The next morning, Naomi was already at the healer’s quarters before most of the pack had started their day. She had barely finished arranging the supplies on her desk when the door opened and two warriors rushed inside.
One of them was supporting the other by the arm.
"Madam!"
Naomi immediately looked up. "What happened?"
"He was in the patrol vehicle," the uninjured warrior said quickly. "There was an accident near the eastern boundary."
Naomi stepped around the desk. "Put him on the examination bed."
The injured warrior lowered himself carefully, wincing as he sat down. Naomi examined him while the other warrior explained what had happened.
They had been returning from a routine patrol when another vehicle coming from the opposite direction had lost control near a sharp turn. Their driver had swerved to avoid a collision, but their vehicle had struck the roadside barrier.
"No one else was seriously hurt," the warrior explained. "But he hit his leg against the door."
Naomi nodded as she examined the injured man’s knee and lower leg. "Where does it hurt?"
"Here."
He pointed to the side of his knee.
Naomi pressed gently around the area. "Here?"
"Yes."
"And here?"
He winced.
Naomi pulled his leg slightly forward. "Don’t move."
She examined the swelling carefully before checking the movement of his ankle and toes. "Can you feel this?"
"Yes."
"And this?"
"Yes."
"Good."
She straightened. "You haven’t broken anything."
The warrior released a breath. "But you’ve badly bruised the joint, and you’ve strained the muscles around it. You’re going to need rest."
"I can still report for patrol tomorrow."
"No."
He stared at her.
"Madam—"
"No patrol tomorrow."
"But—"
"You can argue with me after your leg heals."
The other warrior tried not to smile. Naomi gave him a look.
"You too. Don’t encourage him."
He immediately straightened. "Yes, Madam."
Naomi turned back to the injured warrior. "I’ll wrap the knee and give you something for the pain. You should stay off it as much as possible today."
He nodded reluctantly. Naomi began preparing the treatment.
"Who was driving?"
"Samuel."
"Is he injured?"
"No, Madam."
"Good. And the other vehicle?"
"They said their driver was fine. Their front bumper was badly damaged."
Naomi wrapped the injured man’s knee carefully.
"Was the road damaged?"
The warrior hesitated. "There was something wrong with the barrier. It looked like it had been hit before."
Naomi stopped. "Before today?"
"Yes. We noticed it yesterday, but it didn’t look serious."
Naomi looked at him. "And no one reported it?"
"I don’t know, Madam."
She finished the bandage and stood. "Then someone needs to check it."
The warrior nodded. Naomi turned toward the second warrior. "Tell the patrol captain to inspect that section of the eastern boundary before sending another vehicle through there."
"Yes, Madam."
"And until it’s checked, nobody should use that route unless it’s necessary."
The warrior nodded again. "Yes, Madam."
Naomi handed the injured warrior his medication.
"You’re going home."
He sighed.
"Yes, Madam."
"Good."
She watched as the second warrior helped him off the examination bed. "Take him home first."
"Yes, Madam."
They left. Naomi returned to her desk and began writing down the details of the injury.
She had barely finished when another patient arrived.
This time, it was one of the older pack members who came in complaining of dizziness and weakness.
Naomi examined him, checked his temperature and blood pressure, and asked several questions about what he had eaten and how long he had felt unwell.
After a few minutes, she gave him instructions and medication and told him to return if the symptoms continued.
Then came another patient.
Then another.
By midday, Naomi had barely had time to sit down.
Word had already begun spreading among the pack that Madam Naomi was becoming one of the most reliable healers in Blackclaw.
Some came because they had heard she was good.
Others came because they had already been treated by her.
Naomi didn’t pay much attention to what people were saying. She treated whoever came through the door.
Later that afternoon, the patrol captain arrived at the healer’s quarters. "Madam."
Naomi looked up from her notes. "Yes?"
"The eastern boundary has been checked."
"And?"
"The barrier is damaged. It looks like another vehicle hit it before the accident this morning."
Naomi frowned. "Is the road safe?"
"Not until the barrier is repaired."
"Then keep the route restricted until it is."
The patrol captain nodded. "Yes, Madam."
