Polly was ushered into Dr Patel's office, guided by the nurse who led her in. She was welcomed by the familiar sight of his organized splendor, and nothing about his office has changed from what she remembered it to look like.
A smile of recognition graced Dr Patel's lips the moment she approached his desk, and he motioned for her to sit after the quick exchange of pleasantries.
"I apologize for the sudden urgency of my request, I know you must be busy." Polly started the conversation after settling herself on a chair, her expression thoughtful, but Dr Patel shook his head slightly, as if saying it was nothing she had to be sorry for.
Dr Patel was considered one of the top doctors in Dunecliff city, but due to his unconventional interest in the supernatural, it often caused his theoretical insights in that realm to be consistently disregarded, not just by her.
However, today, she was prepared to give him her listening ears.
"Dr Patel," Polly softly began, taking a deep breath as she dropped two autopsy reports on the table. "These are the reports I told you about; My father, and that of Andrew's. I… really need your help, it seems no one is interested in investigating the cause of these bite marks, and everyone's ignorance is doing no good for me. You were the only person I could think of regarding this case."
Polly stated her problems truthfully, and she was sure Dr Patel won't brush her aside cause he was once their family doctor. Her father never went anywhere else for check-ups, he was that close to Dr Patel, so when he died, things sort of changed since her brother didn't buy the idea of supernaturals existing, but recently, that man in the shadow, and the vile injuries on Andrew, it's almost as if she came here so Dr Patel can give her more valid reasons to believe why the supernaturals exist.
Dr Patel finally leaned forward, his expression understanding as he said, "I'm aware of your concerns, and I know it must have been shocking, having to witness the same signs from your past," he glanced through the reports, his voice calm yet tinged with tension.
"I had a feeling you'd return, Pollyanna Zendelle, but I wasn't sure when." He mused over how true his prediction turned out in the end. "I've spent years studying folktales and myth. I'm growing older, but you came not too late before my memories start to fade. See… there's an old legend, passed down through centuries in certain cultures, and most especially, Aleyska."
A harmless chuckle exited his lips, and he shook his head slightly, as though he recalled something that made him mention her hometown, regardless of all the whole places he could have possibly used as an example.
Polly listened attentively as Dr Patel continued, "it speaks of creatures known as werewolves, beings that walk the line between man and beasts, and you'll never know when you run into one, that's what makes them special, yet fatal to human kind. There's a certain werewolf who's bite alone can turn an ordinary human into a werewolf, but, the truth of that I can't comprehend."
He closed the report and met Polly's bewildered gaze.
"Werewolf?"
He nodded, "I know it sounds unbelievable, but I've come across evidence that suggests that there may be truth to the myth. The bite mark on your father's neck, and the one on Andrew's neck bore semblance to those described in ancient text. The bite marks are the same but distinct. This bite mark, however, seems to belong to an Alpha."
He pointed at Andrew's autopsy, "I don't know how better I can describe their distinct difference, but from what I've studied, this bite mark belongs to an Alpha werewolf. The damage is indeed… ruthless." He shifted the reports back into Polly's hands, "this is just my theory, if you wish to dive in more, then it's up to you, but for an Alpha to attack someone you dated, be mindful, cause there's a possibility that an Alpha is currently after you."
Polly walked through the hallway after her meeting with Dr Patel ended, the autopsy result safely kept in her bag.
Her mind raced, and she was presently undergoing a whirlwind of different emotions; fear, excitement, nervousness, but mostly fear, yet she could not explain why she was even a tad bit excited to hear that an Alpha was after her– hypothetically speaking.
That man in the shadows, the mythical meaning attached to the nickname Luna, and Dr Patel's theory that she was being hunted by an Alpha, who had the ability to guise as a human.
Could it be… her stalker was…
A startled laugh escaped her lips. Yup! She's definitely going crazy.
Stepping out of the hospital, Polly was dumbstruck to be met by the sudden drizzling of rain. She halted in her steps, and that was when the realization hit her.
There was a weather report that it would rain today, but as usual, she forgot to hug her umbrella before leaving the house.
No matter what she does, or how prepared she was to leave the house, she always forgets one thing in that house. Her car was parked at her workplace, and since the weather was suspiciously kind this morning, she decided to walk here, but dammit the weather was only kind because of the stupid downpour.
"It's no use. I'll just find somewhere to stay until the rain calms." She murmured, sighing deeply before entering the pouring rain. When the cold feeling of her outfit getting drenched met her skin, Polly immediately retreated, losing the earlier boldness that told her she could do this.
A cold was the last thing she intended to catch, not when she had to leave for Aleyska tomorrow.
"What do I do?"
Suddenly, Polly stiffened at the feeling of a presence behind her. When she tilted her head up to see what sort of shadow had loomed over her, an umbrella was above her head. Swiftly, she turned around, and her breath hooked to her throat when she met a pair of deep blue-violet eyes watching her.
The hair at the back of her neck sprang to life.
"Ah! It's you!"
Polly involuntarily took a step back in sheer panic, almost entering the rain, but a hand swooped in just in time to grab her by her delicate arm, pulling her back to the shielding presence of the umbrella.
"You'll catch a cold if you step into the rain." Said the rich deep tenor voice that effortlessly brought troubles to her heart, and the distance between them was torturably so small— just a little pull forward, and her face would be meeting his chest.
Oh! He smells... really nice!
"You… you're here?" Polly's widened eyes were still fixed on the milkman, except today, he wasn't dressed as one.
Instead, he sported a simple V neck collared shirt, tucked neatly into his black high-waist suit pants, complemented by a black face cap to probably shield his visage. Even at his attempt to try and blend in, his height and frame always drew in the eyes of passersby, because people were already staring in his direction, or both their direction.
It felt as though they were trying to confirm if he was a male supermodel who just decided to reveal himself on a rainy day, and honestly, she would have thought the same.
If not for the fact that he was creepy, Polly knew she would have fallen for this man at first glance– he had the looks. In fact, she would have asked for his number.
"Miss Polly." There he goes again with that destructive voice of his, and Polly was rendered speechless when he requested.
"Would you like to go on a coffee date with me, right now."