The Veterinarian and the Werewolf

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

For the next few days, Jessie followed the same routine, effectively she was bound to the clinic. On the two times, she had emergency call-outs to the ranches she came back to an enraged wolf and a terrified Joe. The second time she had had enough of his temper. That day she heard the snarling and clanging of his cage before she reached the surgery, walking into the room he this time stood on his bad leg his heckles raised, eyes boring into Joe. The poor man was trying to stand his ground, but he was out of his depth. He did well with the domesticated animals, but wild animals especially ones that were not acting as they should, were not his scene. Wanting to relieve the poor man, she walked behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder as if to tag him out. At the contact, the wolf growled almost possessively. She kept her hand in place and scowled at the canine, using eye contact she stared him down until he whimpered and laid his head on his paws.

Taking her hand off Joe, she whispered, "Can you go and clean up the front? Let me deal with this."

His voice betrayed his fear, as he whispered back, "sh..h.ure thing boss," making a hasty exit.

Eyes narrowed Jessie walked over to the cage, the wolf seemed to know he was in trouble and whimpered as she sat. "Look at me wolfy," she commanded with a firm but calm voice. Her hunch confirmed as he looked at her his eyes looking at her chin, not quite her eyes. She continued, "Now listen to me, I don't know how you can understand me or how you seem to be able to communicate with me just with your eyes. But hear this clearly now, I will not put up with these temper tantrums anymore. If you understand me yip once." The wolf eyed her for a moment before he complied and yipped softly. Breathing out a sigh of relief, and also amazement. "So, I was not making it up in my head you can understand me?"

He raised his eyes to hers, the blue seemed to soften at her words as he softly yipped again. She was not sure if she was having a daydream or if she was really having a lucid conversation with her patient. Needing to truly test the boundaries of this discovery she pushed on, "Ok if that is the case, I will talk to you as someone who understands, and not as I would one of the other animals. First, you need to stop with the tantrums. Truly they are hurting Joe who is my friend." He growled softly at that statement, chuckling at his response she replied with the only thing she could think of, "No, come now. You have nothing to be jealous of. He is a wonderful friend who has had my back even when others haven't. So, I want you to treat him with respect! Do you understand?" His eyes seemed to search hers looking for truth in the words she spoke before he huffed and yipped.

That night she was so tired, not only had she confronted the wolf and confirmed her suspicions but earlier she had another kind of confrontation. She had been back to Ride 'Em Ranch, one of their mares was foaling and wasn't having the easiest time of it. In the end, she had to help the poor mare. Thankfully she had successfully helped both mother and baby. That wasn't the confrontation, that had happened after as Boyd, the ranches head cowhand decided to ask her out. Unaccustomed to that kind of attention she had declined calmly. Not wanting to test her awkward social skills on the somewhat handsome man she attempted to walk away.

"No one's ever gotten away from Boyd Wilson ma'am. You'll change your mind, they always do," his deep rough voice followed her to her vehicle. Jessie had clenched her fists, trying to keep calm. She needed the ranches clientele and it was the only thing keeping her from walking back and slapping him across the face.

Trying to focus on the sounds in the clinic, the gentle snores of the poor Tibetan who was still there. Even though it had healed, her owners had failed to collect her. The new sounds of the ferret scratching at his cage looking for his master, and the cockatiel preening its feathers. All those sounds filled her ears as her breathing calmed and she fell asleep.