Teacher For An Alien Doctor (Intergalactic Exchange Program #3) - Roxie Ray

Prologue

Maya

“Almost there, Dylan,” I said, forcing my voice to remain calm despite the thundering of my heart. “You doing okay?”

I glanced to the passenger seat of the transport pod that I’d borrowed from Lareis, another teacher at the elementary school. My young nephew sat there silently, his ashen face the only indication that something was wrong. If blood weren’t gushing from a cut on his forearm, soaking through the bandages I’d found in the supply closet, I would think he was perfectly fine.

Dylan nodded after a moment, and I pressed my lips together to keep from giving him the third degree about what had happened. So far, he’d refused to say. Questions could come later, though. Right now what mattered was getting him to the hospital.

I’d been on planet Hollander for ten months now, but this was the first time I’d had to go to the hospital. Fortunately, it was close to the school and fairly easy to find.

I steered the transport pod into the docking station at the hospital, never more grateful than I was now that I’d taken my friend up on her offer to learn to drive the Hollander means of transportation. Just as I found a space in the dock, a buzz sounded on the pod’s speaker, followed by Lareis’ voice.

“Maya, I’ve called ahead and let the hospital know you’re on your way. They said to go straight to the urgent care clinic.”

“Thank you so much, Lareis.” I didn’t know what I would do without her. She had been my first friend when I’d arrived on Hollander and had shown me the ropes, both in the school and out in the greater world of the magnificent planet.

“Of course,” she replied. “Keep me updated.” I caught the underlying meaning of her words. She wanted to know how in the hell Dylan had gotten such a deep wound to the arm as well.

I pushed the button to slide the top of the pod back, and then I jumped out and rounded the front of the vehicle to help Dylan out as well.

“Come on, buddy,” I said, still fighting to keep the alarm out of my voice as I saw that the bandages were now completely soaked through and dripping. “We’ll get you fixed right up.”

Dylan still didn’t speak as we rushed into the urgent care clinic of the hospital. The doors whooshed open, and a kind-looking nurse stood beside the admissions desk.

“Ms. Lane?” she asked, her silver eyes taking in the situation.

I nodded, my arm wrapped around Dylan’s shoulders, and the nurse gestured us forward. “I’ve already informed the doctor you’re on your way in. He’ll be right here.” She came toward us and smiled kindly at Dylan. “You must be Dylan, right?”

He nodded, still not speaking.

“I’m Tamir. Trust me, you’re in good hands. Dr. Soren is as good as they come.”

Well, that was good news, at least. Some of the tension drained from my shoulders as Tamir led us to the front desk and went around behind it to begin checking us in. She was so calm and collected that I wondered if perhaps I was overreacting to the situation. But another glance at Dylan’s bleeding arm had my nerves on edge once more.

Dylan wasn’t just my nephew, but my charge. I’d been given custody of him nine months ago, and I took my responsibility very seriously. I was the only family he had left in the entire universe. It killed me to know that something like this had happened to him, even if it was an accident.

“Dr. Hollander, there you are. This is the patient I messaged you about.”

At the sound of Tamir’s voice, I spun around. Then I froze, my jaw dropping slightly, because standing there in the doorway was not only the most attractive man I’d ever seen in my entire life, but he also happened to be one of the Hollander princes.

Long, silky, pale gold hair, shining silver eyes that were the trademark of the Hollanders, and gleaming golden skin gave him the appearance of being more god than man. My already thrumming heart jumped from a canter to a full-on gallop as his eyes locked on mine, and I felt the strangest sensation in my stomach, as if a thousand tiny butterflies had taken flight.

What the hell?

Quickly, I averted my gaze, wrapping an arm tighter around Dylan, trying to maintain my focus despite the overwhelming presence of this man.

“Dylan, is it?” he said, striding toward us, and I had to fight to keep