Two- Dr.Meredith

Aria’s POV

"Aria, please wait behind. I need to speak with you," Dr. Meredith called out just as she ended her session for the day, drawing the attention of everyone as they all turned to look at me with the same judgment in their eyes. I can’t blame them though—they are all wondering what Dr. Meredith wants with the worthless scholarship student, the weak omega wolf who can’t even fight to save her own life.

Dr. Meredith is one of the best doctors we have in our pack, the Bloodmoon Pack, and even around this southern territory. She is known for her strict and straightforward character, hence why no one dares to mess with her. Things always get done whenever she is around.

"Hey, you okay?" Lev’s soothing voice asked behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah, I guess so. Just trying to figure out what she might want to talk about. Her tone didn’t seem like it was going to be a calm chit-chat."

"I know, right? She seems to be in a bad mood—well, a mood worse than her usual," he tried to joke, but I could only muster a small smile that didn’t reach my eyes.

"I have an idea of what it might be, but I just hope it is not." I sighed, recalling how Dr. Meredith emphasized how important the last tests we took were for our graduation from the academy, and yet I didn’t make it to school in time that day. Mum and Jack had decided they were going to have their fellow drunks around, and Mum insisted I must stay back and attend to all of them before going anywhere. I cried and pleaded, even promised to do whatever she wanted when I was back, but my cries all fell on deaf ears. By the time I had gotten to school, they were already done, and Dr. Meredith didn’t pay any heed to my excuse of being sick.

"If you want, I could go with you to meet her, or I could even wait behind for you so we could go for the next class together," Lev offered.

"It's fine, I will be okay," I beamed at him, always a gentleman.

"I insist. Let me wait for you, at least," he pushed.

"Fine. Just wait here, I will go talk to her myself," I conceded. He nodded, leaning back in his chair, his eyes fixed on Dr. Meredith like he was ready to launch at her at any given opportunity. That’s how he is—so protective of me, like he is really so sure I am his mate. He is the only reason the stronger wolves haven’t bullied me to death. He is always there whenever I need him. If only I could tell him about Mum and Jack.

"Dr. Meredith," I spoke up as I walked up to where she sat. She looked up from the papers in her hands to look at me—a look of disapproval and an emotion I couldn’t decipher in her eyes.

Silence fell upon us as she moved her eyes back to the papers in her hands, the frown on her face deepening. She pushed the rim of her glasses up her face as she shook her head, muttering to herself.

"Come with me," she finally spoke, breaking the tension that was building up.

I immediately turned to glance at Lev and, as expected, he was already standing—ready to follow us. Typical of Lev to eavesdrop on us with his wolf hearing. I guess there would be no point in telling him what we discussed after now.

‘Lev, please. I promise I will be fine, just sit and wait,’ I spoke through our mind link, turning back to look at Meredith.

‘I don’t trust that woman, Ri,’ he responded, his voice grimly low.

‘She is a doctor and our teacher too, she wouldn’t hurt me. Stop acting like an alpha male about to lose his mate,’ I joked, trying to ease the tension.

‘Whatever you want to call it, just call out to me immediately you sense anything out of place, okay?’ he replied, seating back down.

‘I will,’ I replied softly, my heart swelling. After Dad died, it felt like I was left all alone to battle life by myself, but Lev stepped up so much. He protects me even when I don’t think I need protecting. He was the one who suggested we establish a mind link since we were so close but he couldn’t always be by my side. As the Beta’s son, he has to prepare for when it is his turn to become Beta, and me—on the other hand—I have to prepare to become a pack doctor, as it is clear the fields are not for me. I might as well aspire to save the lives of the people who are sacrificing themselves to protect the weak ones like me.

In Bloodmoon Pack, mindlinking with someone or people only meant a few things: you were either an Alpha, a Luna, a Beta, part of the pack warriors, or mates. In Lev and I’s case, we haven’t confirmed anything yet, but Lev being the next Beta makes him strong enough to establish a mind link with someone without having to mate with them—unlike the rest of us. The same way the Alpha and Luna have a mind link with everyone in the pack. The higher your rank, the better your chances of a lot of things—the lucky ones.

"Aria," Dr. Meredith called out, drawing my attention back to her. I didn’t even realize when she stood up and was headed towards the door beside the class that we all knew led to her office—a place everyone dreaded being called to. No one till date seems to understand why Dr. Meredith is more feared than the principal herself.

"I'm coming," I quickly said, hurrying after her.

‘Wish me luck,’ I joked, feeling Lev’s anger and disapproval through the link.

‘Don’t fuck with me, Ri,’ he replied, making me smile to myself.

‘I will be fine,’ I chuckled just as I walked into her office.