Ruby
“Bye nanny,”
“Goodbye, Alex.”
I waved as my son approached the school gate, a smile lighting up his face. In that brief moment, his happiness was reflected in mine. My sweet boy turned back and grinned at me for a second before happily skipping away. This was undoubtedly the happiest I had ever seen him, and the joy was mirrored in my own expression.
My son had become my source of comfort and healing balm, especially after spending the entire night chatting. Since then, I’ve been putting in extra effort to be a good mom, learning his preferences and dislikes.
This morning, I made him breakfast for the first time, creating a new bonding experience for us. Alex chatted happily throughout the meal, his face beaming with joy. Despite wanting to remind him about table manners, I couldn’t bring myself to ruin the moment. His infectious happiness and the large grin on his face were too precious, and he devoured his food in record time.
I wasn’t perfect, and I wasn’t going to be the perfect mom because it was a little too late for that, but I was going to try my best to be there for him at all times and consider his feelings first by doing little things that mattered the most.
I knew it would never erase the past, but it was better than no progress at all.
“Ruby!” Sarah voice reached me, and I turned to see her approaching with a smile.
“You’re here for your appointment, aren’t you?” She grinned, tapping my arms softly while I furrowed my brow.
“What appointment?”
“You’ve forgotten, silly. You’re the new assistant nurse at the werewolf academy. Come, let me show you your office.”
Just like that? You mean Damian was actually serious about making me a nurse who had zero experience just because I saved his daughter’s life?
Sarah’s infectious enthusiasm clashed with my confusion, and I followed her, wondering how I could have forgotten such a significant detail.
This was a big deal for me and a chance to get closer to my son, and there is no better way than being in the same space with him for twenty-four hours. I bet he will be excited, just like I was.
Plus, I get to make money by being close to my son.
As Sarah led me through the school building towards the office, I couldn’t help but express my amazement. The school was more beautiful than I last remembered, and it had been transformed into something magical, covered with only gold and diamonds. Everything screamed expensive, telling me clearly that I wasn’t fit for a place like this, and I wondered how much was spent on renovation.
Does Liam have enough money to make this place a paradise? And if he did, then there was a high chance of him going bankrupt after this, except if he managed to secure a wealthy investor.
“I can’t believe Alpha Damian is really making me the assistant nurse.”
Sarah chuckled. “Well, get used to it, Ruby. It seems he has his reasons. Here we are. Your new office.”
“Sarah!” Someone called out to Sarah just as she was about to open the office door, interrupting our discussion.
“Hold on, Ruby.” Sarah said it with a reassuring smile as we waited for whoever it was to walk closer to us.
The woman, who appeared to be somewhat elderly, shot a disapproving look at me as she approached.
“Sarah, how dare you bring an unworthy omega into this building? Don’t you know you have done something sacrilegious by staining this place with this dirty thing, and worst of all, you dare lead her to the office? This is unacceptable.” I blinked twice, looking between the elderly woman and Sarah, who was still maintaining her composure.
“Madam Nelly, she’s the new assistant nurse, appointed by Alpha Damian himself. You should take up your concerns with him.” Sarah said it politely, while I, on the other hand, was still short of words as I processed the insults dished out to me.
Madam Nelly’s expression turned into a scowl, clearly dissatisfied with the news. I stood there, feeling a bit uncomfortable under her scrutinising gaze, but Sarah’s assurance helped ease the tension, and she held my hands, leading me in.
“Where do you think you’re going? Aren’t you listening to everything I have said?” Madam Nelly yelled, making us halt on our tracks, and I let out a tired sigh.
What’s her problem again?
“Madam Nelly I told you I was instructed to show her to her office, so you can’t stop me.” Sarah rolled her eyes.
“Without a proper interview? You must be crazy.”
“The document here said she doesn’t need to,” Sarah explained with confusion as she went through the file, and before we both could comprehend what was happening, a hand snatched it from her, tearing it. We both gasped in shock as we watched the paper fall to the ground and gaze up at a sneering Madam Nelly.
“Well, the document is gone, and now she must pass my test before she can dare dream of working in a high-standard place like the Werewolf Academy. This place isn’t meant for a low-life Omega.”
Sarah tried to interject, “But Alpha Damian-” Madam Nelly cut her off sharply: “Alpha Damian’s power doesn’t reach this place. I am an elder and the assistant professor who co-founded this academy. There will be a test before she sets foot in any office here.”
“But Alpha Damian explicitly mentioned it, especially not to interview her.” Sarah tried to insist.
“Enough,” Madam Nelly interrupted, her eyes narrowing. “I don’t care what Alpha Damian mentioned. The rules here are different. We uphold a higher standard.”
