Chapter 24 A New Discovery
Ella lay in her hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. She was healing, but the weight of everything going on outside these walls kept her on edge. Moore was still in danger, and Kevin was out there, probably plotting something worse. The rogue attack earlier didn’t help, and now, she felt like time was running out, Derek had gone out to attend to something important or so he had said.
The door opened, and Nurse Sara entered, pushing her usual cart of supplies. Sara had been the one to take care of Ella since she was admitted. She was always calm and friendly.
Ella smiled softly at the sight of Nurse Sara walking into the room. For days now, Sara had been nothing but a comforting presence, always ready with a gentle word and warm smile. She was human—an ordinary person in a world where beings like werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural creatures often clashed. Maybe that’s why Ella found it so easy to trust her.
“Good morning, Ella. How are you feeling today?” Sara asked, her voice light and friendly as she approached Ella’s bedside, a clipboard tucked under her arm.
Ella shifted, wincing slightly as she adjusted herself in bed. “Better, thanks. I’m healing, slowly but surely. You’ve been great, Sara. I don’t know how I’d be holding up without you checking in on me.”
Sara gave a genuine smile, though deep inside, she knew her mission was far from a simple nurse’s care. “I’m just glad you’re recovering well. But, to make sure everything’s still on track, I’ll need to run some routine tests.”
Sara moved closer, pulling out a needle and vials from her medical kit. “I’m going to take a small blood sample today. It’s just part of the regular checkup—nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Of course.” Ella nodded. She never hesitated when it came to Sara. There was no reason to.
Ella watched as the nurse prepared the usual equipment for a blood test. Sara had done routine checkup every day since Ella was admitted, ensuring there were no complications from the silver burns.
Sara drew closer, taking Ella’s arm gently. "Relax, this won’t take long," she said with a reassuring smile.
Ella let out a slow breath as Sara inserted the needle. The slight sting was nothing compared to the pain she'd endured from the attack. She watched as the vial slowly filled with her blood. But then something caught Sara’s eye.
The nurse paused, frowning slightly as she lifted the vial into the light. Ella noticed it too. Her blood wasn’t the usual rich red—it had a strange shimmer to it, almost like a faint golden hue mixed within. Sara blinked, her professional demeanor slipping for just a second as curiosity flickered across her face.
"That's... unusual," Sara muttered, almost to herself. She then looked at Ella with a friendly, almost innocent curiosity. "Has your blood always been like this?”
Ella tensed, feeling a little exposed under the nurse’s curious gaze. But she had grown to trust Sara over the past few days. The nurse had been nothing but kind to her, and maybe it was harmless curiosity.
Ella hesitated but then spoke. "It's probably because of my wolf," she said quietly.
Sara’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, and she tilted her head, genuinely intrigued. "Your wolf? I’ve never heard of something like this before. Does it have to do with your abilities?”
Ella nodded slowly, feeling a bit more at ease. "My wolf... Lila, she’s a healer. That’s why my blood is different. It’s probably connected to my healing abilities.”
Sara nodded, her fingers still lightly holding the vial of blood. "A healing wolf..." she repeated, her voice soft and thoughtful. "I’ve heard stories of healers, but I didn’t know they existed in reality. Is that why you’re so valuable?”
Ella’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Valuable?" she echoed, feeling a sudden twinge of unease. The word seemed to carry a weight that felt... off.
Sara noticed her discomfort and quickly backtracked. "I just meant—your abilities are rare, right? It must be incredible to have a gift like that. Healing others... it's extraordinary.”
Ella relaxed a bit at Sara’s words, shrugging. "I suppose. It’s a gift, but it’s also a responsibility.”
Sara’s eyes flickered, her interest piqued more than Ella realized. “A healer wolf…” she mused aloud, the words trailing off as she capped the vial and set it aside. “I can’t say I’ve ever encountered one before.”
“It’s not something you see every day,” Ella replied casually. “I didn’t even know about it myself until a few years ago. It’s part of why I’ve been able to survive… everything that’s been thrown at me recently.”
Sara nodded, pretending to be simply intrigued, but in reality, her mind was racing. A healer wolf? This was bigger than she thought. The people who employed her—would surely be interested in this revelation.
But she had to be careful. She couldn’t give away her hand too soon. Ella trusted her, and that was the most important thing right now.
“You’re really incredible, Ella,” Sara said softly, her voice filled with what seemed like admiration. “To have such a rare gift… and to have survived what you’ve been through. It’s amazing.”
Ella gave her a modest smile. “I’m just glad I have people like you looking out for me.”
Sara’s heart twisted slightly. She wasn’t proud of deceiving Ella. But she had her orders, and now that she had this vital information, there was no turning back. This could go a long way in saving the life of her family.
Sara smiled warmly, though there was a flicker in her eyes, something that passed so quickly Ella couldn’t quite place it. “I can only imagine how hard it must be. But thank you for sharing that with me, Ella. I’ll get this sample checked, and I’ll keep an eye on your recovery.”
Ella nodded, feeling the conversation wind down, but still feeling a bit uneasy. There was something about Sara's fascination with her blood that nagged at her. But Ella brushed it off for now—she had enough to worry about without overthinking things. She relaxed into the pillows as Sara gave her a final, reassuring smile before exiting the room.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Sara’s expression shifted. She glanced at the vial of blood in her hand—the shimmering, unusual hue catching the light. She pulled out her phone, glancing around to make sure no one was watching, before quickly dialing a number.
After a few rings, a voice answered on the other end, deep and authoritative. “Report.”
Sara hesitated only for a second before speaking. “I’ve found something. There’s a healer wolf here. Her blood… it’s different. It’s powerful.”
There was a pause on the other end, and when the voice spoke again, it was sharper, more urgent. “A healer wolf? Are you certain?”
“Yes,” Sara confirmed, her voice steady.
“No! It's not possible”.
“She mentioned it herself. She trusts me completely. I have a sample of her blood. This could be… significant.”
The voice on the other end let out a low, thoughtful hum. “Stay close to her. Gain more information if you can. This changes everything.”
“I’ll keep you updated,” Sara said quietly before hanging up the phone.
For a moment, she stood in the hallway, her mind whirling. She had a job to do—one she couldn’t fail. But as she thought of Ella, who had grown to trust her so completely, Sara couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt.
But she quickly pushed it aside. She had her orders, and now that they knew what Ella truly was, there was no turning back.
With a deep breath, Sara squared her shoulders and headed toward the lab, the vial of Ella’s blood still clutched tightly in her hand.