Cold air whipped through bristling fur as the muffled sounds of frantic conversation were heard through lapsing consciousness. Worried cries were drowned out by wheels against pavement and sirens in the air. Rolling eyes dipped in and out of focus- catching a glimpse of the morning sun through an ambulance window. A racing heartbeat; a mouth tied shut. 

     The world passed by in seconds. Scenery and faces smeared together, a mix of sterile white walls and horrified looks.

     Where…? 

     A muddled mind fought to ask itself a question. Just then a monstrous growl emanated from the depths of a barreled chest. It was thunderous. It was deep. It was followed only by the sound of metal bars creaking as arms pulled tight against their confines fighting to break free. 

     “40 milliliters, now!” A panicked demand was followed by a liquid iciness spreading through an arm chained to a moving bed. Their body writhed in agony, searing for a brief, heart wrenching moment and then…numbness. Their heart tripped into a slow, thunderous pound as they raced through the ghost white hallway on a wheeled bed.

     “…Stable.” a blurred figure confirmed, trying to keep up.

     Despite the confirmation, the feeling of the restraints that held tight around the thick wrists reignited the panic in waves. Another injection, another panic, another scream so detached they weren’t sure if it even came from their body or someone else. Midnight fur stood on all ends as their jaw clenched and unclenched, testing its leather bindings. Their breath whistled through razor sharp fangs like steam. Eyes darted around as they were backed into a room full of beeps and bright, white lights pointed at to make sure they were indeed still conscious through it all.

     “Ma’am, please, we need you to calm yourself!” A woman yelled, voice sounding far away.

     Her breathing came out in labored chuffs between quick muscle spasms; body straining against an unfamiliar terror while her muscles twitched and begged…yearning to run.

      “Wha-whe…Where-where- wha…”  She panted. Her body lagged behind a frantic brain going a mile a minute. Eyes flitted rapidly, unable to focus or take in anything of value as they focused and unfocused. Pupils alternating between sharp slits and black voids. 

     They fought this battle for what felt like an eternity, a thrashing mental battle in which hysteria stopped the ashes of sanity from clawing their way back. They had nothing more than a body forcing itself against confines that seemed to singe with every frantic slam of their erratic heart beat. They were painfully alone in a battle against their own body, aching, screaming, crying out for a peace their body would not allow them.

     A final frostbitten injection forced their body to slam back down against the bed with a gritted snarl, and for a moment they wrested control of their bodily functions. They forced their thick arms to grip the metal bars framing the bed, burning and irritating their hands in a way that grounded them.

     After what felt like hours more, automatic doors opened, whisking them across the track into the hospital room as two figures stepped forward. One was a broad shouldered wolf-woman with a squared jaw. She was older, with crimped ears and a face framed with silver hair. Nearly tumbling into the room, her entire body was tense with concern as she glanced around at each individual, assuring their well being. When her eyes met Lilac’s, her face crumpled in a sympathetic grimace.

      Just behind her, an entirely different energy filled the room. The second woman was a slender, caramel painted border collie wrapped in a light gray jacket and form fit jeans. She couldn’t have been past her mid twenties and yet In that moment, the tension eased from the staff holding tight against the walls. The women stepped forward, emanating an air of certitude. 

     The border collie’s eyes roamed over the shackled wrists and half-ripped clothes. Despite the light smile that graced the smaller woman’s features, her gaze was nothing short of intense. A wave of self-consciousness made the larger woman shrink into herself. As if realizing the impact her scrutinous expression gave, the border collie broke her gaze with a soft grin.

     “Oh! Well this certainly does change things.” The border collie smirked.

     The stocky wolf woman glanced at her associate. “I called you the moment she arrived. I saw and just…I knew to call you. I knew you’d want to at least see for yourself.” Her hands fussing with the hem of her coat betrayed her nerves.

     “Henna, Teddy, this is Lilac.” A golden retriever doctor spun in his chair around to introduce the still shivering canine woman affixed to the hospital bed.

 

     “How long before her bloodwork comes back?” Both women asked in unison.

     “Five days. We’ve already sent samples to Ron, but as you can see…” The doctor glanced towards the trembling woman with an exasperated look. “She certainly seems…different from most cases.”

     The smaller woman only hummed in response, before striding towards the hospital bed with confidence. Lilac’s eyes finally allowed themselves to focus, if only on the woman reaching towards her. A pair of hands grazed over Lilac’s leather bound muzzle with feather light consideration. There was a deep intensity in her composure that would make anyone have to have to fight to maintain eye contact. Despite her new stillness, there was no ignoring the thick waves of blood coursing through Lilac’s skin with every sonorous heartbeat…as though it was pushing to break through her veins.

     Everyone in the room sucked in a breath as the sounds of leather unbuckling echoed against the sterile walls. 

     “Can you understand me?” The border collie; Teddy asked. Her voice flowed like honey over Lilac’s disheveled muzzle as the mouth harness came undone. The leather strap fell against the floor as snow white hands glided down. Shackled wrists next- the woman hummed as she considered their necessity. Hitched breaths were the only sound one could hear, the room otherwise filled with a deafening silence. The patient’s voice came as a hollowed grunt from the back of her throat - still too stifled from her full body paranoia. Lilac’s own violet eyes were transfixed on the hands that never retreated from her. They roamed as though guided by an invisible force in a single, swimming motion down the length of an imprisoned arm, preparing to unbuckle the metal and leather restraints. The touch set a shiver up Lilac’s spine though the woman’s thoughts were clearly far away.

     The gesture halted as a second, firmer question was posed.

      “Hmm, lets try something else. Can you speak?”

     “…I-.” the patient’s voice was little more than a dry moan.

     “Water, please.” The wolf woman–Henna–tipped her head towards the other members of the room, spurring them to action and undoing the quiet spell her presence created.

     Within moments a nurse stood at the foot of the bed, hands tight to her chest and holding the requested drink. Her entire body was rigid, unwilling to approach further. It made Lilac painfully aware how fearful they were of…her.

     Without a word, the border collie woman snatched the cup and moved to cradle Lilac’s chin. The nurses audibly inhaled, clearly fearing for the safety of the woman as she patiently gave a drink through a row of dagger-sharp fangs that seemed to be receding in size. Lilac’s grip held firm against the bed, but a fresh wave of embarrassment grew where the near psychosis had stood. Despite the continual panic flowing through her, she couldn’t help but feel her body subconsciously react. Her still cuffed hands let themselves calm briefly. Her giant, curled tail swished just once against the side of the bed with an audible thump. Something about the doctor’s presence calmed her.

     The woman only backed away with a hand to her hip, giving a last once over. She shook her head with a grin filled with incredulity.

     A heart attack, a freak accident, an arrest for a crime she didn’t commit- she would take any absurd explanation for why she was there, strapped to a hospital bed. Anything would’ve eased her mind so much more than the next words the woman spoke. The sentence that changed her life forever. 

     “Ms. Lilac, you tested positive for the Lycanthropia mutation. Looks like you’re a werewolf.”