Chapter 23: 23. Healers?

It was 5 in the morning. Nate got up from bed and went into the woods, which was filled with fog. He hadn't slept once during the previous night as he kept thinking about what Ariana had said to him. Even now, he was thinking about that only while he exhaled puffs of cigarette from his mouth.

He was deep in his thoughts but not deep enough to not notice someone running towards him. The fog around him cleared and Ariana emerged from it. She stopped jogging when she noticed him.

"Now now Saoirse, stop following me like a lost puppy." He chuckled.

Ariana rolled her eyes. "As if."

She started jogging away from him. She stopped when she noticed him trying to catch up. However, she didn't turn around.

"Now now Nathaniel Astor, stop following me like a lost puppy." She smirked.

Nate gasped upon hearing it. "Did you just call me son of a bitch, my lady? I take offense!"

She turned around in shock. "What nonsense! I called you a puppy. Which means a dog's offspring."

"Exactly! A dog's offspring. Son of a bitch."

Ariana opened her mouth to say something but closed it. She didn't know how to reply to that. Her cheeks flushed with annoyance.

Nate's expression changed from anger to humor. He laughed out loud while shaking his head. "Oh Saoirse! It's so amusing to trouble you."

He kept on laughing while Ariana stared at him as if he were a lunatic.

"A great loss for His Majesty. You could've kept him amused for life. Alas! He rejected you."

Ariana clenched her jaw in anger. She narrowed her eyes at him and sneered. "I commend you, My Lord. You speak such highly of me regardless of not being able to be my brother-in-law."

Nate pushed his bottom lip forward in mockery. "However, your mate was able to be your brother-in-law."

Ariana turned around quickly to hide the tears that were forming in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around her while she took support of a pole.

Nate leaned against the tree beside her. He sighed deeply. "I'm sorry."

"I know I'm directing my anger at the wrong person. It should've been your sister. You don't even look like her but you remind me of her. You also remind me of him. It's just messed up. I know that we're kind of in the same boat. Actually no. You've had it worst than me. That Xavier is no one to me but she was your sister. Yet, she betrayed you. Your whole family did."

"I'm really sorry, Ariana." He whispered.

He searched in his pocket to take out a cigarette. "Here. A peace offering."

He saw Ariana wipe her cheek.

She turned around to face him. She stared at the cigarette in his hand for a while before taking it. Nate took out a lighter from the other pocket and lit it for her. She inhaled it once and a series of coughing followed.

"What the fuck!" Nate patted her back in attempt to push out the smoke.

"Why did you take it when you don't even smoke?"

Ariana gasped for air. "I don't know."

After a minute, coughing stopped and she started breathing normally.

Nate sighed in relief and chuckled. "Tell me Saoirse, how can you be smart and fool at the same time? You are the topper of our batch and yet you do dumb stuff like this? You took the cigarette from my hand with such confidence."

Ariana threw the cigarette in a small puddle of water and put if off with her feet. "I just wanted to try it, okay?"

"Okay." Nate put his hand up in defense.

"Let's go now. We need to drive to college as well. By the way, apology accepted."

**~~~**

Ariana and Nate arrived at the class together. Ariana took a seat near Sean in the second row while Nate went at the back to sit with Alexa.

"Hey." greeted Sean as he removed his bag from between allowing Ariana to shift near to him.

"Hi." replied Ariana. "Alexa said that you asked for me yesterday. I was in my aunt's house. I drove here this morning only."

"Oh...You missed the first class by the way."

"There was an early class?" asked Ariana in distress. "No..."

She turned her upper body towards him. "Could you please give me your notes? I'll takes photos and return them."

"Why would I help my rival? Don't you know that I'm waiting for your grades to slip so that I take the first position?" A playful smile played on his lips.

"Oh really? You want to outrank me by dragging me down and not by working your way up? How dishonorable!" Ariana frowned playfully too.

"Now now, don't scrunch that pretty face of yours. Here. I already photocopied my notes for you." He said as he took out some papers from his bag.

Ariana placed the papers on desk and took his hands between hers. "Thank you so much."

A classmate of theirs entered through the door and announced. "Ariana Bennet and Nathaniel Astor. You guys have been called to the President's office."

Ariana shared a look with Sean before standing up. When Nate reached up to her, they started walking towards the President's office.

