, or if she did, she didn’t say anything.”

“I’d suggest taking the day off if I didn’t think Watson would blow a gasket over it,” Maggie said as she turned away to answer the phone. “Watson Dentistry. This is Maggie. How can I help you today? Yes, just a moment.” She pressed the hold button and turned back to Robin. “It’s your doctor’s office.”

“Okay. I’ll get it in my exam room.” Robin knew she had a clear history and had no doubt the results would be fine. The test was more for Brody’s sake than her own. But if she was now part-wolf like Brody claimed she might be, would the test somehow pick up on that? Her hand shook as she picked up the handset and pressed the button next to the flashing light. “This is Robin.”

“Hey, this is Darcy from Dr. Bennett’s office. I just wanted to give you a call and let you know your lab results are in, and everything is negative.”

She closed her eyes and braced her forehead on the wall. “Thank you, Darcy. Um, did you guys happen to see anything else?”

“We didn’t. Are you feeling well?”

What could she say? That she was mostly okay, with no fever or anything, but there was a chance she might sprout fur and start howling at the moon at some point? They’d bring her in for an evaluation, and she’d end up in the mental ward. Not that she’d blame them. If Brody hadn’t given her the proof she’d practically demanded, she wouldn’t believe it either. “Yeah. I’m fine. Just thought I’d check.”

“Okay, well, call us if there’s anything you need,” Darcy reminded her pleasantly. “Have a great day!”

“You, too.”

But how could she? The only way Robin was going to get through the day was by diving into her work. If she was busy, at least the day would feel like it was going by a little faster. Robin cringed as she began working with the disinfectant to ready the room for the next patient. It’d always been a sharp, crisp smell, but now it seemed to be stabbing her right in the nose. Her eyes watered, and she glanced at the spray bottle to make sure she was using the right thing. It was all fine, as far as she could tell. It was just her.

With her eyes still stinging, Robin escorted her next patient back a few minutes later and got her settled. “No changes to your medical history and no x-rays today, so I can save you from that. Has anything been bothering you lately?”

“No.” Melissa Steward, a young professional who came in regularly for her cleanings, settled happily into the exam chair. “Everything’s great!”

“That’s good to hear. How’s your day been so far?” She was used to a bit of idle chitchat with her patients, so fortunately, she could do it on autopilot when her brain was fuzzy from lack of sleep.

“Pretty good. I’m in line for a promotion very soon.” Melissa gave a self-satisfied smile.

“Good for you.” As Robin began her exam, she frowned. The heavy mixture of bergamot and dark vanilla was an odd choice for Melissa. There was another note in there, too. Something a bit spicy and sweet, the sort of thing you’d find in the back of your spice cabinet and hardly ever used. Nutmeg, maybe. “What kind of perfume are you wearing?”

“It’s Gucci Flora,” Melissa replied when Robin took the mirror from her mouth. “I don’t usually like to indulge too much because I’m always saving my money, but I decided to splurge on a little something for myself.”

Yes, some of those bright scents were layered in there, but they were thickly covered by the man’s cologne that had been transferred to Melissa’s skin more recently. Robin had to wonder if there was a certain reason she was in line for that promotion. “It’s lovely.”

Fortunately, the bits of conversation moved on to other bland things like the weather, making Robin’s job a bit easier until the phone rang and jolted her upright. She glared at the phone, wondering why someone would direct a call to her extension when she was with a patient. But the light that indicated an incoming call wasn’t lit up. Frowning, Robin got up and stepped to the doorway. Maggie was in the front office, scheduling an appointment on the phone. Everything looked completely normal. She was losing her mind.

“Sorry about that,” she said as she opened a cabinet. “Would you like cinnamon, bubblegum, or mint fluoride today?” Not that the smell or taste of any of them sounded appealing at the moment.

“Mint, please.”

When Melissa had gone, Robin turned to the computer to check her schedule. The newest scheduling software was supposed to be far more efficient, but the tiny font had become nearly impossible to read. She automatically grabbed her reading glasses and perched them on her nose, feeling like an old librarian. She’d never needed contacts or glasses when she was younger, so buying the glasses—or ‘cheaters’ as her grandmother had called them—had been like a stab in the gut. She hadn’t turned gray yet, nor had she experienced all the hot flashes and mood swings that were supposed to go along with getting older, but the glasses let her know it was only a matter of time. The vision was the first thing to go, they always said.

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