What the hell am I doing?
But Dr. Matthews was already extending his hand to Gerri, his expression radiating professional satisfaction. “Thank you for considering our department, Ms. Wilder. I’m confident Dr. Holt won’t disappoint you.”
“Oh, I’m absolutely certain she won’t.” Gerri’s eyes sparkled with that unsettling knowledge again, as if she could see futures that hadn’t happened yet. “Until tomorrow, Dr. Holt.”
The door closed behind her with a soft click, leaving Tess alone with her boss and the sudden realization that her entire life had just shifted on its axis.
Dr. Matthews turned to her with genuine warmth in his expression. “I have complete faith in your abilities, Tess. Although King Voran’s condition represents a unique challenge, I believe you’re exactly what they need.”
She stood on unsteady legs, her mind still reeling. “I won’t let you down, Dr. Matthews. I’ll do everything in my power to identify the problem and help the king.”
“I know you will.” His smile carried the weight of five years of working together. “And just think, this opportunity could open doors we’ve never imagined. Take advantage of it.”
As she walked toward his office door, Tess felt the familiar weight of responsibility settling across her shoulders like a familiar coat.
Don’t fail. Don’t disappoint. Don’t let anyone down.
The remainder of Tess’s workday passed in a haze of distracted motion. Her hands moved through familiar routines—adjusting microscope settings, recording data, organizing samples—while her mind spiraled through the implications of what she’d just committed to. An alien planet. A dying king. Bear shifter physiology that she’d only studied in theoretical frameworks.
The excitement thrumming through her veins felt foreign after five years of grinding routine. For once, she’d havethe chance to apply her secret passion for shifter physiology to an actual patient. The research she’d conducted in stolen moments between official projects, the late nights poring over obscure journals about shifter cellular adaptation and dual-form metabolism—all of it suddenly relevant.
This is what you’ve been preparing for without knowing it.
But beneath the professional thrill, something darker twisted in her chest. The familiar ache that never quite left, the knowledge that hadn’t been enough when it mattered most. Her mother’s face flickered through her memory—pale and drawn during those final weeks, trusting Tess’s medical expertise even as the cancer consumed her from within.
All that knowledge. All those years of study. And I couldn’t save her.
The grief hit like a physical blow, sudden and merciless. Tess gripped the edge of her lab bench until her knuckles went white, fighting the surge of helplessness that threatened to drown her. Her mother had believed so completely in Tess’s abilities, and had looked at her with such pride even as the treatments failed one by one.
“My brilliant daughter will figure this out,” her mother had whispered during one of the bad nights. “If anyone can beat this thing, it’s you.”
But Tess hadn’t beaten anything. She’d watched her mother fade despite every medical intervention, every experimental treatment, every desperate attempt to apply biomedical research to the woman who’d sacrificed everything to give her daughter a better life.
Never again. I won’t watch someone else slip away when I could have done something.
The determination that had carried her through graduate school, through sleepless nights and impossible responsibilities, crystallized into something sharper. King Voran wouldn’tbecome another failure, another person she couldn’t save. This time, her knowledge would be enough.
“Earth to Dr. Holt.” Elena’s voice cut through her spiraling thoughts. “You’ve been staring at that same data sheet for twenty minutes.”
Tess blinked, forcing herself back to the present. The lab had emptied around her without notice, the usual end-of-day bustle fading into quiet. Elena leaned against the adjacent bench, her dark hair falling loose from its messy bun and her brown eyes warm with concern.
“Sorry. Just processing everything that happened today.”
“Processing is one word for it.” Elena’s smile carried gentle teasing. “I still can’t believe Dr. Matthews suggested you for this assignment. An alien planet, Tess. You’re going to another world.”
The reality of it sent another thrill through her system. “It doesn’t feel real yet.”
“Well, this is exactly what you need.” Elena’s expression grew more serious, that particular look she got when she was about to push Tess toward uncomfortable truths. “Adventure, challenge, something that gets you out of your carefully controlled routine. Maybe you’ll even find some romance while you’re there.”
Tess nearly choked on her own breath. “Romance? Elena, I’m going to Nova Aurora to help a dying king, not to find a boyfriend.”
“Why can’t you do both?”
“Because I’ll be working. Constantly. This isn’t a vacation—it’s the most important case of my career.” Tess began organizing her desk with sharp, efficient movements. “And I’m definitely not looking for a love connection right now.”
Elena gave her that look—the one that saidyou’re lying to yourself and we both know it—but her voice remained light.“Well, I’m rooting for you to solve this medical mystery. And maybe to have a little fun too.”
Fun.
