Chapter 108: Chapter 108: Limits of the Healer

SONIA’S POV

I was awoken by the sound of a screaming cub. The high-pitched cry cut through the quiet of the early morning, sharp and desperate. It pulled me from a restless sleep, my body still heavy from the long day before.

Hurrying out of the room Carl had shown me to rest, after sneaking out of Ramon’s room, I saw some of the pack doctors’ helpers also rushing to where the noise was coming from. Their footsteps echoed down the hallway, hurried and concerned.

There was a little girl crying hysterically when I arrived. Her small body shook with sobs, tears streaming down her flushed cheeks. The second she saw me, she jumped from her mother’s lap and ran to hug me. Her tiny arms wrapped tightly around my waist, clinging with surprising strength. A rush jolted me, and my wolf jumped. She was sick. I could feel her transferring part of her illness to me.

The sensation hit like a wave—hot and heavy, settling deep in my chest and making my stomach twist.

Getting over the initial shock, I stood still and allowed her to continue. She was just a child. There wasn’t any reason she should have to bear that much pain. Her instincts had to be great to be able to seek comfort in my body.

In a few moons, she would get her wolf. I knew for a fact her wolf would be powerful. The connection hummed between us, her small frame trembling against mine as I took on the burden.

"Amanda, that’s okay," her mother said when she didn’t let go. The woman’s voice was tired but filled with worry, her hands hovering uncertainly.

"Leave her alone," I said, and smiled to show I wasn’t mad at her. My voice came out gentle, even as the sickness settled deeper inside me.

After a while, she finally let go. "I feel better, mama," she said, returning to her mother. Her steps were lighter now, the color returning to her cheeks.

"Do you really? There’s no pain any longer?" The mother asked in shock, as she inspected her entire body. Her hands moved quickly over the girl’s arms and face, checking for any lingering signs of illness.

The helpers around stared at me like I was a strange creature. Their eyes were wide with disbelief, whispers passing between them. If only they knew I couldn’t explain it either. I just knew I could take a little of other people’s pain. The ability had always been there, quiet and instinctive, but using it so often left me drained.

"Can I check her now?" I directed at her mother. The woman nodded eagerly, stepping back to give me space.

She jumped from the bed and came straight to me. "Thank you so much. She could barely sleep last night. I didn’t want to be an inconvenience, so I told myself I’ll bring her to the pack doctor this morning. Thank you!" She repeated, grabbing my clothes and even almost breaking into a wail. Her hands trembled against the fabric of my dress, gratitude pouring out of her in waves.

"Could you please hold her for me? I still need to check the child," I said to the helpers. They hurriedly agreed, their hands gentle as they supported the little girl.

I continued toward her, bending until I was level with her bright eyes. "Hey," I began, smiling softly. "I’m Sonia," I said, stretching out my hand for a handshake. Her small palm felt warm and trusting in mine.

"You’re so pretty!" She replied, and went in for a hug again. Her arms wrapped around my neck, squeezing tight.

I took away more of her illness, and it caused a small quake in me. The sickness was not in relation with the common recent theme. She was sick from her brain. I wondered if the mother knew about this. Maybe Carl would have mentioned it before. The heaviness settled deeper, making my head throb faintly.

That was all I needed to know. I turned to her mother, who was looking at me with a heavy expectation in her twinkling eyes. Tears of relief already glistened on her lashes.

"I’ll talk to the pack doctor, and get back to you. She should be fine for a few days though," I said. My voice stayed steady, even as fatigue tugged at the edges of my vision.

"Thank you, Sonia. You’re straight from the moon goddess." She blew me a kiss, her smile bright and grateful.

I smiled, and walked out of the room. As I took a step in the corridors, my eyes began to spin. It was exactly like last night. Spinning around in circles, as if I was going to collapse.

The walls blurred, the floor tilting beneath my feet. I held on to a wall, and began to count. I couldn’t blame my wolf for not healing me. It was fighting for space with my healing abilities. They were clashing terribly. I had taken on so much in such a short time. This was the consequences. My breathing grew shallow, sweat beading on my forehead despite the cool morning air.

