"How is she? Can you help her?" Ali's voice echoed, tight with a worry that belied the circumstances. Kayla remained unresponsive, trapped in a prison of her own pain. She willed her eyelids to obey, to break free from the darkness, but they remained stubbornly sealed. Every nerve ending screamed in protest, a symphony of agony that rooted her to the spot, a statue carved from ice.
"You said you hit her with your car?" The unfamiliar male voice was clinical, detached. Ali shifted, the fluorescent lights of the room reflecting in her wide, anxious eyes. "Yeah... she just came out of nowhere. One second, the road was clear, the next...bam! Imagine my shock when I realized who it was..." Her voice trailed off, laced with a sadness that hinted at a deeper connection.
The man, Dr. Hayes, a wiry figure with tired eyes, held up an X-ray, the glowing image stark against the dim view box. "Some of her injuries look like she was in a fight, and not one she was winning." He pointed with a pen. "If you look here, this is the damage your car did. Clean break, consistent with blunt force trauma." He indicated the rib cage. "Over here, however, are some inconsistencies. Fractures that don't quite align with the impact, contusions that suggest a struggle."
Ali turned her gaze to Kayla, pale and still on the examination table. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead. "What the hell were you running from, Kayla?" she murmured, more to herself than anyone else.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and a young woman, Sarah, rushed in, her face pale with urgency. "I think you guys should see this..." She fumbled with the remote, the flat screen TV on the wall flickering to life.
"...a man was found torn apart and left dead in an alley this morning," the news anchor reported, her voice grave. "According to police, they have camera footage of two wolves, believed to be shifters, fleeing the scene late last night..."
"Fuck," Dr. Hayes muttered, stabbing the mute button. The sudden silence hung heavy in the air.
Ali rounded on him, her voice sharp. "How long until her healing kicks in? Until she can shift back?"
Hayes shook his head grimly. "Too long. Even for a shifter as strong as Kayla. She can hide here for now, until she's healed, but by then... she may already be a suspect."
"She didn't do it," Ali said, her voice laced with a fierce protectiveness.
"You know that, and I know that," Hayes replied, his gaze steady. "But they won't see it that way, Ali. Not with whatever evidence they found."
Okay, let's add some detail to the scene:
Finally, Kayla's eyelids fluttered open, and she blinked against the dim light of the room. Ali, who had been watching her intently, noticed the movement immediately. "She's awake," Ali announced, her voice a mix of relief and lingering worry. She rushed to Kayla's side, kneeling to be at eye level. Kayla looked up at Ali, her vision still blurry, and saw the genuine concern etched on Ali's face. "It's okay," Ali murmured, gently stroking Kayla's soft fur, trying to offer comfort.
Kayla focused all her energy, concentrating on the familiar sensation of her bones reshaping, her skin smoothing. She desperately wanted to be back in her human form, to feel more in control.
"Kayla, you really shouldn't..." Ali started to say, her voice laced with caution, but she was cut off as Kayla's body began to convulse, the transformation happening too fast, too abruptly. "Kayla, what the hell? You could have hurt yourself even more!" Ali snapped, her worry turning into exasperation as Kayla lost her balance and tumbled off the table, landing hard on her knees. A sharp pain shot through Kayla's ribs as she gasped for breath. "I need to go home," Kayla managed to say, clutching her side. "You're too injured," Ali countered, her voice firm. "Shifters are supposed to heal fast. I'll be fine," Kayla insisted, pushing herself to her feet, though her legs wobbled beneath her.
Ali and Hayes exchanged a knowing glance, a silent conversation passing between them. "Was this your first time shifting?" Hayes asked, his tone gentle but probing. Kayla avoided their eyes, a telltale sign of her unease. "O-of course not," she stammered, the lie hanging in the air. "How many times have you shifted?" Ali pressed, her eyes locking onto Kayla's, demanding the truth. Kayla let out a deep sigh, the weight of her secret pressing down on her. "I've only shifted one other time," Kayla admitted, the words barely a whisper.
"Then why did you shift this time?" Ali asked, her voice softer now, but still searching for answers. "Why risk this secret you've worked so hard to hide getting out?" she added, her eyes filled with a mixture of concern and curiosity.
"Because if I didn't shift, the black wolf would have killed me!" Kayla blurted out, the truth spilling out in a rush of fear and desperation. Ali sighed, running a hand through her hair, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
"Kayla, you need to tell us exactly what happened!" Ali demanded, her voice a blend of kindness and seriousness. She stepped closer, her eyes searching Kayla's face for any sign of hesitation or deceit. "I was riding home from work," Kayla began, her voice still shaky, "when I heard a scream. Next thing I know, I see this large black wolf tearing apart a body before turning on me." As she spoke, she replayed the horrific scene in her mind, the image of the wolf's blood-soaked jaws sending a shiver down her spine. "Now I need to go home," Kayla repeated, her voice gaining strength as she pushed herself up, finally able to stand straight as she leaned her hand on the table for support.
Hayes stepped forward, his expression grim. "Even if we let you go home, they will find you first," he said simply, his words hanging heavy in the air. "Who?" Kayla questioned, her eyes darting between Ali and Hayes, a look of confusion and concern etched on her face.
"The FBI is working on finding out the identities of the shifter wolves in this video, and I don't think it will take them long to discover you're the one they're looking for," Hayes explained, his voice devoid of emotion. He watched Kayla closely, gauging her reaction to the news.
"What are you saying?" Kayla asked, her voice barely a whisper, her face paling as the gravity of the situation began to sink in. "I'm saying that even if you go home... if you don't want to be killed, you're gonna have to run,"