Skinned
The Risk of It All

Valerie

Eerie.

The strong ambiance of Maliha’s property forced the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end. Her property was dark and bleak, vines crawling up the wooden exterior of her home, withering trees were curved in such a way that it loomed over the house, as crows took their usual place on the branches to get the front row seats for the show of their new visitor.

Through the silence, the crunching sounds of dried leaves beneath my feet grated my ears, cold hands tucked inside my coat as I walked up the front porch of Maliha’s house with the wooden floorboards creaking behind every step I took.

I raised a hand to knock on the door, but before I could make the first land, it had immediately opened to reveal the healer with a soft grin on her face; her actions oddly ahead of mine that I almost thought that she was expecting my arrival.

Maliha looked up at me to study my features, and my posture tensed beneath her white eyes as the weight of them forced every crevice of my being to stand transparent against her silent judgement; the burn of her unwavering attention made me feel like all the deceit were slowly being peeled away from my skin.

“Valerie,” Maliha greeted with a welcoming smile.

“Maliha,” I replied tersely.

“Come inside and take a seat,” she stepped aside to make way for my entrance, and gave me the view of the darkened interior of her home. The smell of burnt papers and herbs hit hard on my nose as I walked past the healer with her eyes trailing heavily on my figure.

“Care for a drink?” Maliha suggested, gesturing for the small separate table that held various cups and a warm pot of tea as I took a seat on the wooden chair settled by the burning furnace.

I crossed my leg over the other, and my expression was quick to morph into something that displayed my own distaste.

I could never accept any work done by a healer. My trust in them was as little as my belief of the Moon.

“No, thank you. I won’t be long,” I told her, my eyes trailing up to the shelves that held jars of various flowers and concoctions.

The sight of them bothered me. How many werewolves relied on her ways of medication completely mocked my job as the doctor of the pack. We were two separate roads that bore the same purpose, but leaned on different ethics; she gave the baseless approach that depended on the Moon, while I did my work with the guidance of science.

The most pathetic of it all was that when werewolves lost all hope with my work, they would put their faith in the comfort of their Moon; following the advice of their good old healer in hopes of curing what’s impossible to be cured.

For them, the Goddess was the second best option, only because everyone thought that She was the bridge to overcoming the inevitable; death.

Maliha’s smile didn’t falter from my dismissive reply and took her seat in front of me with a cup of tea in her hand, the strong smell of it infiltrating my senses as I fought the urge to gag.

“I knew you were coming, I could smell the all too familiar scent of decay that just seems to seep through your skin these days,” Maliha told me, and the tone of her voice held a feigned sweetness to it.

This bitch.

“Your wolf is dying, Valerie,” she shot me a look, her eyes holding a colder emotion to it as I stayed calmly glued to my seat. “Tell me, how many more shots can you take before you completely deteriorate with that wolf?”

“You think I’d make an effort to answer questions that came right out of that mouth?” I raised an eyebrow and leaned back on my chair.

Really, I didn’t want to answer them. Because I knew that everything that came out of her mouth were all the truth that I never bothered to acknowlege.

Again, I had to remind myself that these were the things I had to face for the sake of keeping my plans intact with Heath.

The female let out a soft laugh in response as if she could sense my insecurities, and I couldn’t do anything about it anymore.

No wolf.

No claws.

No threat.

Without my wild, I was nothing but a woman within a pack of werewolves. Even the basic form of attack could lead to my defeat.

“Very well,” Maliha trailed off and took a sip of her tea, “why make such a desperate call by approaching me?”

I gritted my teeth, hands gripping hard on the arms of my seat as I tried to count away my rage; she was incessantly testing the limits of my composure.

How many more could I take before I snap?

I glided my tongue across my lips and began to collect my words. “The flowers, Maliha. It’s for an operation, I want the wolf sated for a juvenile’s recovery.”

Her eyes narrowed with my request as she put them into consideration, fingernails tapping on the porcelain cup while I waited for her reply. She held her silence for a few moments as if she was reading into my composed features.

I expected her to go against me, to question me further on my odd request, but I was completely surprised when she stood up from her seat, walked over to the shelves full of jars, and grabbed the specific container that held the velvety petals of a flower that Heath had always longed for.

“I can only pray to the Moon that you start making the right choices, Valerie,” she said and handed me the jar.

That was the last straw to my patience.

It had annoyed me how Maliha had managed speak against me so easily, to voice her ill judgement without having to pay for it; she thought she could finally face me without any form of respect for who I was, and it was pitiful.

“Pray as you will, Healer,” I said with my tone dripping with heavy malice, “but don’t involve me in any of it, because I could care less about the guidance of a mere satellite.”

Even if I had silenced my own wild, no one could fight against that fact that I was born with a blood designed to rule. I shared the crown of my wolf, meaning that I carried the residue of the strength of my purpose.

It was not enough, but it was helpful enough to help me make a point.

With my jaw set tight, I let my height easily loom over her petite frame. My silenced wrath radiated off of me, slithering up to her unyielding posture, as I kept my eyes down at who she was.