Shortly, my breathing became heavy. The world still went in circles around me. And lastly, I was sweating. The dress clung uncomfortably to my skin, wet and restrictive. I couldn’t react when a warm hand grabbed me, and pulled me into a room. The touch was firm and familiar, steadying me before I could fall.

Before I could figure out what was happening, my lips became trapped in another’s lips. The kiss was sudden and deep, sending a rush of renewed energy through my veins. Strength flooded back into my limbs, clearing the dizziness like sunlight breaking through fog. My eyes instantly shot open, as a wave of renewed energy went through me.

"Ramon?" I whispered, on seeing his eyes. They were dark and intense, close enough that I could see the faint lines of exhaustion in them too.

"Why are you trying to kill yourself? Isn’t that my job?" He scolded. His voice was rough, but there was an undercurrent of concern that surprised me.

I blinked, adjusting to the brightness of my vision after the blurriness had been cured by his kiss. The room felt steadier now, the walls no longer spinning.

"I wasn’t trying to kill myself. The little girl was in pain. I only helped her," I explained. My voice came out steadier, the dizziness fading completely.

"Well next time, help less. Your job is to assist the pack doctor. If you can’t even remain healthy enough to help, what’s the point?" His tone carried a warning, but his hand stayed on my arm, warm and grounding.

It felt like he was scolding me. I couldn’t help the plethora of emotions barraging in me. Tears started to rush down my face, and I couldn’t stop it no matter how hard I tried. The exhaustion, the relief, and the confusing mix of his concern and harshness overwhelmed me all at once.

"Why are you crying?" He asked, scrunching his face. His thumb brushed lightly against my cheek, wiping away a tear before he seemed to realize what he was doing.

"I don’t know either," I said, wiping off the tears with the back of my hand. My voice trembled, the emotions too raw to hide completely.

"Do you want to stop working in the clinic? If it’s too much for you, just say something." His offer caught me off guard, the gentleness in it clashing with everything I expected from him.

I blinked again, and my ears twitched. Surely, I wasn’t hearing clearly. Why did it sound like Ramon actually gave a toss about me? The thought sent a confusing warmth through my chest, mixing with the lingering tears.

"It’s too much because she’s allowing too much virtue to leave her," the pack doctor said, and entered the room even before I could reply. His voice was calm and knowing, carrying the weight of experience.

"Are you eavesdropping on your Alpha, Carl?" Ramon questioned. His tone held a hint of amusement despite the situation.

"Your words drifted into my ear. I couldn’t help but offer an explanation."

"Then be more clear. What is wrong with her?" Ramon’s hand stayed on my arm, steady and warm.

"She’s a healer, Alpha Ramon. It’s not something learnt with her. Her abilities are inbuilt. It means there’s always a risk of hurting herself, because her natural instinct is to take away other people’s pain. It doesn’t matter if it’s detrimental to her." Carl’s explanation was patient, his eyes kind as they rested on me.

I was listening to these two men talk about me as if I wasn’t also present in the room.

Nothing was wrong with me. The girl’s sickness was heavy. Hence, my reaction. My wolf stirred weakly inside, still recovering but no longer on the edge of collapse.

"She said I renewed her strength with my kisses. Why’s that?" He bluntly asked. The casualness of the question made heat flood my cheeks.

I almost died from embarrassment. How could he be so casual about something like this? My face burned as I looked anywhere but at them.

"It’s a given, alpha. She’s your fated mate," Carl replied simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Allow me oblige in the wishes of the moon goddess then," he said, and turned to me. "As long as you’re working in the clinic, find me every time you get weak."

"But—" I tried to argue, but his heavy voice stopped me.

"I wasn’t making a request, Sonia. It’s an order." His eyes held mine, firm and unyielding, yet carrying that strange softness underneath.

"An order," I echoed in a whisper. The words settled over me, heavy yet strangely comforting in the quiet room.