Verge of Insanity

Chapter Thirty Four

Mara Leigh

"See the difference from your last check?" I heard Xander's voice whisper. Who was he talking to?

"This is unexpected," came the response. It was Dr. Everett.

I pretended to still be asleep while I listened. I could assume that since he hadn't woken me up for this doctor visit that he didn't necessarily want me to know what he was thinking.

"Alpha, she is healing faster than I predicted."

"But why?" Xander's inquiry confused me. He sounded less than thrilled. Did he not want me to heal?

"With all due respect, Alpha, I don't see why we should question it...."

Yeah, Doc, me too....

"I've seen in Ella's mind the blows that Mara Leigh took while in captivity. To be frank, I don't understand how she survived, much less how she's healing this fast. Is this normal for human mates?"

There was silence as the doctor thought about it.

"It's not normal for human mates to heal this fast. And without being able to see the force of the blows, I'm hesitant to say anything regarding her survival. But I believe you," he quickly added the last part.

"So you can agree with me that this isn't the norm for humans, even mated humans?" Xander repeated.

"Correct."

"I'll be looking into it," Xander stated. I supposed that was a dismissal, because Dr. Everett left shortly after. I could smell the fresh cut cedar and honeysuckle scent that told me Xander was still in the room.

After a minute Xander spoke, "Okay, love. You can quit pretending to be asleep."

I grinned and slowly sat up. The movements didn't hurt nearly as much as earlier and a glance down at my bruised arms showed me what Xander had been talking about. The bruises had somehow faded to be barely visible in the last however many hours it had been since I was awake.

"Wow," I breathed. I couldn't understand how. "What do you think it means?"

He hesitated, and I let my mind run rampant. Could this mean I could be part werewolf like Beau? Maybe full? What if I was adopted?

Xander's chuckling interrupted my thoughts and I blushed, realizing he was hearing my silent concerns.

"Mara Leigh, I doubt that you are part wolf. But I don't know what else could explain this."

I tried not to look disappointed. The thought that maybe I was more than human had excited me. It would mean that I could be stronger, that I wouldn't be so much more fragile than Xander.

"I know," he whispered, sitting on the bed beside me and taking my chin in his hand. "I've thought about that too."

"Is there any way that I could be changed—"

"There's no way to change a human into a werewolf," he cut me off. I definitely frowned. "If there was a way I would've already presented it to you in the hope that you would want it."

It hit me like a ton of bricks. Aging would have my health going downhill, while he would stay the same. Not like immortality, but he would remain strong and lithe until his last days. I, on the other hand, would quickly change and show my age. Gray hair, false teeth, arthritis, diseases. It hadn't occurred to me yet that this was an issue.

"And I will love you all the same," he answered my thoughts, leaning down to kiss me where his hand still held my chin.

I started to tear up, and he pulled away.