04 - Chapter Four - Cora Bradley's Point Of View.

Kalib finally helped me clean up the mess after he calmed down enough. He really wasn't all that bad when he was calm. He knew how to make small talk and say thank you when we finally got all the stiff cleaned up.

"I'm sorry you have had to do all this stuff for me. I should have it now."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that. Now just show me where I can set up shop and I'll have Zack bring my car so I can go grab some things."

"Things? What things?"

"My stuff, you can't expect me to stay here with no clothing and—-"

"I'm not expecting you to stay at all." He said firmly. His eyes scanned over me.

"Zack and I both agreed this was the best option and I can understand why you are a little angry about——"

"I am not angry!" He snapped at me.

"Uh-huh. Not angry, got it."

Texting Zack, I asked him to bring some wet wipes with him when he came to bring me my shoes and car since I was walking around in just my bare feet. I had honestly forgotten, till I looked down at my painted lime coloured toenails. I hadn't seemed to track more mud around the house, so that was good, but I was definitely going to clean the rest of the tracks when I had the wet wipes.

Kalib moved around the space, limping here and there, but he knew the space well. He was using his injured leg really well, but I was pretty worried about him losing all feeling momentarily and dropping. We might have to look into a brace for the leg if that happens with extreme use. I kept my eyes on him as he did his own things.

"Stop staring at me."

"Sorry, I'm observing your range of motion on your leg."

"Well, Just stop."

"Right, Got it."

I still watched Kalib from a distance. I had every right to. He would look sideways at me every few seconds like he could feel my eyes on him. I would look away and focus on something else. It wasn't like I was worried about him seeing me watching him, but I didn't want him to freak out or get mad.

My phone buzzed in my hand, making me jump. It was just a text from Zack. I read it over, nodding. 'On my way, be there soon.' was all it said. I didn't have to respond. Zack knew I would see it.

"Zack is on his way over with my car and stuff."

"Of course he is."

"Why are you so grouchy with Zack? What did he do to you?"

"You really need to ask that? I didn't invite you here, did I? I didn't call him to find me, did I? Did you even take a second to think about that at all?" He growled out, going through the paperwork he pulled from a file that had been on the bookshelf.

"You know you don't have to be so rude. You are alive and walking because of me."

"Are you going to hold that over my head like you are some merciful god and I am your cute little doggie, I can't fucking stand it!" He threw the file to the floor and glared at me, his eyes rimmed with yellow.

Taking a deep breath, I didn't feel like answering him because I wasn't sure what to say. Instead, I walked over and stuffed all the file contents back into the file and set it on the desk. I could tell the act alone further pissed him off. Thankfully, I heard the front door open.

"Hey Cora, Your car is here and I have your flip-flops and what you asked for," Zack yelled.

I turned, heading back down the stairs and taking the grocery bag from him. Pulling my flip-flops out of the bag and setting them down by the door. I also pulled the wet wipes out and bent over to clean the paw prints that started at the door. I made it all the way to the stairs with a few wet wipes before Zack yanked me into a standing position.

Kalib was watching me. He said nothing, but we were a mere foot apart. I moved out of his way so that he could go down the last stair, but he didn't. I shoved the pack of wet wipes into Zack's hands.

"Clean the rest of the paw prints. While I go get some of my stuff. Call me if you need me to grab or pick up anything."

"Alright."

"And Zack, don't let him overdo it. Do be careful, he's rather moody."

"That's just Kalib."

"Right, well, enjoy. Make sure he doesn't fall."

I slipped my flip-flops on and snagged my keys from Zack's hand before bolting out the freaking door. He was Zack's problem now for as long as it took me to get some of the stuff I would need.

The drive back to my place was about thirty minutes, but it was no big deal, just meant I would have to leave a little earlier than I already did. Opening the door and heading inside, the mess of my vase reminded me I really had to clean this up before I left. I went and hunted down the broom and dustpan before going to clean the glass up.

Mentally, I was making a note of all the things I would need to bring with me. I could stop back by when I was done with work every few days and check on things. Groaning, I packed some of my things into a suitcase I had lying around that I had bought for some holiday I never went on. I remembered to grab my housecoat and plenty of clothing, just in case. In another bag, I packed all my hair stuff, and products I would need, like soap, lotions, toothpaste and things of that nature.

When I looked at the bags I had packed, I felt like I had too much stuff. I filled one of them with work stuff alone. I debated downsizing, but I had already grabbed the bare minimum of things I would need as it was. Before loading the car, I packed a few hair clips and ties.

I took a walk through the house after getting everything into the car to make sure there wasn't anything I was forgetting. At the last minute, I tucked my phone charger into my pocket. I would definitely need that.

Locking all the windows and doors, I felt pretty good that my house was safe. No one had ever tried to break in before. But that was mostly because my house was hidden, but I was thankful for that.

Zack called when I got in the car. He asked me to get the bare minimum for groceries until Kalib and I could decide what we would both eat and would want for groceries.

The bare minimum for food turned into three hundred pretty quickly in the store because I picked up some pain creams and vitamins to help with Kalib's leg. I had told Maddy, my receptionist, to move all my appointments forward a few days and close the clinic for four days, letting everyone know there had been an emergency. But not to hesitate to call for emergency vet services if they needed it.

I barely ever closed the clinic, so this should be fine for the short time. I needed to get myself settled in Kalib's place and figure out how to start the approach of physio and such activities on his leg. After a few more days, I was going to need a new X-ray and ultrasounds of his damaged leg to really know what I was dealing with. I had the feeling a brace was going to be needed, and I knew a guy who made custom braces and supports for both human and animal patients.

Pulling into Kalib's driveway, there was another male in the doorway and Kalib was just ripping into him with his words. I tried to ignore the shit show in the doorway, but I needed through.

"Excuse me, can you step aside? I need through."

He didn't hear me at all. When I tapped him on the shoulder, he did not move. He was far too invested in arguing with Kalib. With a bag of groceries in my hand, I ducked under the man's arm and into the house.

"Cora, that was quick," Zack said, looking at me and taking the only bag of groceries I had in my hand.

"This all the groceries?" He asked.

"No, there's like six or eight more bags."

"Cora, I said basic groceries."

"They are basic."

"Uh-huh."

I turned on the ball of my foot and headed back towards the door. The male in the doorway looked like a younger, slimmer Kalib, and he had the same intense look that Kalib gave me.

"Excuse me, I have things to bring in. Please move aside."

"And if I don't." He said, smiling slyly.

"If you don't move, Grey, then I'll move you for her," Zack said, suddenly standing behind me.

"Geez Zack, this uptight for a human when you're mated sounds like——"

"Grey, shut your mouth. You know it's not like that." Kalib snapped at him.

"This human is Cora and for all intents and purposes, you can treat her like she is my sister," Zack said, in that protective older brother tone he often got over me. I sighed deeply before ducking under the male's arm again.