Taming a Wolf

21. Symptoms

Fay embraced Qiana and other she-wolf pack members. She felt relief for having them near her and safe from Harriet Trinh. They all looked well except Norah; she was still filled with heavy sorrow which had turned her eyes and body tired.

"I'm so glad you're here," Fay said. Qianna's arm is around her shoulder as they walk into a three-bedroom apartment Seth had rented for them. It was on a two-story building's second floor. It wasn't anything fancy, but it had everything the women would need.

"So are we," Qiana smiled.

"Let's get your bags into your rooms," Fay said. She was about to grab one, but Qiana stopped her.

"I don't think you should be carrying anything. You don't look so good," she said. "Do you have any symptoms?"

"Q, I'm fine. I'm just tired."

"Hey, it's me. You don't have to pretend."

Fay sighed.

"Ok... Yes, I have symptoms."

"What kind of symptoms?"

"Come on Q, can't we just... I don't know... not start with the doctor stuff yet," Shay sighed.

"We cannot pretend this didn't happen."

"I'm not pretending anything. I'd just like to have a moment with my friend, not a doctor."

"Ok, fine," Qiana said. She squeezed Fay's shoulder. "So... how's the Alpha? What? You need to give a list of topics you don't want to talk about."

Fay groaned.

"Ok... let's talk about symptoms then," she said.

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The apartment belonged to an older human woman named Maud Leroy. There were a few trusted humans living in the town, and Maud was one of them. She had been happy to rent her apartment when Seth had asked her about it. Maud had just moved into a nursing home and the empty apartment was an expense. She had left all her furniture there.

Fay and Qiana were sitting in the small dining area around a pinewood table with a strawberry patterned table cloth from the 60s. Despite the surroundings, there was something familiar about the situation. Qiana had a sheet of paper and was writing down what Fay answered to her questions. For years Fay had been the one with the pen and paper when a female wolf had sought refuge or a way to escape the country. She had been the one who made sure every rock was turned and not even the smallest detail was missed.

"Ok, now I have a clear picture of how it happened and what happened after that. Let's move on to the present. Tell me about your symptoms," she spoke eyes on the paper.

"I feel nauseated. I'm really tired and I have headaches. I'm also loosing hair."

"Since it happened?"

"Yeah. Well, actually I was feeling a bit better when I left the clinic. But this morning it started again. I vomited and could hardly even sit."

"So you were feeling better, but the symptoms came back."

Fay nodded.

"Huh."

"Huh, what?"

Qiana didn't reply immediately. Instead, she tapped her lips with the pen and looked like she was deep in her thoughts.

"I wonder..." she said and nipped the pen. "I wonder why they came back."

"Why? Does matter?"

"I don't know. It could be nothing... but I just don't see the logic in it. According to the lab results, Dr. Jacobs sent me, the serum left the human part of your cells untouched. It only destroyed the wolf. But why is it still active in your body? The wolf is gone... Wh-what is it still doing and why?"

"Any guesses?"

"I don't want to guess, Fay. I'm an M.D. I need science, not guessing."

"Where can you get that science then?" Fay teased her friend.

"Ugh. Test results, you silly woman," Qiana laughed, though Fay's teasing did annoy her. The only time these two women had really fought with each other was when Fay had tried zone therapy several years ago in New York. Qiana had very strong opinions about alternative medicine. She only believed in scientifically proved procedures and medicine. Funny, since there's so much scientific research about werewolves.

"What would you look for in the results?" Fay asked.

"Please don't get your hopes up. It could really mean nothing," Qiana said and had a serious look in her eyes."

"I won't. I promise." Fay took Qiana's hand in her own. Qiana let out a sigh, but Fay could sense the excitement in her.

"Did the serum kill all of it at once, or is it like a wave - killing again and again...when it tries to resurface.

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M