Chapter 36
(Patrick’s POV)
It doesn’t take long to cross the land in between the dining hall and the medical wing of the pack house. Jamison’s walking has improved so I’m not quite as worried about a concussion as Demetri is but the kid is still sporting a really nasty cut over his eye that’s still worth looking at.
He’s been quiet the whole time walking, looking at the ground. He’s keeping pace with me but also staying a respectful two steps behind me, which tells me I’m a higher rank than him. Something I’ll ask about later if Dr. Morrison doesn’t.
“Here.”
I speak for the first time since leaving the dining hall as I open the door to the medical wing. I’m not much of a talker either, at least not with those I’ve just met.
He steps inside ahead of me but stops about four feet away waiting for me to show the way. We get about halfway down the hall when I spot Dr. Pierce.
“Angela, are you busy?”
“A little Pat but how can I help you?”
“Demetri sent me over here with Jamison. He wants Jamie checked over. He was in a nasty fight with his pack mate, Dallas. He’s the worst of the four that got into it. He’s also wanting to check on Cole.”
“I didn’t think Cole had any friends in his pack.”
She states as we’ve walked closer to the door she’s getting ready to enter. He’s quiet and submissive when he speaks.
“Cole isn’t allowed to have friends but that doesn’t stop me from caring about him.”
“That’s sad to hear. This is his room. He’s hit the call button so I got Dr. Morrison to take Jessa’s last appointment for the day so I can check on him. There’s another bed in here that I can use to examine you so you can come in. Just keep it quiet as we’re trying to keep stimulus at a minimum. We’re struggling to break the anxiety cycle that’s fueling his asthma. He’s worse than Damian at this point Pat.”
I nod my head slowly as we step into the room.
“What’s your name again?”
“Jamison but I prefer Jamie.”
“All right Jamie. I need you to head to the bathroom on the right side of the room. Wash the blood from your face and hands so I can see the extent of your injuries. When you come out, take your shirt off and sit on the bed.”
He heads quietly to the bathroom while Angela heads to Cole. I watch her lean over him and speak directly into his ear. It seems he’s asking for help using the bathroom as his hand keeps pointing at the container hanging off the side of his bed.
She walks over to the curtain and draws it closed. It takes several minutes but it’s not long before Angela is bringing a container to the bathroom to dump as Jamie leaves. We make our way to the bed at the same time from opposite directions as Dr. Pierce washes her hands before putting gloves on.
“So getting into a fight on your first day here? You know that’s the fastest way to get disqualified from the program, yes?”
“Yes ma’am.” The young man sighs.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty.”
“And your rank?”
“Delta.”
“Okay. So, obviously you’ve been through the usual standard physicals and ones after injury so you’re aware that there’s a lot of touching of injured areas.”
“Yes ma’am. It’s not my first time in a fight with Dallas.”
“What I like to do is start with the lesser injured areas and work to the harder ones to handle. Patrick, can you link with Demetri? Immediately speaking he’s going to need stitches and he’s better at distracting than you are.”
I call on my wolf to form a link with Demetri. I’m relieved to find out that he was headed over to Cole’s room as we’re speaking to check on him. Although it’s not what he wanted, Jamie being in the same room makes things a bit easier on him.
As I’m speaking to Demetri I can hear Angela instructing Jamison on what she needs him to do. First examining his hands before looking at his chest and abdomen. His cooperation with Dr. Pierce is completely opposite from what little I saw of Cole.
I’m coming out of the link as Demetri walks into the room and Angela has started on Jaimison’s face. Demetri walks straight to Cole, pulling the curtain back and leaning over the young man as he runs his hand through his hair. I look back to Dr. Pierce and Jamie and notice that he’s watching Demetri’s interaction with Cole quite intensely.
A sudden yelp from Jamie startles me but it’s Cole’s reaction that catches the attention of all of us. Not only does Cole startle but he growls with more energy than he’s had all day, stopping Demetri in his tracks. Demetri cocks his head to one side as he listens to Cole before turning around and heading back to him.
“Angela, hold your exam for a minute.”
“It’s already done. He’s bruised up decently. Nothing his wolf can’t handle in a day or two but the laceration above his eye goes down to the bone and is approximately an inch and a half which is why I recommend stitches.”
Demetri has leaned over Cole again speaking to him. It doesn’t take long for Cole’s growling to slowly diminish.
“Can I talk to him, Alpha?”
“He does seem to know you. He’s even protective of you. You can come over for a minute. It will reassure him of what we’re doing when we start doing the lidocaine shots to numb that cut over your eye.”
“Shots?”
Jamison sounds nervous about the shots, but then again it does hurt to have a needle poking around a fresh wound. He slides off the table and walks quietly over to Cole.
(Demetri‘s POV)
I step into Cole’s room quietly. I’m not too happy with Patrick when I told him to get with Kathy over Angela but I’ll deal with that later. I glance over at the table that the young man is perched on. He’s the polar opposite of Cole. Easily moving through the minor exam with ease.
I immediately walk over to Cole. My intentions with the abused wolf hasn’t changed much despite the disturbing rumors that he has raped his future luna or that he’s raping little kids. I’m finding it difficult to believe that a wolf who’s shown me a gentleness that no wolf, outside my own children, has shown me during this extremely vulnerable time would be capable of such violence. The harshness of these rumors are beginning to make me think of family scapegoat abuse. Only it seems to have bled over into most of his pack.
I slip one hand into his while I gently run my other hand through his hair trying to wake him as gently as I can. He startles badly despite my efforts. Gasping hard as he becomes aware of my presence, he squeezes my hand hard as I feel his body begin to shake.
“Hey Cole, what’s going on? I haven’t felt you shake like this since this morning.”
He opens his mouth but closes it without saying anything.
“Relax with me Cole. I’m going to check on this nebulizer. If it’s done I’ll change you to just oxygen.”
I walk away to where the nebulizer is hooked up and turn it off when I see the medication is gone. I switch the oxygen over to the cannula and walk back over to Cole. He’s already trying to get the mask off but seems to be getting frustrated with his struggle.
“Easy there Cole. I got you.”
I gently place a hand upon his to calm his struggles with the mask before gently pulling it off of him.
“Thank... you”
He speaks breathlessly. He opens his eyes and watches my movements as I place the oxygen cannula under his nose.
“Are you doing okay?”
He nods his head slowly before pointing subtly towards Jamison.
“Are you okay with him being here?”
“Will... you.... let... me.... see him?”
“You know him? Is he a friend?”
I’m shocked that he was telling me the truth about his concerns for Cole. He gives me a thumbs up confirming my questions.
“Okay, let me go check on how far Angela is on her exam of him.”
Just as I turn around a head towards the other young man I startle when he yelps. I pause my movements even longer when I hear a quiet but persistent growl emanating from the young man behind me. I immediately turn and make my way back to Cole.
“You’re protective of him.”
I state in a shocked whisper that he had found someone in the pack worth protecting.
“Don’t..... hurt.... him.... He’s.... more.... brother..... then…. my….. family.”
“It’s not purposeful Cole. Angela is examining him because he ended up in a nasty fight and it looks like he’s going to need stitches. Relax, okay. I’ll let him come talk to you in a minute.”
I stand briefly and look towards Jamison.
“Can I talk to him, Alpha?”
“He does seem to know you. He’s even protective of you. You can come over for a minute. It will reassure him of what we’re doing when we start doing the lidocaine shots to numb that cut over your eye.”
“Shots?”
Jamison sounds nervous as he slides off the table and walks over to Cole.
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