The Mad Alpha

Chapter 3 - Therapy

October 1, 2015. Grimstone Asylum, Northern Pack Lands.

"When did these hallucinations start?" Dr. Victoria questioned me.

"Mid of last month. After I killed that man."

"Did you have hallucinations prior to that incident?"

I shook my head, "No. Never."

She jotted something down on her notepad and glanced up at me. I could already feel a hundred more questions coming up for the initial assessment. She had already been here for an hour.

"Tell me something, Fallon. Have you ever experienced blackouts or memory loss prior to this event?"

I hesitated, my thoughts mixing up. "There were times," I began slowly. "times when I would wake up in places I didn't remember going to. Though, it was always in my wolf form."

"How often did these occurrences happen?" She questioned me and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Once in a few months, I guess."

"And these places, were they familiar to you?"

"No, they were unknown areas. It happened back in college. I thought it was just stress, or exhaustion. I was studying hard and partying hard too. Maybe it was just one of those hangover blackouts." I explained and Dr. Victoria wrote something down again.

"Fallon," She looked up at me once more. "Do you shift easily?"

"Yes."

"Have you had any violent encounters with another wolf previously?"

"No, no one else," I shook my head quick and hard. "It was just that night, that guy, he shifted and he attacked me."

"Do you remember that night well?"

"Very well."

"Any parts you may have forgotten?"

"No, nothing. I remember him, everything that happened and then I remember burying him. I was scared that I had killed him, and I was scared that someone would find him." I heaved out a breath as I recalled the night in Hollow Point. I hadn't visited the forest since then.

"Do you see this man often?" Dr. Victoria's question cut through my thoughts.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, the image of the wolf's lifeless face flashing in my mind. "Yes. I used to see him all the time."

"In his wolf or human form?"

"Human form."

"When was the last time you had seen him?"

"Almost six nights ago, when I was walking back home. I saw him out of the corner of my eye, near my home and when I looked back, it was dark but I felt he was there. I was tired, scared and I had this pocket knife with me which I used." I paused, the memory vivid and haunting. Dr. Victoria patiently waited for me to continue. "I stabbed him, over and over again until I realized it wasn't Dom Sterling."

"Have you seen him since then?"

"No. I spent two nights in jail—I hadn't seen him or even when I came back home."

She leaned back, her expression changing slightly. "This is significant, Fallon. The fact you haven't seen him since that night may indicate that your mind is beginning to process and perhaps reconcile with the trauma. However, it's also concerning that you reacted violently due to a hallucination. It shows how real these visions are to you and how they're affecting your behavior."

A wave of guilt went through me as I nodded, "I never wanted to hurt anyone. I thought it was him, the man I killed. I thought he came back for me and until I didn't do anything, he wouldn't leave me alone."

"That's a common reaction to traumatic stress. The brain creates scenarios that may seem very real to you. It's a defense mechanism, though a dangerous one. We need to work on identifying these hallucinations and learn to differentiate between reality and fiction,"

She closed her notepad and leaned forward, "Fallon, I'm going to prescribe you a mild sleeping medication that will help you sleep throughout the night for now. Any further medication, Dr. Frost will decide depending on the review of your case. If I may ask, have you shifted since the incident?"

"No,"

"It is crucial to remain connected with your wolf form during such stressful times. Shifting will help you relax and it will help us determine whether there's a disorder within your wolf form or not. Grimstone Asylum allows shifts outdoors, however, with supervision. So, Fallon, from tomorrow, I'd like for you to shift and connect with your wolf. There are a few activities scheduled outdoors in which you can participate. I'll speak to Dr. Frost and arrange a schedule for you."

She stood up after that, signaling the end of our session. She had noted down my entire life in that notepad, from my family to my friends, to my academics, to the trainings I've completed, and the boys I've dated.

Everything.

"We'll meet again in a couple of days. Dr. Frost will come later in the day to discuss your medications and schedule." She walked toward the door of my room and opened it up.

I gave her a small smile before she left my room. I sat there, contemplating everything that I had just said to her. It wasn't the first time. I had been questioned multiple times by different officers and detectives regarding the murders I had done.

I told them the exact same thing.

Taking a deep breath, I pushed my shoulders back and got up. The room wasn't big, it was small, I barely took any steps till I reached the door and then back. My bags had been bought up earlier but I didn't have the energy to unpack.

I moved toward the window which was barred with iron rods. It had a limited view of the asylum grounds but I could see the patients moving around, some were shifted and some were in their human forms.

As I gazed out, my eyes were drawn to the line of trees bordering the property. There, I saw something—a shadow that caught my attention.

My heart skipped a beat.

No.

It was just a shadow. Not Dom—he's dead.

I pressed my forehead against the cool glass, trying to focus. The figure remained still, almost as if it were watching the asylum, watching me. It didn't move, not at all.

I turned around and blinked tightly before looking again.

Then, it was gone.

Read 20+ chapters ahead on Inkitt or Patreon:

Inkitt: www.inkitt.com/miakerr

Patreon: www.patreon.com/miakerr