Reborn as a Side Character in the Beastworld

Chapter Seventy-one+

We stayed until the female regained consciousness. When she did, her mates frantically held her and her cubs close while Harvey and I quietly left.

Exhausted, I laid flat on Harvey's back the whole way home. I shivered a little as the sweat evaporated from my skin. Instead of heading back to the clinic, Harvey took us straight to the hot spring where we could clean ourselves of dried blood and other things. I took the time to soak, and the warmth felt like my soul coming back.

When I was clean, Harvey and I went up to my bedroom. I laid down on the thin but wide mattress and placed my arm over my eyes.

In truth, this wasn't the first time I had done CPR. It just wasn't during this lifetime. As a human, I once had a client bleed out on a bathroom floor of my office building due to complications from a botched abortion. Like the fox, she survived but there had been an ambulance to call and a hospital waiting. The other time was when a drug deal had gone bad and a young man was left bleeding on my home street from a gunshot wound. I and other good Samaritans did CPR until the ambulance arrived but unfortunately, he had not survived.

Though I hadn't started trying to help people with their ailments in this life until after I regained my memories, I thought I was used to death by now. Beastmen die every day from large things like beast tides to small things like eating toxic plants on accident. Death was always a companion to our lives in this world. But today made me realize just how taxing it was for me to fight against it day after day.

"Harvey? How do you do it? How can you stand to be a healer when you know you can't save everyone? The medicines are so limited here. What if I couldn't revive that female today? Her mates would have been crushed. Her cubs would have never known their mother. I just-" I choked. My emotions and the stress of the day were getting the better of me.

Harvey shifted and laid down next to me, stroking my hair. "My sweet Bailey, healers aren't gods. We can't save everyone, and we accept that fact but that doesn't mean we stop trying. That's what the ape who taught me used to say. And that's what I tell myself every day. But since you came into my life, with your knowledge, I have been able to save far more beasts than I could've alone. It's days like today I wonder if you aren't a god yourself. You were amazing."

I looked at him and said flatly, "We were lucky."

He gave me soft smile and shrugged, "Luck is a god's favor."

I sat up and looked my leopard straight in his blue eyes, "I think you are more amazing than any deity. I don't think I could do what you do every day."

He pulled me back down so my head was pillowed by his chest as he continued to stroke my hair, "Nor would I want you too. I want you to enjoy your days free of worry. Leave the heavy stuff to me. I only ask that you teach me. What you did today. What was it?"

"It's called CPR. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. You use it only if a heart has stopped working. You have to press just enough to get past the center chest bone which often breaks when done correctly. The rhythm and pressure of your hands circulates the blood through the body until the heart decides to start beating on its own again. But it doesn't always work and it's not always permanent. We saved that female today, but her heart might not fully recover. I don't know if she'll have complications in the future."

He kissed my forehead. "I'm sure she and her mates are prepared for that. They've already lived longer than other beasts who don't have access to emeralds. This birth was unexpected, but that female will never go into heat again. This will be her last litter. If she eats well and doesn't strain herself, she may live to see them grown. You don't need to bear the weight of their fates on your shoulders."

Love and admiration for my healer mate filled me and I snuggled closer to his chest. Harvey worked so hard for others and since working with him, I thought it a miracle how he hadn't burned out yet. He may be the weakest fighter among my mates, but his heart was one of the strongest. How Bai never recognized that in the novel was beyond me.

I wanted to help him and continue to work by his side, but I didn't think my own heart could take much more. I was someone who couldn't help but feel like other people's fates were somehow my responsibility. Understanding this part of myself, I understood it was time for me to step away from the role of nurse. Seeing the three cubs that might have grown without a mother made me reflect on how little time I'd been spending with my own cub. I wanted to be with Kit. Wanted to share in the moments of his youth. Wanted to make sure he knew he was loved. If I could allow myself to step away from healing, my capable mate would still be just fine. I could continue to trust that he would always do what he could with the knowledge I gave him and still manage to find the time to be mine.

And then I realized there was someone else needed to know how I felt.

"Harvey."

"Hmm?" He asked, peppering my hair with kisses.

"I love you."

He stilled and after a moment I looked to see if something was wrong. When I looked up, tears were streaming down his perfectly gentle face. When he noticed me watching those glittering jewels fall, he searched my eyes before looking lower to my lips and capturing them with his own.

It was gentle and soft with the slightly salty taste of his tears and the smallest brush of tongue. It lasted a long while and when he finally pulled away, he held my face in his hands and said, "Bailey. I love you with my entire being. Thank you for being you. For being someone who never gives up, like today. Thank you for not giving up on me."

I smiled at him and he returned the expression. My other mates must have gotten the memo somehow as they did not disturb us as I spent some much needed quality time in the gentle embrace of my leopard. We did not separate until the next morning. 

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Note from the author,

Hi everyone!
We made it to chapter 70!!! Holy moly! 

I know the recent chapters have been pretty heavy. As you have noticed, I do not post trigger warnings since this novel is already rated mature and for readers 18+. I apologize if some chapters came on a bit strong. I'll lighten things up a bit with the coming ones. 

I also wanted to give a shoutout to the silent readers. If you have gotten this far, even if you haven't 'liked' the chapters, I appreciate you taking the time to read Bailey's story. <3

I also wanted to let my readers know that a fan has asked for permission to translate the story into Spanish! I of course granted permission and you can find the first chapters of her work under my page. After that, the translator will be posting the chapters on their own wattpad page. Please check it out!  https://www.wattpad.com/user/Azeneth2523

With much love,

KT