Alpha Ian's The One and Only

Chapter 14

Natasha's P.O.V.

"Blood pressure is dropping, systolic's down to eighty-five," the anesthesiologist says.

"One second, I think I see some more necrosis." I am elbow-deep in a patient, a 12-year-old girl, as Dr. White and I have just removed a tumor from her liver. "Nurse, retraction." She complies.

"We need to control the bleeding and start packing," Dr. White says. I could feel his stare, but I focus on my patient.

"I will get the necrosis. Then we can tie off the bleeder." I work quickly, excising the last of the necrotic tissue, and tossing it in a pan. "Forceps," I ask the nurse.

"... Down to seventy."

"Natasha!"

"One second. Found it. Nurse, clamp."

I clamp the blood vessel, and Dr. White quickly ties it off. We both look expectantly at the monitor. After crucial few seconds, the blood pressure begins to climb.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I say, "Let's pack her."

*****

After informing the girl's parents that the surgery was successful, I go to the nurse's station, where Dr. White was completing some paperwork.

"You were pushing your luck today," he says, without looking up.

"I couldn't have ignored it. The necrotic tissue would have led to sepsis."

"I know. It was risky, but good job," he finally looks up and smiles. I grin back.

In his early fifties, around 5'11, with salt pepper hair, bright green eyes, and a charming smile, Dr. Joe White still turns heads. He is happily married, but that doesn't stop the female population from flirting with him. But to me, he will always be the man who taught a ten-year-old me how to suture a wound, much to my mom's dismay.

A nurse interrupts, "Dr. Shaw, someone is waiting for you in your office." With that said, she scurries away. Huh, someone's in a hurry.

"I will see you later, Joe," I say, walking away from him.

Making my way towards my office, I wondered who it could be. Ian. His is the first name that pops into my mind. Yesterday, something changed for me. I saw his vulnerable side, which I can guarantee no one has seen. He trusts me enough to show his emotional fragility and knows I won't judge him. That level of comfort and trust speaks of a deep bond between us, right? As he said, a bond deeper than the mate bond.

Thinking that Ian was waiting for me, I smiled as I opened my office door, which quickly drops when I noticed two men in suits sitting on the chair by my desk. They stand as I walk towards my chair on the other side of the desk. I study them and wait for them to introduce themselves because they obviously knew me, but all they did was stare at me. The taller man had a scar on his right cheek. Both are bulky like they love going to the gym. They have military haircuts and grey eyes that are devoid of any emotion.

"How can I help you, gentlemen?" I finally broke the silence. Their staring is very unnerving. Oh, I so wish I could read minds like Ian.

The scar-face man is the first to speak. "We are here on behalf of the government. As per our records, you frequently communicated with Major Jay W. Reese. When was the last time you contacted him?"

Their straightforwardness and out-of-the-blue question completely flummox me. Who are they? Why are they here for Jay? Instead of verbalizing my doubts, I kept a blank face. Dad always said whenever your gut says something is wrong, trust your gut. And right now, my gut is blaring like a fire alarm.