Chapter 123
I can hear the motor to the nebulizer start up as the hiss from the flowing air gets closer to the phone. It only takes a moment before I can hear him whimper and fight against the mask.
“Cole, stop fighting Angela. I know it’s difficult for you but you need to calm down and allow the medication to work.”
“Thank you, Demetri.” Angela speaks to the phone.
“I’m guessing the phone is close enough for Cole to hear me if he responded that quickly.”
“Yes dear. You’re on speaker phone so he can hear you but he’s still really tense and shaking badly. Angela is holding the nebulizer mask to his face right now. He keeps trying to fight it even though he’s wheezing badly.”
“I’m not surprised. Considering how bruised his face is now I imagine strapping even the foam lined mask to him would cause pain. Plus when he’s panicking everything becomes confining. Cole, I need you to listen to me son.” I pause a moment before continuing. ”You have done nothing wrong. Do not fear Lilly or Angela. Do not fight them. All they want is to calm and comfort you. I’m much too angry with Lucas to do that for you but I will be up later. I’ll spend some time with you once I calm down.”
I cringe as I hear him yelp before hearing Angela talking to him.
“I’d like to get you a milligram of Ativan. Can you hold the mask? I don’t want to strap it to you.”
“What’s going on down there with you?” I hear Lilly sigh heavily.
“Things have calmed down a bit. Lucas finally submitted to the fact that he’s not leaving the table until I take him upstairs to his room which allowed Patrick and Parker to go check on the prospects. He’s refusing to give me the information that I’m demanding so I’m trying to work out what I’m going to do with him. Damian is still at the table. He cleared everything but his brother’s plate and started the dishwasher. I’m not certain if he is texting or playing games but he’s still here.”
I can hear Angela’s footsteps after several minutes of her opening and closing cabinets before talking again.
“Lilly, can you show Cole this medication? Show him the back so he can verify that it’s not opened as well as the dosage. Then push it through the foil and see if he’ll allow you to put it in his mouth.”
I’ve gone silent momentarily.
“It seems like he’s calmed down a lot since you got me on the phone.”
“His cooperation has increased. He’s actually holding the mask to his face right now. Cole, are you ready for the Ativan?”
Lilly goes silent as she works with Cole.
“Demetri, when he got to the top of the steps with Madilyn and Angela, he begged me to tell you not to physically punish Lucas. That no one deserves to go through that. What did he tell you?”
I sigh heavily knowing he would make such a request after telling us about his experience with Olivia.
“His pack’s discipline structure is very different from ours. There’s no mercy or consideration towards age or rank. It doesn’t surprise me that he would make such a request. I can’t promise that I won’t physically punish Lucas, as the information that Cole provided me is extremely dangerous for the girl involved but I am going to give Lucas the opportunity to avoid it. I’m sorry Cole. I don’t expect you to understand but that’s the best I can do. Let me know when he’s asleep. I’ll bring Lucas up and then grab you and Angela. We will all meet downstairs in the common room to discuss what happened.”
“I’ll see you in a little while then.”
She hangs up shortly after but I’m not satisfied. Far from it really. I have a wolf enduring immense physical and mental pain due to the abuse of his own pack and because he is rumored to be a pedophile my own son enacts his own justice while doing the very same thing. I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do with Lucas but I’m distracted by the painful knots that are forming in my stomach.
“Lucas, Damian. I wanted to wait it out until he’s asleep but I don’t think that’s going to work out. Lucas, you will enter the room and either stay by the door or sit on the couch. I don’t want to hear a thing from you. Understood.”
“Yes sir.” He replies lazily. I stand from the table and start making my way upstairs.
I hear Lilly talking to Cole as I walk by the door.
“The inside of my wrist is the second strongest location for scent. As luna of my pack my scent will provide comfort and security to you. Take my hand in yours so you can adjust my position for the most effect on you.”
I cringe as he yelps several more times. I enter my room quickly going straight to my bathroom and make it just in time to hurl dinner into the commode.
“Dad?” I hear Damian’s voice wavering in my doorway.
“I’m okay.” I pant unconvincingly as I look at him from the floor.
“I’ve never seen you throw up because of a wolf in distress before.”
“It’s been a long time since it’s happened honestly. I seem to have had a delayed reaction to Cole’s condition because I certainly didn’t feel like this the first night he came.”
“Could it be because he’s getting worse?”
“I don’t know but I don’t want to stay here too long. He needs me.”
Damian reaches out to take my hand, pulling me up off the ground. I quickly brush my teeth before grabbing the Zofran and Ativan I’m in need of and popping both into my mouth. We head back to Cole’s room and slowly enter to Angela’s voice.
“Take Lilly’s hand Cole. This is going to be rough but it should provide about eight hours of pain relief so you can sleep.”
“What are you planning to do?” I ask.
“The amount of pain he’s in from this burn is extreme enough that I’d like to use a local anesthetic to numb it. I’d like to plan to have him in a medicated bath tomorrow morning and we need to get him back on IV antibiotics.”
I sigh as I take a few steps towards the bed.
“Really dad. Why do I have to be here?”
“Lucas, you have been given your instructions. While I was planning on waiting until after he was asleep to come in here, I can feel the amount of stress and pain he’s going through. You will silence yourself or pay the consequences.”
I snap at Lucas as Lilly starts moving around behind Cole.
“Don’t Lilly, you're just about perfect.”
I’m trying hard to soften my voice as he whimpered when I first came into the room.
“It’s a lot to ask of you but I need you to stay still. If you don’t think you can then it may be best if I use a soft restraint on just this injured leg.”
“Let’s slow down Angela. I know I said I’d come up after he’s asleep but my intuitive side is violently disagreeing.”
“What does that mean?” I bite back the growl threatening to escape from Lucas’s blatant disregard for my instructions.
“It means he threw up dinner and took a bunch of medication.” Damian snaps as Patrick enters the room.
“It’s been a long time since that’s happened, boss.”
“I’m sorry.” Cole whispers.
“Don’t be, Cole. I know what we both need, that’s why I’m here. Damian, I need you to hold Madilyn while I hold Cole.”
I pick her soundly sleeping body up out of the bed as Damian starts towards us.
“Would you like me to take her to bed?”
“No Day, I think Cole having her for the night again will help him to relax. He can also address any cramping if she gets any during the night. She has pre-k in the morning so I’ll stop in and get her back to her room for that.”
I nod my head as Lilly explains her decision and fortunately, Lucas keeps his mouth shut as Damian takes Madilyn from me. I sit on the bed, taking a deep, calming breath as Cole tries to back away. I kick my shoes off before lifting my feet up onto the bed.
“Stay still Cole. I’m going to lay with you like I did when we did the IV.”
He whimpers softly but makes no further attempts to move. I lay on my side, making myself comfortable, edging myself closer to his trembling body.
“Cole, it’s important for you to understand who I am as an alpha, how I work. I will never punish you for doing as I’ve asked you. Even when you struggle to comply, I will encourage you not punish you. You will never be punished for asking questions and I will always answer your questions to the best of my ability. I do not over react.
If you are doing something wrong, then I will correct you. My corrections are not punishments rather they are guidance towards what I expect or need. Things that are done correctly will be praised and encouraged.”
He’s breathing in pants by the time I’ve gotten close to him.
“Lift your head Cole. I’m going to slide my arm underneath so I can get you into a hug.”
He complies with only a little hesitation this time, settling into my arm the best he can.
“Alpha please, I can’t handle what Dr. Pierce wants to do.”
He whispers near my ear.
“If you're in enough pain for Angela to propose this level of pain relief, I think it’s worth trying. Don’t you?”
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