And it didn’t take long for Maliha’s eyes to waver in doubt of herself.

I refused the urge to scoff. “I admire your generosity, Maliha,” I said and turned around to leave her damned home.

I made my steps quick without having to glance back at Maliha who watched my retreating back, but my movements almost ceased when she had thrown the words at me; the meaning of them easily carried by the wind, only to hit hard against my own skin.

“You’ve always been afraid, Valerie! One day, running won’t be a choice for you anymore.”

“Here,” I shoved the jar to Heath who was slouched against the seat in front of my desk.

Yesterday was very draining. I couldn’t shake off Maliha’s words when I had taken my leave.

Somehow, I couldn’t stop pondering over her words, holding onto my thought as I ate my dinner, up until I laid down on my bed and closed my eyes to sleep.

Maliha’s words were always known to haunt any wolf, it was one of the reasons why I kept my distance from her.

“She gave it to you?” Heath looked up at me, surprised.

“You’re holding the jar right now, Heath. So yes, the healer gave it to me,” I looked at him to question his stupidity.

“She doesn’t give these away all too easily, Valerie, not a jar full of them,” Heath glared at me.

“Maybe she just doesn’t trust you with those things,” I told him.

“Well,” Heath released a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, “I guess a deal’s a deal.”

He yawned and stretched his arms up in the air, his shirt hiking up to reveal a hipbone that bore a tattoo of the moon. He returned to his slouched position and let his hand rub against the middle of his chest, relieving himself of the itch that sent a sour look on his face.

The silence was broken when Emma had entered my office with another round of papers in her hands, and she let her eyes land on Heath who watched her with a smug look on his face.

“Good morning, Emma,” I greeted.

“Mornin’” Heath smiled up at Emma who merely scrunched up her nose in response as she took notice of the smell sticking prominently on his skin; like a repulsive perfume, he carried with him the fresh scent of female and sex.

Heath noticed the Emma’s displeasure and let out a haughty laugh, throwing his head back in the process as if he heard a selling joke.

It took him a few moments to finally regain himself, and when he did, he stood up in his full height before regarding me with a smile.

“I’ll see you tonight, Valerie,” Heath told me and looked over at Emma with a wider smile. “She can always join us if she wants.”

Emma’s jaw had dropped and shot me a look that begged for an explanation.

“She’a not joining anything. I’ll see you soon, now get out,” I bit out, and Heath merely chuckled in pleasure out of my annoyance before walking out of the room with the jar tucked tightly under his arm.

“What is this, Valerie?” Emma questioned me. “Are you screwing him?”

“What? No.”

“Then what, Val?”

“It’s not what you think, Emma,” I said, rubbing my temple as I dropped back onto the leather seat behind the desk.

“You’re involving yourself with Heath, we both know what kind of wolf he is,” Emma said, not buying my simple statement. “What are you doing with him, Valerie? Please, tell me. I can’t always worry about what you’re doing. You’ve been distant these past few weeks, it’s like your mind is on to something else other than what’s laying in front of you.”

“Emma, what I do should never be your concern,” I let out an inward groan as I began scanning the papers she had laid out on my desk.

“It becomes my concern when it’s affecting your own job,” she retorted, frustration dripping out of her voice as she approached me. “What are you planning with Heath, Valerie?”

I dragged my attention away from the papers and looked down at Emma to meet her eyes before letting out a sigh.

“It’s about Killian,” I muttered. “Heath will help me take Killian out of his cell for the night. I just need proof, I need to know what he really is and where he came from, and I need time for it.”

The skin on Emma’s cheeks had lost its color as she eyed me in disbelief. Her mouth opening and closing as she failed to form the appropriate words that could go against my own.

“Are you hearing yourself right now, Valerie?” Em questioned me with a hushed tone. “This is bad. Do you realize what consequences would be waiting for you when you do this? He could kill you, the Alpha could kill you.”

“It’s a choice that I’ve made, Em. I can’t let them ruin him for something that isn’t in his control.”

“I can’t involve myself with this,” Emma told me weakly, to which I replied with an understanding nod of my head.

“I know, you don’t have to, but I trust that you wouldn’t tell this to anyone. The moment you walk out of my office is the moment you forget my words. Do you understand me, Emma?”

Emma’s lips were pressed firmly together as she drowned in her own conscience. Slowly with hesitancy, she nodded her head in agreement.

“Please, Valerie. I just want you to be careful,” Emma shot me a worried look and I sent her a reassuring smile before getting back to the papers.

“I will.”

“How exactly are you going to get through those guards, Heath?” I looked at him questioningly as he leaned casually against the large trunk of the tree, his gaze all too focused on the sheath in his hand as he toyed with it by gliding it across his fingers with ease.

It was already midnight and Heath had called me in to meet him near the penitentiary section. Although he was taking a big risk that could land a hard bite to his life and dignity, I was slightly bothered that he could still stand with the same confidence and controlled demeanor without bearing any sign of doubt within his conscience.