Naomi returned to her work. "I’ll send a report to the Alpha."
The patrol captain paused. "You already made the decision?"
Naomi looked at him. "Yes."
He nodded. "All right, Madam."
After he left, Naomi finished the report and placed it on the side of her desk.
She would send it to Alpha Kaidan before the end of the day, she didn’t think much of the decision.
A damaged road near the pack’s boundary had already caused one accident. Until it was repaired, keeping unnecessary traffic away from that area was simply the sensible thing to do.
Outside the healer’s quarters, a few pack members were talking quietly as they passed by.
"Did you hear what Madam Naomi did?"
"About the eastern border?"
"Yes. She told them to block the route."
"Without Alpha Kaidan knowing?"
"That’s what I heard."
"She’s only a healer. That isn’t her decision to make."
"Maybe she was only trying to prevent another accident."
"Still, she should have informed the Alpha first."
"I wonder what Alpha Kaidan will say when he finds out."
Naomi heard parts of the conversation from inside the healer’s quarters, but she didn’t bother listening further. She had already done what she needed to do for the injured warriors. What happened after that was no longer her concern. She returned her attention to the files on her desk and continued working.
By afternoon, Alpha Kaidan was in his office when John entered.
"Sir."
Alpha Kaidan looked up from the documents in front of him. "What is it?"
"There was an accident near the eastern boundary this morning."
Alpha Kaidan looked up. "Was anyone seriously injured?"
"No, Sir. Two patrol vehicles were involved. One of the warriors suffered a knee injury, but Madam Naomi treated him."
Alpha Kaidan nodded. "And the cause?"
"Part of the roadside barrier had already been damaged. The patrol captain has restricted the route until it can be repaired."
Alpha Kaidan leaned back slightly. "Who authorised that?"
John hesitated for a moment. "Madam Naomi."
Alpha Kaidan’s expression changed. "Naomi?"
"Yes, Sir."
"She gave the order?"
"According to the patrol captain, Madam Naomi instructed them to keep the route restricted until the barrier was repaired."
Alpha Kaidan was silent for a moment. "She should have informed me."
"Yes, Sir."
"She made the decision after treating the injured warrior. She believed allowing vehicles through the area could result in another accident."
Alpha Kaidan looked at the report. "Is the barrier being repaired?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Good. Keep the route restricted until it is safe."
John nodded. "Yes, Sir."
Alpha Kaidan glanced down at the report again
"Anything else?"
John hesitated. "Actually, Sir."
Alpha Kaidan looked up. "There have been a few comments from the patrol team about Madam Naomi."
"What kind of comments?"
"They trust her judgment when it comes to medical matters. Several warriors have also spoken positively about the way she handles injuries."
Alpha Kaidan said nothing. John continued.
"Her reputation among the pack seems to be growing."
Alpha Kaidan looked back at the report. "She’s doing a good job."
"Yes, Sir."
John gave a small nod. "The healers speak highly of her. The warriors do too."
Alpha Kaidan nodded. "All right."
John closed the folder. "I’ll make sure the repairs are handled."
"Do that."
"Yes, Sir."
John turned toward the door, then stopped.
"Sir?"
Alpha Kaidan looked at him. "Anything else?"
"No, Sir."
John left. Alpha Kaidan remained behind his desk.
By midday, Alpha Kaidan heard the same thing from two senior warriors while passing through the training area.
"Madam Naomi treated him quickly."
"She always does."
"She knows what she’s doing."
Alpha Kaidan slowed slightly but didn’t interrupt.
The warriors continued talking, unaware that he was close enough to hear them.
"I heard she stayed with one of the injured men until he was stable."
"She did."
"She doesn’t leave people unattended."
Alpha Kaidan continued walking.
Word had spread through the park about Naomi’s work, and when Serena heard of it, her jaw tightened. The recognition that should have been hers, that would never be hers, was settling on Naomi instead.
She couldn’t allow it. As Serena sat alone that evening, her decision crystallised: she would dismantle Naomi’s reputation before the pack could fully embrace it. If the pack wouldn’t see Naomi’s incompetence on its own, Serena would make sure they did.