There was a line at my door.

Normally it wouldn't be this bad, but apparently I'd been gone a week and a half and the wolves were swept with a virus. A little boy, James, sat on the stool on my living room, his mother stood off to the side.

He had a fever.

"If it gets any higher, I would take him to the hospital." I noted down the temperature in his makeshift file. If need be, they could take it to an actual doctor and they'd have his entire medical history. "Wrap him in lots of blankets. He's going to have to ride it out. A hot bath can break a fever."

"And the vomiting?" His mother worried her lip.

"Fluids only after he hasn't puked in twenty four hours." I brushed some of the sweaty hair away from his eyes. "It's the common flu. It has more bark than bite."

Pun intended.

"Why you have boo boo?" The boy touched my bandaged hands curiously.

"James." The mother admonished.

"It's alright; I was running inside and fell. I should've been more careful, huh?"

He nodded quickly. "No run inside."

"That's right." I grabbed a sucker from the jar on my shelf. "This is for when you get all better. I'm gonna give it to your mommy so she can hold it, okay?"

"Okay!" He grinned and his mom gave me a relieved smile.

"Thank you." She held out some cash, which I took in exchange for the sucker and the visit.

"Always," I offered a smile. "Will you let the next one know that I'm ready on your way out."

She nodded and picked up her son.

I needed some food.

The door open as I headed toward the kitchen, and grabbed some bread. "I'll be with you in a moment. Make yourself comfortable on the stool."

"Alright."

I turned on the island so I could see my next patient as I put a sandwich together. "What's your name? You're new."

"Ansel... I heard you were the one to go to if you want a step between a doctor and the internet."

"You'd be right. What seems to be the issue."

He wrung his hands. "I wanted to meet you. I've been watching from the other side."

I grasped a nearby knife. "Witch?"

"No, and I'm not going to harm you." Ansel was perched on the stool, looking the picture of ease with his hands clasped in his lap.

Not at all threatened.

"I'm getting real sick of people telling me how important I am. I'm nobody." That's what I wanted.

His head tilted. "You don't really believe that."

"Can you leave? I've had a rough few days and I'm not really interested in being met."

"Your heart is kind. Your spirit strong." Ansel continued. "Esther should not have forced what will be."

"What the hell does that mean?! You and Esther both. I'm sick of the riddles!"

He considered me. "You'll understand soon enough."

Why could I not get a straight answer?!

"Tell me, have you felt the crawling sensation yet?"

I froze.

"You have. Then it's already begun."

"What has?"

Angel stood. "Esther would see you be a pawn. Don't let her."

"Thanks, I so intended on interacting with her further." Why did he care? "Who are you?"

"Unimportant."

"Pot, Kettle."

He laughed. "Do me a favor, when you've made your choice, don't do it lightly."

"What choice?"

"Esther and I, we have a common goal to see our children happy. Despite some missteps on her part, that is all we want."

"Am I interrupting something?" Jackson crossed over the threshold of the house. "Ansel is a guest in our pack, but he was given strict instructions to stay away from you."

"I'm starting to see why."

"He was far too interested in what you were doing."

Ansel was not paying attention to Jackson, which was insane. Most every wolf I've ever seen, apart from this little tiff recently, at least listened to the alpha present.

Jackson eyed the knife in my hand. "You okay?"

I let it go, and it clattered against the countertop.  "He didn't hurt me." More or less left me with more questions than answers.

"I won't. Not now. Not ever."

"Good to know. Out." Jackson stepped away from the door with a sweeping arm toward it. "I'll let the next person know."