I was caught in the middle of the confrontation and couldn’t help but feel a mixture of frustration and disappointment. It seemed like every step I took forward came with its own set of challenges.
“I will do the interview for the sake of peace,” I said reluctantly, accepting my fate. There was no need to make this a big deal; the interview would only be a few questions, and then I would get the job.
I shouldn’t use my connection with Daiman to climb to the top, as I would only be making everything Lilith had said right, making me no different from her.
“Good,” Madam Nelly declared, her gaze fixed on me. “You’ll have to prove your worth. Follow me.” She instructed, and as we walked through the academy, Sarah shot me an apologetic glance, but I just nodded, determined to face whatever test awaited me.
Madam Nelly guided Sarah and me through a labyrinth of corridors, the air thick with anticipation. The soft hum of fluorescent lights overhead provided a stark contrast to the gravity of our destination. The journey seemed endless until we reached a door adorned with a simple yet foreboding sign that read, “Sick Bay.”
I thought she was taking me to another office for the interview.
As the door creaked open, a wave of disinfectant assaulted our senses. Madam Nelly moved to wear a protective face mask and motioned for us to do the same. With our masks secured, we entered the realm of the Sick Bay.
The room, filled with subdued lighting, held an air of both sadness and resilience. Madam Nelly, taking the lead, steered us through a narrow aisle flanked by rows of beds. Each bed cradled a fragile figure, their faces marked by the unmistakable signs of pox. The children lay there, silent witnesses to their own ordeal, as we navigated the space with hushed footsteps.
“These children,” Madam Nelly began, her gaze drilling into mine, “are facing a rare ailment. Your task, Ruby, is to assist in their care. Follow medical instructions, provide comfort, and ensure their well-being. Let’s see if you possess the compassion and skills needed for this job.”
“Okay, I will,” I muttered, too eagerly happy to help.
“It’s easy, right? Oh well, that’s not what I want you to do,”Madam Nelly said, turning to me with a stern expression, her eyes narrowing behind the mask as she handed me a file containing the health reports of the children, and I slowly began to read them carefully, word for word.
“Let me stop beating around the bush, Ruby, because unless you can heal these children miraculously, you won’t become a nurse here.”
Shock reverberated through me as I read their profile. Heal them? These children had been sick since birth, and no medical intervention had been able to change their condition. The only way they had managed to survive this far was because they had rich and wealthy parents who never gave up on them and kept paying for their bills. It seemed like an impossible task, and Sarah’s wide-eyed gaze mirrored my own disbelief.
Sarah attempted to speak, but Madam Nelly cut her off with a dismissive wave. “No arguments, Sarah. The standards here are high, and we won’t compromise everything we have worked so hard to build for years just for a worthless omega. If she wants to work here, then she needs to prove her worth. Now, Ruby, the clock is ticking. Can you heal them or not?”
Despite the daunting challenge, a surge of determination filled me. I looked at Madam Nelly squarely and declared, “I won’t quit. I’ll do everything I can to help them.”
This was my only chance to be close to Alex and protect him. My luck was that my grandmother had given me her health book, like she had seen my future circumstances. I could only pray to the moon goddess that the book contained the necessary information that could guide me in creating an impossible cure.
Madam Nelly raised an eyebrow, her stern expression softening slightly. “Very well, prove yourself then. Heal these children, and perhaps I might consider letting you stay.”
I nodded, my mind already racing with ideas and possibilities. The sick bay, filled with the soft moans of the suffering children, became a battleground for hope.
I wasn’t doing this just to get a job, but to give these children a new life. I could imagine the pain they must have been feeling since birth.
“I can’t let you do this alone, Ruby. I’ll call Damian; he’ll figure something out,” Sarah insisted, reaching for her purse.
“No, Sarah. I need to prove myself here. I can handle it,” I said, determined to face the challenge head-on, even though uncertainty lingered in the air.
Madam Nelly handed me a watch; its ticking sound was a reminder of the limited time I had. “You have twelve hours. Prove yourself, or consider this opportunity gone.” The weight of the challenge sank in, but I accepted it with a nod. I couldn’t afford to let this chance slip away, no matter how impossible it seemed.
With the ticking watch echoing in my ears, I swiftly left the hospital, determination propelling me forward. I ran back to the house, the urgency pushing my legs to move faster. My grandmother’s healing book held the key to this seemingly insurmountable task, and I needed every piece of knowledge it contained.
Dread coiled in my stomach as I reached home, the sight of the broken door sending shivers down my spine. Panic seized me, and I rushed inside, only to find the box where I had carefully kept my grandmother’s healing book emptied.
“No, no, no!” I muttered in disbelief, my hands trembling as I scanned the room.
Fuck I had been ambushed.