Chapter Seven
Tye
What the hell. Tye stared after Melanie completely dumbstruck. She drove all the way out here just to see him, and then she took off just as fast as she showed up.
“Easy come, easy go.” Jake gave him a good slap on the back. Tye was still a little in shock.
“I know. I just thought Melanie had more backbone than that. She’s not some weak human just looking for a good time. She’s made of tough stuff. There’s been a couple times she put me in my place.”
“Well you did just take down a lion, maybe she’s a little spooked. Give her some space man. I can’t believe you’re even considering a human.”
“I didn’t say I was considering. I have to work with her, and you know I haven’t made many companions in the human world. I don’t want any, but it would be nice to have a friend during this internship.”
“Friendship? Right.”
Tye didn’t bother responding. He shrugged his brother off, and decided to head back to his parents’ house. The fight had appeased his bear for the time being, and now he just wanted to eat and catch up on some sleep. He needed to get Melanie out of his mind. He realized when she left that he actually cared that she left, and he couldn’t venture down that rabbit hole.
Tye’s time at his parent’s house came and went quickly. He had to actively work to keep Melanie from popping up in his mind. His bear paced. He had to participate in two more fight nights just to appease the beast. He wasn’t normally this hostile, but his time in medical school coupled with Melanie walking off had him in a frenzy.
It was time for him to go back to the city, back to the hospital, and more importantly back to Melanie. She would be there tomorrow, and every other day going forward until they were out of their internship. That thought alone was the only reason he was excited. As much as he wanted to be a doctor it had been nice to be back around his people where he could be himself and feel comfortable.
“Tye, honey. Are you feeling okay?” His mom was a worrier, and she had that crease on her forehead now that told him he was in for one of her heart to hearts.
“I’m fine mom. I’m just tired.”
“I know you’ve been working so hard, and you know I worry.”
“I know mom. I’m fine though, really. I got to get going soon though. Tomorrows the first day of my internship. I’m sure tonight will be my last night of decent sleep for a while.”
“Just be careful. You know what sleep deprivation can do to us. I hate to see you be made an example of out in the human world. Is that girl from the other night in your internship?”
There it was. What is mom was really worried about. Whether or not he was involved with a human female.
“Yes she’s in my internship.”
“Oh. That’s good. I’m glad you have a friend.”
“She’s just a friend mom, try not to worry.”
Tye showed up to his first day of the internship early in hopes of catching Melanie beforehand, but with only minutes before they were to meet with their attending doctors she was still a no show. Tye paced frantically wondering if maybe she dropped out just because of him. She seemed too determined to drop out simply because of whatever happened the other night. Finally, just as he was turning to make another lap he saw the top of her head enter the room. She was dressed professionally with her white coat on, and her long hair was pulled up into a bun high on her head.
The attending’s came in just then to pair them off so Tye’s mission would have to wait.
“Hello, welcome to Pittsburgh’s finest teaching hospital. My name is Dr. Bala, I’m the chief resident and will be handling you all while you’re here. I don’t have time to deal with you so unless it’s life or death my door is closed. We’ll be pairing you off to go and do rounds. Get to know your new buddy you will be spending a lot of time with them. You’ll make rounds with them, study with them, and pretty much you will see them more than you see yourself.”
Tye kept his eyes on Melanie the whole time the doctor was reading off names. His bear lunged forward when he caught her scent. He wasn’t sure how it was possible for his bear to be showing the mate bond signs with a human, but he was. As the room started to empty and there was only four of them left Tye couldn’t help but hope that Melanie would be his partner. He could sense her anxiousness, and knew she was thinking the same thing.
“Doctor Brigham and Doctor Gloss, you’ll be working under Dr. Byron. I chose you two because you both were top of your class. I know you can handle it, and won’t be bugging me about anything.”
The doctor gave them a stern look as they made their way past him both nodding in agreement. Tye wanted to reach out and put his hand on the small of Melanie’s back and lead her out, but he resisted the urge. He had a feeling she had a mean right hook waiting for him if he ever tried anything like that.
“Good to see you Melanie. How have you been?” He tried to keep his annoyance out of his tone, but he found that now that he had her attention he was angry all over again.
“Fine, Tye. Yourself?”
“Fine. I do happen to have this kink in my neck from whiplash a few days ago.”
“You’re a doctor. I would assume you should be able to take care of that yourself.”
“You’re correct. I’m more concerned about the cause though. You’re quite fast when you want to be.”
“Tye, can we not do this now. We need to go and find Dr. Byron, and do rounds. I don’t have time for this now.”
Tye started to ask her when she would have time for it, but she ended the conversation by walking off. He pulled himself out of his thoughts,and took off after her. She was right, right now they needed to focus on their internship. Later though he would get his answers.