Beast, Blood, & Soul

* 21 *

"You and Brenden are permanent employees?"

Ceren's outburst should not have come as a surprise but I confess, I just didn't think it was going to be a big deal. I was wrong. I look around the table to mouths dropped open in shock. Brendan and I exchange a look over the breakfast table we shared with the other people in the dorms.

"They never keep people. After ten years, it's always 'thanks for the work, here's your retirement'" Marcus huffs as if he's been offended in some way. He points to me, "You replaced Margaret Scott who had been here for ten years. Brenden replaced someone. I replaced someone, even Mindy replaced the previous vet. They never keep people." Marcus was dumbfounded that such a thing could even happen.

"You haven't even been here a month." Ceren still couldn't believe it. "Brendan at least has six years here, you haven't been here even a month yet."

"Bangtan Group has their reasons for doing things," Mrs. Kim replies as she brings in more breakfast dishes as other members of the team help themselves. Mrs. Kim was the head housekeeper for the Bangtan group. She made sure the domestic side of the Forestry Center ran smoothly. She passed by the table and gave me a small wink and I had to hide the smile. She was a quiet person who kept silent in the background but she was like Daniel and was also a permanent resident of the Center.

"Well, that is certainly true," Ceren mutters. She levels a hard look at me. "You will have to tell me what's going on, sometime. Nobody scores a permanent position after being here only 3 weeks."

I try to laugh off her words but just shrug my shoulders. "Well, the animals do seem to like me very much." So far, I was the only person to see 3 animals on my first night, as far as the team knew.

"The animals have the final say in who stays and who goes," Mindy sighs, picking at her food. The Vet looks really tired and utterly bored by the conversation, her usual surly attitude is nowhere to be found.

"Are you okay, Mindy?" I ask her. She gives me a long look and I notice she has dark circles under her eyes.

"I'm okay. I was just sick over the weekend and I'm still feeling under the weather."

"You look like you should go back to bed," I recommend. Truly, she looks like someone has run a truck over her. Her eyes are dull, she has dark circles under them and her whole body just looks rumpled.

"Nah, she just needs to stop taking on those MMA fights," Ceren teases lightly, trying to cheer her up.

A wan smile was all she got for her effort, "It was just a rough weekend, but it's better now. I think you are right though, I'm just not feeling good. I'm going to head back to bed and get some rest. Congrats, Brendan and Y/N on your promotions." Mindy stood up and slowly moved back to her room. Her whole body moved like it was very sore.

I lean over to Ceren, "Was Mindy just nice to us?" I ask amazed.

"Yeah, she must be sick," Ceren's reply made it clear that I wasn't the only amazed that the normally jealous vet was acting very out of character.

As I ate my breakfast, I thought about how sore Mindy seemed to be and then realized that I wasn't. I had ended the day before still hurting from pulling the strands and the injection of venom and anti-toxin. Namjoon had kept his promise and given me a very long massage. He'd had a bunch of help and I loved my 14 hand massage. I had woken up this moving feeling great and until I watched Mindy leave the table, had forgotten that I should be in pain still, according to the guys. As I gently chew my sausage, I take stock of my body and feel nothing out of sorts. I close my eyes and feel for that place in my chest where the strands lie and feel them alive and vibrant. I don't feel anything out of sorts at all and that worries me a little. Just like the animal's scratches, everything is fine. How can that be?