“Liv!”
She flashed her friendliest smile, waving back, trying to keep her lips from trembling.
She hadn’t even made it five steps before being noticed. How was she supposed to access the computer undetected? “Hey.”
“Are you okay? Katie said you left in a hurry last night and then you didn’t pick up your phone. We were worried.”
She nodded. “I—I think…I have the flu? Honestly, I shouldn’t be here. I—I left so quickly I forgot my wallet.”
Andie raised an eyebrow. “The flu?”
“Chills, fever…” Was this the best she could come up with? It was pathetic. But then again, it wasn’t entirely false. She felt like she was in a whirlwind.
Even if she showed up to work, there was no way she could concentrate. Not until she found out more, until she was sure she was safe.
“You do look a bit pale…”
“I’m sorry,” she said, turning away, trying to avoid Andie’s gaze. She’d make it up to her, take on extra shifts…none of that mattered now.
She needed to get to the computer, find out what she could about the mystery man, and leave before she had to lie to anyone else.
Even though she had to lie about a part of her life, she’d never been comfortable with it.
She was a terrible liar before becoming a werewolf, and that hadn’t changed. After her first transformation, she spent a lot of time alone.
Will was her only connection for a long time.
She shook her head; that wasn’t important. She navigated through the crowd of bustling people and managed to reach one of the equipment storage rooms.
There was a computer there—old, but functional—and she could use it to access the information. It would be slow and limited, but it would do.
Plus, no one would think to check this one and she might attract less attention this way.
The fact that an alpha had been there…it was reckless to start with…
Who knew what else he might have done and how it might be connected to her? No, she couldn’t afford to take any additional risks.
She used the keys from her ID card to unlock the door, and quietly closed it behind her. If anyone saw her here, out of her scrubs, she could get in trouble. Was it worth risking her job?
They might think she was a drug addict trying to steal medication. She bounced on her toes, staring at the computer.
She pressed her lips together, turning them white from the pressure, and sighed before sitting down on the chair.
She had already made the mistake of coming all the way here. What was one more thing at this point?
Olivia swiped through, and then her fingers hovered over the keyboard. What room had it been? She tried to close her eyes, remember the details, but all she could think about was him.
His smell, his touch...the way his eyes had looked into her very soul.
Why couldn’t she get him out of her mind? She had slept with Will, and she’d never felt like this the next day, and she certainly didn’t feel that way now.
She wasn’t jealous that he had a girlfriend; she was his friend.
So why was this stranger consuming her every thought?
That was the room.
She typed it in, scrolling through the long list until she found the time and date she was looking for.
He hadn’t paid for the care, he hadn’t stayed long enough to see a doctor.
That could only mean one thing; he left the moment she ran away. But then again, could she blame him? The last thing she’d want as a werewolf is someone poking around, or finding out too much about her.
Not only that, but he probably had a pack to protect—or destroy—but that was another story.
He wasn’t as reckless as she’d assumed.
Now, with no leads to follow, she was unsure whether to be relieved or frustrated.
Olivia sank back into her chair, her fingers threading through her hair. She’d risked everything to come here, and for what?
The idea of a pack, an alpha—it was terrifying and overwhelming.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she quickly closed the page and rose to her feet. She needed to leave before her luck ran out.
Pressing her ear against the door, Olivia listened for any signs of movement.
When she was convinced it was safe, she slipped out, locking the door behind her and briskly walking away from the hospital.
She brushed past a few people, but she didn’t look back.
She wasn’t prepared to face anyone or answer any questions. She needed to go home, get her life in order, and clear her head.
This was a one-off.
She would never see him again.
She would move on and forget this ever happened.
