My Anti-hero Fairy System

Cara fought to keep her composure, though the weight of his gaze seemed to bore into her very soul. "What did we talk about last time?" she asked, striving for a calmness she didn't feel.

"You really don't remember?" Dr. Elwes tilted his head slightly, genuine surprise flickering across his face.

'What the hell is going on, Hagrit?' Cara's thoughts scrambled for clarity.

[I don't know. Maybe it had something to do with his smell?]

"Yes, I don't," Cara admitted, her voice firmer now. "Are you trying to scare me, or what?"

"No, not really," Dr. Elwes replied. His tone remained calm, but in an instant, his blue eyes shifted to an unnatural green.

The transformation made her take an involuntary step back. "What are you?" she blurted out, her shock palpable.

"I am a werewolf," he said matter-of-factly, his voice carrying a stern warning. "And I would appreciate it if you stopped bringing up my smell in front of humans."

Cara froze. This was Sylvester's first time encountering a werewolf, and the revelation was more than jarring. "I'm… sorry for bringing up your smell," she said cautiously. "But why shouldn't I?"

Dr. Elwes's eyes reverted to their icy blue as he sighed. "Because humans get spooked. Quite frankly, no human wants to be treated by a werewolf. It's bad for business and worse for survival."

Cara blinked, her mind racing. "But I'm human. Why are you telling me your secret?" she lied, testing him.

"Because you're *not* human," he replied, moving back toward his chair. "You're a fairy. And while we're at it, stop rummaging through my head."

Her stomach dropped. "How did you know?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dr. Elwes settled into his seat with an air of practiced calm. "You wouldn't stop mentioning that I smelled like a wet dog about a month ago," he explained. "And you couldn't resist digging through my thoughts. It didn't take long to figure out you're a fairy. Fairies and vampires are excellent at spotting other supernaturals."

"But how were you able to block me out?" Cara pressed, her curiosity overriding her caution.

"I didn't block you," he admitted. "I just think too fast for you to grasp anything meaningful. It's like trying to catch smoke." He leaned forward slightly. "Now, I need to ask you a favor."

"What favor?"

"It's the same one I asked for a month ago. Since you've lost your memories, I'll ask again: please don't expose me. My life, my legacy, everything depends on your discretion."

'He could easily kill me if he wanted to,' Cara thought. 'Why is he begging?'

[Maybe he's not the killing type. And between you and him, werewolves are far easier to expose than fairies.]

"Did I agree to keep your secret before?" she asked, her voice measured.

Dr. Elwes gave her a faint smile. "Yes, you did. If you hadn't, I wouldn't still be practicing medicine. Like I said, most humans don't want a werewolf treating them—it puts a target on my back. Humans can be… unpredictable."

'I agree with him on that,' Cara thought bitterly. 'Humans can be crazy.'

[Like how you were crazy enough to kill your best friend?]

Cara's expression darkened at Hagrit's jab, her jaw tightening. The doctor noticed. "Why the frown? Did I offend you?"

"No," she replied quickly, forcing her anger down. "I'm just frustrated by how humans fear things they don't understand."

Dr. Elwes studied her for a moment, then asked, "So, will you keep my secret?"

Cara hesitated before nodding. "Yes. We supernaturals need to stick together." She paused, then added, "But I need a favor from you too."

"What is it?"

"I don't want to do any tests," she said firmly. "My memories will come back eventually. Just pretend you did and let me be."

The doctor leaned back, a trace of amusement crossing his face. "That can be arranged," he said.

'And as for you, Hagrit,' Cara thought angrily, 'I don't know why you brought that up. Yes, I went crazy, but I don't regret what I did. Chad was a traitor. And no, he wasn't my best friend.'

[What about Amanda? Do you regret what you did to her?]

'Why are you asking me this?'

[Because I want to know who you really are.]

Cara's internal monologue slowed. 'Of course I regret what happened to Amanda. That wasn't part of the plan. She was a terrible person, but she didn't deserve to die like that. She died with my kidney inside her, for crying out loud.'

[That's what I needed to hear,] Hagrit replied. [You're an anti-hero, not a villain.]

Before Cara could respond, the door opened, and Arlene walked into the room. Her presence immediately shifted the energy. "I hope everything is okay?" she asked, her eyes darting between Cara and Dr. Elwes.

"Yes," both Cara and the doctor said in unison, their tones calm but guarded.

—-----

Cara and Arlene stepped out of Dr. Elwes's office after completing the tests—carefully staged, just as Cara and the doctor had planned. Cara started walking toward the parking lot where Arlene had parked the car so that they could get in and start going to Wesley's Diner, when an elderly woman approached them with a warm smile.

"Mrs. Wesley," the woman greeted, "aren't you going to join us for the children's hospital donors meeting this morning?"

Arlene froze for a moment, the question clearly catching her off guard. A flicker of guilt crossed her face. "Oh, I completely forgot it was today," she said apologetically. "My mind has been all over the place—some personal matters came up yesterday." Her voice carried a tone of earnest regret.

The woman gave her a sympathetic nod. "I understand. So, does this mean you won't be attending? If not, we'll completely understand."

Arlene hesitated, then offered a polite smile. "No, no, I'm already here. I might as well join the meeting."

The elderly woman's face brightened. "Wonderful. See you inside, then." With a slight wave, she headed back into the hospital.

Turning to Cara, Arlene placed a hand on her arm. "Honey, do you mind hanging around the hospital for a little while? This is one of those charity meetings for the children's hospital—just in case you forgot. It won't last more than fifteen, twenty minutes tops. I promise."

Cara nodded reluctantly, watching as Arlene followed the woman inside. Left standing near the entrance, she glanced around, eventually finding a seat facing the receptionist's desk. Settling in, she let her thoughts drift, but her attention was quickly snapped back when she spotted a familiar face across the room.

It was Bernie.

Their eyes met, and the intensity in his gaze stopped her cold. As he walked toward her, the anger radiating from him was palpable, each step deliberate, his expression dark and unrelenting.