Heath shrugged and looked over to the way where Killian’s cell was located before narrowing his eyes.

“At midnight, only one mutt would stand on guard for the cells. Funnily enough, I’m the one who assigns them instead of Reed,” Heath’s tongue poked through the inside of his cheek as he suppressed a smirk that gave out his wicked intentions. “I assigned a juvenile and picked him while I was holding a training; he’s pathetic enough to be compliant, and he’ll turn tail from one flash of teeth.”

I shook my head, “Since when have you had this all planned out?”

Heath looked down at me and sent me a toothy smile, “Since you offered that deal. You should know that I take my bargains seriously, Valerie.”

“I guess I picked the right accomplice.”

“You really did, Val,” Heath chuckled. “Now let’s go.”

As we neared our approach to Killian’s place, I had taken the sight of the new wolf assigned to guard the steel door of the cell, and I didn’t take long to realize that it was one of my old patients.

Peter.

He stood his ground firm and proud like a juvenile holding great pride to his new found purpose in the pack, but he didn’t know that he was merely a pawn to a plan that required his prominent feebleness.

And I felt slightly guilty that we were going to use his weakness against him.

Peter took notice of me and Heath’s approach and frowned at us in confusion.

“Doctor Valerie, Heath? It’s already midnight, is there something wrong?” He questioned us. I chose to remain silent and looked up at Heath to wait for his next move instead.

Heath cocked his head to the side, muscles bunching and growing thicker beneath the fabric of his shirt as he made an outward show of his threat to the unknowing juvenile. He didn’t need to snarl, the way he towered over Peter had already made a big point to what he intended to do.

Heath’s cerulean eyes took in a darker color as he eyed down the male before him, his wolf forced to surge close underneath his skin, and I almost felt sorry for Peter who looked scared out of his wits.

The young male’s shoulders curled forward into submission, yielding onto the strength of Heath who merely stood in front of him in silence.

“Is it alright with you if we borrow the mutt for a good while, wolf?” Heath questioned Peter, the deep tone of his voice sounding foreign to my ears as I watched him do his thing.

Even if Heath questioned the juvenile for permission, it was all too obvious that it held no room for any rejection.

Peter let out a strangled whine that belonged to his wolf and kept his eyes glued to his feet, “B-but Alpha Azeil-”

“The keys, wolf,” Heath cut him off firmly, “give me the keys.”

It was a command given solidly by a superior, and Peter was forced to give it easily to Heath with trembling hands.

“Four hours, Valerie. That’s the best you have with him outside his cell, do you hear me?” Heath sent me a look.

“Thank you, Heath.”

“Don’t mention it. Take the keys, I’ll be on the lookout,” he told me and gestured for Peter to open the door to Killian’s cell.

I sent the juvenile a thankful nod of my head and went into the darkened area.

There in the same shackles sat Killian with his head hung low as he took his slumber in slow, shallow intake of breaths.

I approached him with quiet steps, before stopping between his long legs and crouching down at his level. I noticed that his hair had already grown, and I could just easily run my hand through it, admiring how it was thrown in different directions to form a messy halo around his head.

“Killian,” I muttered.

I angled my head lower to see his eyebrows furrowed and his jaw set tight as he fought his eyes to open up, and a smile graced my lips as he gingerly fluttered them open before regarding me with a weary gaze.

“It’s you,” Killian smiled, and I couldn’t help but question how his charms had increased tenfold with the growth of his stubble. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m taking you somewhere,” I told him and was immediately taken aback when he leaned forward with the chains tugging harshly against the skin on his wrists.

“Out of here?” Killian questioned, his eyes searching my features for an answer.

“For the mean time, yes,” I said.

“I can’t, Valerie,” he lowered his gaze, “I can’t trust myself when I have this thing ready to tear everything apart.”

“Look,” I sighed and my finger reached out to tip his head back to look at me again; a gesture I thought was not in my control. “I’ve wagered my life for this, Killian. I hope you trust yourself just as much as I trust you right now.”

“Why are you doing this?” Killian asked and I didn’t miss the sight of his right eye taking in a brighter glow; the beast all too interested to hear my thoughts.

“Because I want to help you,” I simply answered him. “If everyone fails to see who you are, then I’ll be the first witness to the truth of your entirety.”

Pulling out the keys, I reached for his wrists and unlocked the shackles that bound them over his head.

“You don’t know what you’re doing, Valerie,” Killian told me weakly as he let his hand fall limply to his sides.

“Stop it. I know what I’m doing, and I know it’s the right thing.”

“That’s not what I mean,” he mumbled and reached out to grab my hand, “Valerie, you have no idea what you’re doing to me. The extent of what you’re doing for my sake just makes me want to have you longer than I normally should.”

I frowned at his statement and shook my head dismissively, “Well that just proves how much you owe me, right?” I said and my hand returned his hold with a reassuring squeeze, his touch sending a slight warmth to spread through my arm. And I raised my gaze to meet his eyes that were brimming with emotions that I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Now I want you to show me that you’re not the monster that everyone thinks you are.”