Claimed by The Rogue Alpha
Claimed By The Rogue Alpha Chapter 61

==Matteo==

The doctor hadn't wasted time to come. She and Olivia were in the inner room. It'd been over ten minutes now, and none of them had made it out. I couldn't help but wonder if the rash was something serious. Of course, it looked hideous. It'd left her face looking crimson. Almost like a burn. Where could she have gotten the allergy from? Had she been outside again? That wasn't far from being a possibility. The damn girl couldn't heed to instructions. She never did.

I sighed, running my fingers across my hair. Once I stopped the motion, a large portion of hair fell over my face. I shook it back. I had to get to the barber's. It was long overdue. The image of Olivia flashed before my eyes, and I winced. I was so perverse, so polluted that I'd pictured her naked when she in fact had on a towel. This was basically what I'd become. A lunatic.

I sighed again, my lips forming a pout. This craze wasn't ending any time soon. I didn't think it would.

The sound of the door squeaking pulled my attention. It was the doctor. I tore my gaze away from her, my fingers tracing my brow.

"What's the problem?" I asked.

"Poison ivy." She walked away from the door, stopping just some feet away.

Why wasn't I surprised?

"I've given her some sedatives to help with the itching. Some lotions too. I've instructed Yosef on how to use it."

Still not looking at her, I said, "Thank you."

"If it's in your convenience, an oat bath would come in handy."

Silence sat between us for some time, but I could feel her burning gaze. This was one of the reasons I'd been hesitant in contacting her. The woman knew just how to rile me up. "Dr. Joelle-"

"It's been what? Seven years? Is that long enough a time for you to see me as a dermatologist?"

I slowly closed my eyes, my shoulders heaving as I let out a sigh. "Meet Yosef for payment."

She didn't speak, but walked towards the door. The clinking of her steps ceased, but I didn't get the sound of the door opening. I glanced at her to replace her standing still. Her head hung low. "Hey," I started, but she still wouldn't speak. "Dr. Joelle."

What the...

"She's the one isn't she?" She turned to me. Her expression, inscrutable. "She's the missing girl."

I rolled my eyes. "Young woman. Missing young woman."

"Oh. So, there's a distinction now. Matteo, I thought we've gone past this."

I paused. Did I just hear her right? Gone past what? "Dr. Joelle, I brought you here to treat a patient not to speak in a language only discernible to you."

"A patient. Is that what she is to you? A patient? Look, I could care less about our differences, but that's someone's daughter in there. Do you know the amount of pain you have caused her family?"

I sighed. "You should be on your way."

"That's what you're going to say? This isn't you. This thing you've become...that's not the true you."

"Oh, you don't know shit!" I sprang from my seat. "That lady, girl or whomever you saw in there is none of your business."

She paused, then wrapped her arms across her chest. "I guess it becomes my business when the attention of the police is drawn."

It was my turn to be taken aback. My eyes widened before going on to narrow. "You'll do no such thing."

"Why? 'Cause you reign supreme in the aspect of justice too?"

My jaw was clenched now. But this lady didn't care about my display of annoyance.

"It's not in my place to judge you. That's left for your conscience to handle, but that young girl doesn't deserve any of this."

"You know nothing."

She smirked. A gesture that only fuelled my anger. "But I do know that it takes a lot of trauma to make a person believe her captor..." She shrugged. "Means well for her. A saviour, if you may. That's Stockholm syndrome, in case you've forgotten." She paused, before speaking again, "Like I said, it isn't in my place to judge you, Matteo. No matter what, you are like a son to me. If not for anything else, think about your...parents."

My heart missed a beat as she said that.

"Both of them would never approve of this madness." She held her gaze for a short while. "Her bathroom needs to be thoroughly cleaned, and every surface she's come in contact with. You don't want a repeat of the rash." She turned away from me and opened the door. Just like that, she was gone. Just like that, as if she hadn't rubbed my mess on my face.

I'd known that by calling Dr. Joelle over, I was opening up wounds, bringing in an creating an avenue of reproach and rebuke. She'd talked about going to meet the police... Should I see that as a threat or not? A part of me didn't want to believe to think that. A part of me didn't see the possibility in that being the case. Come on, this was Dr. Joelle Maynard. Shrinks weren't known to rat their clients out. And Dr. Joelle wasn't just a shrink. She was...she'd been much more. But come to think of it, I hadn't done anything wrong, now have I? I'd signed an agreement with the said prisoner's dad. So, what harm could I have done?

I sighed. This year was the worst. I had made the worst possible mistake by lending a hand to Pete. I cursed the day I first set my eyes on him. What the f**k had I been thinking? Too late to rue. A part of me said.

And come to think of it. What was Olivia still doing in there? I turned around, and that was when I saw her standing by the door. She no longer had on a towel, but rather a rope. She stared at me with an uncanny expression. Her eyes almost cold, dead. It was no question she'd eavesdropped on my conversation. I looked away from her and sat. "Would you stop staring like a moron?"

I got no reply and I didn't bother to see ber reaction. I heard her footsteps heading to the door. She pulled it open and vanished.

I shut my eyes, slamming my fist on the table. It didn't help that Dr. Joelle was right and Olivia could be suffering from Stockholm's. If not, what then could explain her succumbing readily each time I made advances. It also didn't help that I was pathetic. Helpless whenever I was around her and that I couldn't imagine letting her go.

But damn, I'd rued enough. I was beginning to get irritated at myself. This wasn't who I was. A grumpy son of a bitch. I had to come with a solution. I had ti take the bulk by the horn and wrestle out this f*****g challenge that had been thrown my way. But even more importantly, I had to reestablish touch with my senses and shrug out from this string of emotions I was entwined in.