"Why do you think we've been called?" asked Ariana with curious eyes.

"I don't know."

"You know, I've only seen President Windsor once. During our orientation." Ariana stopped walking once she realized what she had just said. "Wait! President Windsor...Is he related to Sean?"

"He is Sean's father." answered Nate nonchalantly.

They resumed walking.

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"Oh..." Ariana looked as if she had just solved a difficult math equation.

"Yes. He rarely comes to college as everything here is handled by the Chancellor. Windsor family own several hospitals. Mr. Windsor is a renowned doctor. Sean's mother too. His grandfather and grandmother as well."

"Wow... The whole family consists of doctors only. Sean must marry a doctor too then, I guess." Ariana chuckled.

"Yeah... Maybe that's why President Windsor has called you." Nate muttered quietly.

"What?"

"Nothing... nothing at all."

They reached outside President's office and sat on chairs in the waiting area.

Saoirse, Ariana's wolf, alerted her of an unknown wolf's presence somewhere near her.

"A rogue?" Ariana perked her ears up.

"No. But some werewolf of high rank. I'm not sure but his smell seems familiar."

She glanced at Nate. He too seemed agitated. She noticed his jaw clench and unclench. She was about to confront him when the door flew open and Sylvester Windsor came out.

"Hello Mr. Windsor." Nate stood up to greet him. So did Ariana. "Good afternoon, Sir."

"Hello... good afternoon to you too." Mr. Windsor greeted them back. "Nate, how are you son?"

"All fine, Mr. Windsor."

Sylvester Windsor turned towards Ariana. "And you must be Ms. Bennet."

"Yes, sir."

"I've seen your marks and practical performances. It's pretty impressive. Keep it up."

"Thank you."

Mr. Windsor motioned towards his office with his hand. "Mr. Suffolk is inside. He is one of the shareholders of this university and a friend of mine. He wishes to talk to you two in private."

Saying that, he left.

When Ariana entered the office, she froze on the spot. Never had she expected the person in front of her to be there. She slowly turned her head towards Nate, who seemed equally surprised.

Duke Lorenzo stoop up from his seat. "Lady Bennet. Lord Astor."

Ariana broke out of the trance. "Your Highness." She curtsied.

"Your Highness." Nate bowed slightly.

"Have a seat."

Ariana and Nate sat on a sofa opposite to the Duke. They sat in an awkward silence.

Duke Lorenzo cleared his throat. "How have you been, my lady, my lord?"

As soon as he said that, events from the coronation ceremony flooded into their minds. The betrayal. The humiliation. All of those things felt fresh once again.

"We're absolutely fine, Your Highness. By the grace of His Majesty." Nate remarked venomously.

Duke Lorenzo softened both his gaze and voice. "And my lady?"

"Fine." Ariana mumbled quietly.

Duke cleared his throat once again. "I've summoned you for a purpose, my lord and lady."

This caught their attention.

"As you must have known, there are only scarce number of healers or as they say in this human world, doctors, present in the world of our kind. Although a huge amount of budget has always been set aside for running hospitals, many of them lack manual resources."

It was a known fact. Many of their fellow werewolves gave into their animalistic tendencies and only viewed physical strength as the supreme power. Literacy rate only grew when studying up to high school was made mandatory.

However, this didn't encourage them to study further. They preferred to pursue their physical training after that. Hence, there was shortage of people in medical and administrative field.

"As my lady and lord have decided to pursue this noble profession - "He looked at Ariana, "-and are succeeding in it with flying colors, I would like to remind you of your duty towards the Kingdom. Your duty to serve the King."

"What duty, your Highness? As long as I remember, I was thrown out of your world by your kind only." Ariana's voice was dangerously calm.

"Our kind, my lady." Duke corrected.

Nate scoffed. "Well, Your Highness, we kindly reject your offer."

Duke looked at Ariana in hope. But she was looking anywhere else than at him.

"How's everything going?" Mr. Windsor entered, breaking the tension by a bit.

"Not well." answered a frustated Duke.

Mr. Windsor let out a laugh. "How about we discuss this at dinner tonight? "

"A great idea, my friend." The Duke remarked with a relieved smile.

"Ms. Bennet? Nate? You could hang out with Sean later." Mr. Windsor offered.

Ariana and Nate looked at each other before nodding yes.

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