Mated to Her Alpha Instructor (Eileen and Regis) novel Chapter 173

Chapter 173

Eileen

The morning air at the medical station carried the sharp bite of frost, but inside the supply room, the scent of dried herbs and antiseptic provided a strange comfort. I was sorting through bandage rolls when Nina finally arrived, nearly an hour past her usual time.

She looked terrible. The dark circles under her eyes had deepened to bruised shadows, and her normally pale complexion had taken on an almost translucent quality. Her movements were careful, controlled–the kind of deliberate precision that came from someone trying very hard not to fall apart.

“Nina? Dr. Hawthorne’s voice carried concern as he glanced up from his notes. “Are you feeling unwell? You should have sent word if you needed rest.

“Just didn’t sleep well. Nina’s response was clipped, her gaze sliding past me as if I weren’t there. ‘I’ll be fine in a day or two.”

The memory of last night’s muffled sobbing echoed in my mind. I wanted to reach out, to ask if she was alright, but she’d made it clear she didn’t want my concern. Dr. Hawthorne studied her for a moment before nodding slowly.

“Very well. But if you need to take a break, don’t hesitate.” Nina moved toward the medicine cabinet, her shoulders rigid with tension.

I returned to my task, though my attention kept drifting to her. Every movement she made seemed weighted with exhaustion and something else- something that looked uncomfortably like fear.

The afternoon brought Silas, as it often did these days. His visits had developed a pattern–always in the quieter hours after lunch, always with that same pleasant smile that never quite reached his eyes. Today was no different. He appeared in the doorway of the pharmacy where I was preparing a fresh batch of the improved infection salve.

“Eileen, good afternoon.” He stepped inside, hands clasped behind his back. “I was just reviewing this week’s reports. Your work on modifying the treatment protocols has been impressive.”

“Thank you.” I tried to match his easy tone while measuring out precise amounts of moonwort extract. “Dr. Hawthorne has been an excellent mentor.”

“You’re too modest,” Silas moved closer. “This kind of innovation doesn’t come from simply following instructions.”

The compliment should have pleased me, but something about the way he said it made my skin prickle. I focused on grinding the silveted toot into powder.

It was true enough. Nina had always kept to herself. But as I spoke, a strange realization crept over me: Silas had visited five times in the past two weeks. Five separate occasions. And never once had he encountered Nina?

I returned to my work, but the conversation replayed itself over and over, each repetition making the strange wrongness of it more apparent.

By the time evening arrived, I was exhausted. Mira caught up with me as I was leaving the station, her cheerful energy a stark contrast to my troubled thoughts.

“Another day, another batch of soldiers convinced that herbs can fix anything,” she said with a laugh, linking her arm through mine. “Though I have to say. that Silas is really dedicated. He was here again today, wasn’t he?”

“Mmm. He was asking about Nina.”

“Nina?” Mira’s brow furrowed. “Why?”

“That’s what I told him. But doesn’t it seem strange that he’s been here so many times and never run into her?”

Mira considered this, her playfulness fading. “Now that you mention it… yeah, that is weird. This place isn’t exactly a maze. She squeezed my arm. “You think something’s off about him?”