The Strange Request

MAX

Seventeen months and three days.

That’s how long I’ve been counting. That’s how long I’ve been waiting.

I’ve tried to find her three more times, disappearing for months on end, searching every place I thought she might be. But I stopped three months ago.

Each time, I promise myself it’ll be the last. But I’m only fooling myself.

Sometimes my wolf is quiet, barely a whisper. Other times, he howls and claws at my mind, urging me to tear the world apart, battling me for control—and winning.

Those times are when I’m sober. Those are the nights I try not to drown myself in alcohol.

But mostly, I’m drunk. It’s a twisted kind of pleasure to find that my tolerance for alcohol has decreased with all the drinking.

So now, it takes less booze to get me drunk than it used to.

Before Estella left, I wasn’t much of a drinker. I can’t say the same now. Alcohol has replaced everything else I used to drink.

It’s better this way. Much better. I drink, I sleep, and I repeat. Every day is the same because she’s not here.

Every few days, my mother comes by, nagging me to at least take a bath or a shower.

I’ve moved back into my childhood home because there was no point in staying in our house when Estella wasn’t there, and the memories of us were too much.

My mother has given up on trying to snap me out of it, as she puts it. Everyone has given up on me. I was the first to do so, after all.

Patrick threatened to kick me out of the pack if I didn’t get my act together.

When that didn’t work, he tried to appeal to my sense of duty, saying that my patients—both human and supernatural—needed me. That he needed me.

I don’t care. Not anymore.

I don’t give a damn that a dozen or more people hate me.

Julian and Lydia, Eva and Luz, Caleb and Sarah, Gabrielle and her mates, the wolves of my pack, possibly even Bonnie whom I haven’t spoken to in months…

Their hatred doesn’t matter because I’m doing a damn good job of hating myself.

Delta is another person who keeps coming to visit, besides my parents and Patrick. Most of the time, my mother won’t let her in.

But this wasn’t one of those times, as it was my father who answered the door.

Not that he liked her more, but he wasn’t as hostile as my mother, and he thought I needed company every now and then.

I don’t know why she’s so persistent. I’ve made it clear that I won’t take another woman as my mate or lover.

But still, she comes and sits with me in the darkness, talking about nothing while I stay silent, indifferent to her chatter.

She doesn’t try to touch me, but I can sense her longing. Sometimes, it’s frustrating because I long for something entirely different.

“I need your help,” she said one evening, pausing as if expecting a response.

When she realized she wouldn’t get one, she let out a shaky sigh and continued.

“There’s a human who needs help.”

She paused again, looking at me while I stared at my bottle, catching her expressions from the corner of my eye.

“An ally of my pack found the human in the woods a while ago. The human is very sick. Dying, actually.”

Another pause.

“When have you ever cared about humans?” I scoffed.

“I don’t, but as I said, this one is very sick, and I was asked to help. The doctor of my pack told me to research it.

“The problem is, I don’t know how to heal the human.”

“If your human is dying, let him die in peace,” I muttered.

“What if the human can be saved? You’ve worked with them, treated them for years. You know human illnesses. Maybe it’s something treatable.”

“I’m not a doctor anymore, Delta.”

“You’ll always be a doctor, Max. Besides, all you have to do is give a possible diagnosis and treatment.”

“That’s what a doctor does, Delta.” I sighed.

“You just have to give the order. You don’t have to stick around if you don’t want to. Just help us help the human.”

“No,” I replied, finishing my fourth bottle for the day, already feeling the buzz.

“Please, Max,” she pleaded.

I can’t help anyone. I don’t want to. My hands aren’t even steady anymore. If I tried to give someone a shot, there’s no telling if I could hit the vein.

“No. If you care so much, take your human to a human hospital. They’ll know what to do.”

“The human refuses to go,” she blurted out. “We don’t know why, and no matter how much we insisted… Anyway. The only way we can help is if a doctor visits personally.”

“Good luck finding one,” I snorted, reaching for another bottle.

I found it easier to keep them stacked in my room. That way, I don’t have to leave at all, at least until it’s time to restock.

Delta was quick to snatch it away, glaring at me, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

If I were in better shape, I could have easily overpowered her. But I’m not.

So I only stumbled forward a bit, catching myself before I fell flat on my face.

“Look at you!” she hissed. “You’re pathetic!”

“Am I supposed to be insulted?” I slurred, chuckling.

“No, you’re supposed to be a werewolf. The strongest in your pack after your alpha. But you’ve let yourself go because your mate left you.

“I’ve had it worse than you, and I’m still here, trying to live my life.”

“Do you call what you have a life? Your spite is what’s keeping you going, Del. Just that.

“And you didn’t have it worse than me because the difference between you and us is that Estella and I loved each other.”

“But she left you.”

“I messed up,” I admitted, my voice rough.

“Perhaps. But the way you’re punishing yourself isn’t going to mend anything. You either let her go and move forward, or you spend your life searching for her.”

“She doesn’t want to be found. You know I’ve been searching for over a year.”

“Then let her go.” She shrugged nonchalantly.

“Never!” I roared, feeling my inner wolf stirring.

“Suit yourself. But how do you think she’d feel knowing you refused to help one of her own? That you turned your back on someone in need?

“That human is dying, Max. If you don’t help, her death will be on your hands.”

She spun around to leave, but I stopped her.

Using Estella as leverage had struck a chord. If she knew, she’d be disappointed in me.

Part of me argued that if she truly cared, she’d be here. But the other part, the part that believed it knew her, insisted she’d be appalled at my resignation from life and my work.

At my descent into pathetic self-pity, as Delta had put it.

“I’ll examine your human, but I’m not making any promises.”

She nodded, understanding my position.

“I’ll come get you tomorrow. Please be sober.”

ESTELLA

I had a dream last night.

I dream most nights, but this one wasn’t as haunting as the rest. I dreamed that Max’s mate was here. She told me he missed me. That he needed me.

She also told me I wasn’t dying.

Beautiful lies, every single one of them. Yet, despite knowing they were false, I woke up feeling a bit better today.

I even managed to get to the window without assistance, but standing for too long was a struggle. So, I settled into a nearby chair and just gazed outside.

She told me everyone was still searching for me, and that’s the only thing I believe.

Even if my friends have forgotten me, my aunt and uncle must be worried sick.

I’m going to call them all tomorrow. I’ve made up my mind.

It’s time.