Chapter 58
I ride in the back of the ambulance with Jamison strapped to the gurney. The young wolf is looking bad but seems, overall, to be handling it well. His eyes are swollen shut at this point so I’m making certain I talk to him and keep him calm. His lack of response ever since we got off the elevator is concerning me.
To my relief Angela is waiting for us as Jessa pulls the ambulance up to the door. We get Jamie out and quickly into Cole’s room where Jessa immediately goes to the cabinet and starts getting an IV kit. By the time we get Jamie transferred to the other bed she’s come back over.
I back off to give the ladies space to work as Angela cuts Jamie’s clothes off, leaving him clad only in his boxers as Jessa wraps a band around his arm. His continued lack of response to the uncomfortable band reinforces my concern for him.
Jessa makes quick work of the IV, getting pain medication and saline started as Kathy enters the room.
“The scanner is ready when you are.”
“Excellent.”
I hear Angela comment before unlocking the bed and moving it towards the door. I decide to stay with Cole while his friend is in the scanner.
His numbers are holding steady except for his temperature.
Angela has started heating the saline in an effort to raise his internal body temperature. The debridement surgery took a heavy toll on Cole and his temperature had dipped to 99 degrees by the time we were done when he had been holding 101 before the surgery. I run my hand through his hair as I lean over him. He appears to be in a very peaceful sleep as I whisper in his ear.
“Cole, if you can hear me squeeze my hand.”
I slip my hand into his as I sit on the side of the bed. He’s leaning his chest against the heated pillow. I can easily feel the gentle heat radiating off the one against his back. I can’t help but smile when I feel a slow gentle pressure on my hand from his.
“So you are awake.” I speak gently but at a normal volume.
“Barely.” He whispers back.
I run my hand gently through his hair as I speak to him again.
“I’m sorry Cole. By the time I understood your concern and decided he wasn’t going to stay at the prospect dorms they had already gotten to him. Jamie is going to the scanner now and will be staying here for the night.”
“Put him with me, Alpha. The bed is big enough for two.”
“Are you sure that’s the best thing to do?”
“I need the heat, he needs the safety.”
“Okay. Just for tonight.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Believing me. He linked me. He’s never been restrained while in a fight. He was scared. He thought they were going to kill him. He told me that you were carrying him downstairs before he blacked out.”
“I had a feeling he lost consciousness. It’s hard to tell with both his eyes swollen like they are. While everything is quiet and private, I’d like to check on the catheter I put in a little while ago. I’m going to roll you over so your back is on this other pillow.”
It’s as I wrap my arm around his chest to help him roll that his demeanor completely changes, going from very relaxed and cooperative to terrified. I can feel his body shake as he leans into my arm trying his hardest to stay off his back. He whispers lowly as his hands ball into fists around the pillow he’s laying on.
“Please, don’t cath me. Please Alpha, they always hurt me.”
I get close enough to him to hear what he’s saying and it’s easy to recognize that he doesn’t understand what I need to do. I lower my body close to him as I start rubbing the back of his head. I’m pleasantly surprised when his whining stops and he relaxes slightly.
“Cole.” I pause for a moment trying to figure out how to explain what happened in his sleep.
“Cole, you were still very sedated two hours after the surgery and I found that your bladder was very full so we put the catheter in about an hour ago. I held to my word as long as possible and waited until it was necessary. As soon as you’re awake enough to use the bathroom regularly, we will remove it. All I want to do right now is to make sure it’s still in its proper place. The fact that you don’t know it’s even there is a very good sign as they are not supposed to be painful when placed correctly.”
“It’s already inside me?”
He whispers as he starts to understand what I need from him isn’t going to cause him pain.
“I’m sorry you weren’t awake when I did it but I think that was the better way for it to go.”
He nods his head slowly as I position my arm across his chest again.
“Move with me, Cole. I just need a quick peek to make certain it’s not causing you any issues. Then I can get some formula for the tube. I don’t think you’re quite awake enough to even drink the soup right now.”
“Alpha, I don’t feel very good. I don’t want the formula.”
This gets me on alert as he’s been stomaching the tube feedings extremely well most of the day.
“Let me check your chart. It’s possible Angela may have missed a dose of the anti nausea medicine we’ve been giving you with the formula.”
“Medicine?” I hear him ask as I help him roll to his back.
“I thought we told you we were going to start you on that.”
“You asked if she had anything for it.”
“I’m sorry. I thought you knew we were giving you something to calm your stomach.”
I speak honestly as I run my hand through his hair. His eyes are closed and his breathing is finally calm enough that he’s talking in normal sentences. Once he’s comfortable with his position I do a quick check over his body before covering him back up. I start my walk over to the counter in the room when I’m stopped by my little girl’s voice.
“Daddy? Daddy, where are you?”
Her tiny voice trembles as she searches for me. I make my way to the open door and step into the hall.
“Lynnie baby, what are you doing up?”
I speak soft and calm considering the fear I hear in her voice. She stops and turns to face me, with tears streaming down her face.
“Oh Madilyn, what’s wrong?”
I wrap my hands around her and pick her up as she breaks down in sobs. She wraps her arms around me as she buries her face into my neck.
“I don’t…. know…. I’m sorry….. I should….. sleep but….. I don’t feel…. good…. All day….. just feels….. bad.”
My little angel hiccups through her tears trying to tell me how she’s feeling.
“I’m sorry Lynnie. I know today has been a rough day for all of us.”
I try to calm her as I rub her back gently. I head back inside Cole’s room since Jamie isn’t out of the scanner yet. I turn on the lights near the cabinet so I can read any notes made by Angela. I want to make keeping an eye on Cole, and now Jamie, as simple for Alpha Caspian as I can.
With the slow progress I’ve made with Cole I don’t want introducing a new nurse into the mix to result in a backslide. I feel Madilyn lift her head as I walk through the room.
“Is that a warrior?” She whispers in awe.
“Yes, Lynnie. His name is Cole, he’s an alpha like us. He came here in really bad shape and we’ve been helping him get better.”
I try to explain things simply so that she understands. I sit her down on the counter and grab her a tissue for her nose. She blows gently into the tissue before I throw it away and guide her through washing and drying her hands before doing the same.
I start pulling vials of medication out of the cabinet. It looks like he’s due for quite a few at eight o’clock and nothing looks to be marked off as done.
I pull several syringes out of the cabinet next and start loading the dosages listed on his chart. I do a quick link to Angela to verify if anything has already been given to Cole and what medications she wants for Jamie when he gets out of the scanner. I start dropping the syringes into the container on the counter, Lynnie watching with wide eyes.
“He’s getting all those shots daddy?”
Fear has crept back into her voice.
“Yes baby. He’s on a lot of medication right now but one of these is for his friend.”
“His friend is hurt too?” She asks sadly.
“His name is Jamie. I think he said he’s a delta but the aura I felt from him is clearly beta. Unfortunately, Jamison’s pack mates decided to punish him for something he didn’t do. So he’s going to stay the night with Cole and hopefully we will get him back to his room tomorrow afternoon.”
“What’s going to happen to his pack mates?”
“They are staying the night in the cellar tonight. Since I caught them in the act, they will receive physical punishment before going home tomorrow. I don’t tolerate wolves beating up on others.”
“Oh. Daddy please don’t give Cole so many shots. They hurt me when I get them. They scare me. Please don’t hurt him. He’s scared. I can feel it.”