After completing his morning training regimen, Benjamin spent the early hours reviewing patient files for the attendants at Madam Wagner's.
Spring had finally arrived, and the air carried a crisp, fresh scent that pulled him toward the outdoors. He moved to the terrace on the second floor of his home, settling onto a folding bed layered with a thin, comfortable cushion. There, he read the second volume of a new novel until it was time to set off for his visit.
Madam Wagner ran one of the three brothels in Aster. Her brothel catered to Alphas, Omegas, and Betas alike. Because of the stigma surrounding the profession, finding medical care for brothel attendants was a constant struggle. Most doctors in Aster refused to treat them.
Benjamin's arrival had been a godsend. While most owners only requested monthly visits, Madam Wagner insisted on bi-weekly check-ups for her attendants.
"Benjamin! It's always good to see you." Madam Wagner greeted him.
"Likewise, Madam."
"Will you stay for dinner?"
"I couldn't impose," Benjamin said, waving his hands in a soft, dismissive gesture. He gave a small, humble smile.
"Ah, you know I won't let you say no." Madam Wagner had a maternal affection for Benjamin.
The attendants often whispered her history to him in confidence—a story of a woman who had survived the worst of the trade.
In her youth, she had been an attendant in a far less forgiving brothel. She had found a brief moment of hope when one of her regular customers fell in love with her. A different life seemed possible when she discovered she was pregnant. But the cruelty of her then-employer shattered any hopes she had.
To protect his "investment", the owner had ended her pregnancy against her will. The man she loved was beaten so severely he was hospitalized, and in the aftermath of the trauma and shame, he never returned.
Heartbroken but hardened, she spent years secretively hoarding every coin she earned. When she finally escaped to Aster to open her own establishment, she did so with a vow: her house would never be a cage. Unlike the other owners in the capital, she protected her attendants. But, even so, there was a limit on what she could shield them from.
While Madam Wagner went to gather the attendants, Benjamin settled into the small, clean room they had reserved for his visits. One by one, he checked each person's vitals, moving through the physical exams with a practiced, gentle efficiency.
The things he saw behind the closed doors of the examination room were often atrocious. It made no difference whether the patient was an Alpha, Omega, or Beta. He would find dark, blooming bruises, deep cuts, and teeth marks on their skin.
Benjamin felt a deep anger and disgust towards those who had inflicted these wounds. He understood the rougher edges of desire, but these marks were inflicted with cruelty and without consent.
Although he fought to maintain a neutral expression, his anger was occasionally reflected in the tightness of his jaw or the hardness of his gaze. The attendants noticed, yet they didn't fear him for it. They saw that he was angry on their behalf.
To counter the violence they endured, Benjamin was meticulously gentle. He applied cooling salves and soothing ointments on their skin, and provided modern pain relief medications and herbal tinctures.
Once a month, Benjamin managed the routine contraceptive needs for the brothel, tailoring his remedies to the specific requirements for Alphas, Omegas, and Betas.
Whenever there were special events, standard doses were not enough. On those days, he provided a more potent, fast-acting contraceptive. And today was one of those days.
"Doc, did you bring the books today?" Shan asked, her eyes brightening.
"Of course, I brought you two books. Let me know when you're finished with them or if you need any help understanding. You know where I work!" He replied with a smile.
Madam Wagner's was the only establishment that allowed Benjamin to mentor the attendants towards a path of literacy and trade. The rival brothel owners viewed Benjamin's efforts as theft and threatened any of the attendants who dared to accept his books.
"You're the best, Doc! We're so lucky to have you! Don't ever leave us okay?" Shan said, tugging at Benjamin's arm.
Please, let her be spared the worst of it today, Benjamin thought, as he injected the contraceptive into her arm.
Soon, all the attendants at Madam Wagner's had left to their various appointments, leaving only the four who had received the potent contraceptives.
Benjamin sat with them at the small dinner table, a silent observer to their resilient spirits. He listened as they talked happily, their voices light and cheery, sharing jokes and gossip as if the evening ahead wasn't a journey into something horrible. It was a practiced joy used to shield themselves from the reality of the event awaiting them tonight.
Suddenly, the front entrance of the brothel swung open with a violent bang. The laughter at the table died instantly, replaced by silence as every head turned towards the entrance.