Beast Denied Read Online Free PDF

something Naomi ever intended having for herself. At least that was a choice. One of her own making. So many other choices had been ripped from her. But she’d dealt with them, had forged a worthwhile life for herself.
    “All done.” Smiling, Naomi snapped off the gloves. “I’ll leave you to get dressed. Take a seat when you’re ready.”
    Naomi dropped the gloves in the bin, washed her hands and went outside. She walked to the reception desk, where one of the practice nurses was peering at the computer screen with a puzzled look on her face.
    “Something wrong?”
    The nurse glanced up. “System’s on a go-slow. I keep getting this fuzzy screen and then all the data flashes. It’s all out of sequence. Think I’ll close it down and try again.”
    “Good idea. Did the vaccine come in for the winter flu jabs?”
    “Yes. I’ve stored it away. Oh, and Mr. Lox just canceled. Said his leg is much better and he wouldn’t need the appointment after all.”
    “Okay. I’ll pop by tomorrow morning anyway, just to check on him. I’m going to finish up here and then take off for the evening. Don’t hesitate—”
    “To call if we need you.”
    Naomi gave a wry smile. “The curse of being predictable.”
    Back in her surgery, Naomi found Talia checking her phone. “What are we like? Two bloody workaholics.”
    Talia shook her head. “No rest, and all that. Missing tourist.” Her job as reporter on the local newspaper kept her busy, especially this time of year when darkness fell fast over the moor, often taking the intrepid winter campers by surprise.
    “Do you have to go in?” Naomi asked. “I was hoping we could grab a drink. My last appointment just canceled.”
    “That’d be good. They’re only keeping me up to speed. Debbie’s handling the preliminaries.”
    “I’ll finish up here. Mind waiting?”
    “Fine by me. I’ll just sit here and watch you work.”
    Naomi picked up her prescription pad. “I’ll give you an ongoing prescription until your next checkup’s due. If you notice anything unusual…spotting, discharge…that kind of thing, come back in and I’ll check you over.”
    “Great. Thanks.” Talia folded the prescription and popped it into her bag. “Do you know, you’re the only one who doesn’t keep asking me when Caleb and I are planning to start our family. And you’re my doctor.”
    “That’s your business. Although, pack members can be forgiven for asking, seeing as you’re our leader’s wife. People think producing heirs is your primary function now. Well, that, and keeping a smile on the face of our leader.”
    Talia’s smile was sly and not a little smug. “One out of two achieved, then.”
    A sudden pang of deep regret that she would never find herself in Talia’s shoes hit Naomi full center. It happened like that sometimes. She’d learned to navigate the pain by focusing on what she had. Which was so much. Her grandfather, her friends, her career. The freedom, finally, to make her own choices, her own decisions. It should be enough for any woman. She’d make sure it was enough for her.
    She plastered on a smile. “If you’re going to brag all evening, I’m going to retract my drink invite.”
    Part of her wanted to do that anyway. Despite her mental pep talk, the mention of producing heirs had suddenly dampened Naomi’s mood to socialize.
    Not that Talia seemed to notice. “Why don’t we discuss your love life for a change?”
    Naomi kept the smile in place. “That’ll take all of two minutes. Actually, even that’s stretching it a bit. How long does it take to say, zilch , nada , nothing doing ?”
    “Maybe you should think about rectifying that. Do you still have that thing going with Nathan?”
    Naomi slipped her work coat off the hook, unable to regret confiding in her friend, but wondering if maybe it would have been best keeping it to herself. “We scratch each other’s itch from time to time.”
    “You don’t feel anything for him?”
    Naomi