At Dawn, in the Forest

Chapter 18

Dawn and the others were guided into a big conference room by one of the doctors who greeted them at the entrance together with the Alpha male and Beta male. Three other doctors were waiting there as well. Dawn was too anxious and exhausted to remember their names and gave them numbers. Doctor One, the doctor who escorted them here, Doctors Two, Three, and Four, the doctors from front to back at the conference table.

During the first half hour, Harper and the four doctors discussed Dawn's medical history. Scans and photos of her body were displayed on the big tv screen in the conference room. She had a hard time following them. She just bounced her leg up and down and waited until they were done. Aiden was the only source of comfort for her. He from time to time checked up on her. When he put his hands over hers when she was pulling at her nails she could feel a warmth spread through her. Her nerves retracted and her breathing stabled itself. It was short but just his touch did help.

"So, now we are all caught up it's time for the tests," Doctor Three said.

"Tests? What tests?" Dawn frantically stood up from her chair and looked at everyone and ending her round on Aiden. Was this betrayal she felt?

"Additional tests, Dawn. At our pack, we couldn't get a clear picture of what is happening with you. You won't be alone in this process. Nobody will hurt you, I promise," Aiden took her hand in his again. "You decide the pace, we will follow your lead. Just tell us when you get uncomfortable...scared."

Dawn pulled her hand back. "I am not scared." She was. "I just don't want to be poked and prodded again," She said defensively.

Unfortunately for Dawn, she was poked and prodded again. They had to take several blood samples to do a thorough blood work. She also had two big scans planned for that day, a CT and MRI. The MRI had to be started over three times as Dawn got scared. With the help of music and Aiden's voice, they managed through it.

She felt absolutely exhausted at the end of the day and the voices of Doctor One, Two, Three, Four, and Harper seriously started to annoy her to the point she wanted to smash their faces into the conference table, where they were seated again. Dawn's tests had priority and the results were immediately put to paper while Doctors One and Three would work on getting one test done, Doctors Two and Four would be looking over the test results that had come in.

Now at the end of the day, they put everything together and discussed in hushed voices their findings and their meanings and implications. Dawn wanted them to speak up already.

"So," Doctor One started. "We have done some incredible findings today. Results that we can work with, how negative they may seem." Larisa looked worried.

Dawn wished her father would be there with her instead of Larisa, but he had to stay behind. Her mother was apparently so upset after seeing her daughter's wolf that her mate couldn't leave her side. So Larisa opted to go with her.

"Dawn's spine is incredibly fragile. I am surprised she managed to shift at all, and without breaking it," Doctor Three explained. "So are her legs and arm. But they are in a better state than her spine. Therefore, to prevent any further damage, Dawn needs to be careful in her day-to-day activities and should take it easy. No excessive training or working out of the body. Also, a better diet and sleeping schedule are needed for a speedy recovery."

"Yes, I will come to that too," Doctor Two chimed in.

"Me too," Doctor Four agreed.

"Now we will come to our main concern," Doctor One followed and made eye contact with Doctors Two and Four. "We might have found the cause for the terrible state Dawn's wolf is in." Everybody sat right up hearing this news, except for Dawn. "We think, assume, that Dr. Willow," Dawn let out a soft growl hearing that name. "Uhm, that Dr. Willow and Dr. Klein injected Dawn with viruses that are very common with humans to see how Dawn's body would react. And for most of these viruses Dawn has created antibodies and her immune system fought against them, but there is one of them that is still left fighting against and that is why we suspect her wolf body looks unhealthy," Doctor Two explained.

"Which virus?" Larisa asked.

"The HIV virus."

A deep concerning silence fell across the table.

"I know this is concerning news," Doctor Four tried to say.

"Well it's a bit more than concerning news," Aiden almost growled out.

Doctor Four held up his hands. "Please, we all have Dawn's health as our priority... As I was saying. It is concerning news, but we have already seen how Dawn's body is fighting against it and we are confident that with time she too will have antibodies for the virus. It's quite bound breaking in the medical field to have these results in our hands. We have no documentation of how werewolves react to the HIV and AIDS virus. We always assumed it had no effect and now we have proof of that."

Now Doctor One spoke up again. "Also we have seen that the high amounts of silver and wolfsbane had a great effect on Dawn's body and there are still some small traces of the substances. This will take time, a lot of time, before it will be out of her system completely. But again diet and rest will help."

"This is the extent of the most important results we got from the tests we did today. We have set up a tight diet and sleep schedule for Dawn, together with a list of things she shouldn't do or eat and what she should do and eat. We also will give medicine and vitamins in the hope to speed up the process. Harper will keep monitoring Dawn and we would like you to come back in two weeks so we can see the results and see if there is a need for some adjusting," Doctor Three advised.

Dawn wasn't happy hearing all this. All she heard of what she couldn't do and that she had to follow more rules again. As if her freedom was taken away from her again.

On her way back she tried to focus on the view. As she was watching the changing scenery she could see through the reflection of the window Aiden looking at her. He was watching her. An odd but comfortable feeling settled in Dawn's chest. They made eye contact and just looked at each other. No words were exchanged. Simply looking.

A small part that was deeply hidden inside of Dawn told her to stay with him. Not for only then during the ride, but for longer, much longer... forever.