I take the hand he’s reached out to me. It takes a lot of effort but with a long groan from me, he pulls me into a sitting position. “Once you’re cleaned up, I need to go through your hair and find that laceration of yours. Once I find it I will need to cut the hair around it to get a good view. If it’s long but not too deep then I can use surgical glue to close it but I’d still encourage using the lidocaine shots to numb it as the glue burns when it’s first put on. It’s late but I don’t think Angela has gone to bed yet so I’m going to get her help with this. I think you’re a little too shaken up from that dream to try to handle everything on your own.” I nod my head slowly agreeing to the plan, standing shortly after he does. “It wasn’t a dream.” I whisper, instantly regretting my admittance. “It didn’t seem like it was. Do you want to talk about it?” I shake my head slowly waiting for him to start towards the door. “I don’t want to remember alpha. It hurts to remember.” I whis
“Try to relax Cole. You can close your eyes if that helps but it’s important that you still listen.” I try to reassure him as I place my hand over his eyes forcing him to close them. He’s stiff but silent as I speak again. “This is going to be a medicated bath.” He gives a single, short but soft whine to the idea. “Which is why it’s important that you follow my directions. I want you to wait until the tub is filled enough for the water to hit the cuts on your shins. Step in but do not sit. Give yourself a minute to feel the water. If it’s too hot, adjust the water. If it causes the cuts on your legs to sting or burn, you need to get out so I can put more medication in it.” He takes a deep breath as I move my hand away from his eyes. “This is not a lie or a trick. This bath is supposed to be comforting, soothing to your skin and body. Just like the soap and cloth I’m going to use. Do you understand your instructions?” “Yes sir.” “And you will follow them?” I put the emphasis o
He’s frozen in place, staring stiffly at the water. I stop beside him. Standing, waiting silently for him to react to my presence. I touch his hand gently as I slide my fingers into his palm, wrapping my hand around his, slowing his grasping tic. His only movement is a single shudder as he closes his eyes. “I can’t do it alpha. It’s going to hurt me.” The tremble in his voice is heartbreaking. No matter how I tried to convince him that it’s not going to hurt him, he’s still convinced that it is. “Step into the tub with me.” It hasn’t taken me long to figure out that my tone of voice is key to providing him a sense of calmness, and to my surprise, the ability to abide by most of my requests. He whines softly as I step into the tub and he remains frozen in place. I turn to face him, gently taking his other hand in mine. He steps back slightly until he feels my gentle resistance. He looks up to me slowly, apprehension in his eyes. “It doesn’t matter what you do, the water itself hur
He goes silent. His breathing is tense but even as he struggles to do as I’ve asked. “Cole, if the water is feeling better I’d like to get some of the water in your hair.” I smile lightly as the young man squeezes me closer to him in response to Angela’s desire.“Cole, how is the water feeling?” I whisper. “Better. It doesn’t burn, just little tingles.” “Okay. So what I need is for you to lay back in my hands. Angela is going to cover your eyes with a cloth and she’s going to start getting your hair wet enough to shampoo.” I can feel him nod against my chest. I start gently guiding him back towards Angela who places a soft cloth over his eyes. “Keep your eyes closed. This stuff feels great on your body but it’s hard on your eyes. Which side is the lac on?” “The right.” Angela looks me in the eyes briefly, shocked at his response. “Do you have any other injuries that need to be tended to?” “Yes ma’am.” “Where is it?” Angel’s voice is calm and gentle as telling us anything a
He gives me a quiet ‘oh’ as Angela places the support wedge in the water. “I’d like you to lean back against this wedge. It’s designed to allow you to rest comfortably in the water without much effort and if you’re relaxed enough with me, I would like to let Demetri get out of the tub with you. He needs to get changed out of his wet stuff and go grab you some underwear and undershirts.” I feel him nod slowly in agreement. I loosen my hold around him as he slowly draws away from me. It’s easy to see the hesitation in his eyes but he doesn’t fight the request. I hold his hands gently as he gets comfortable on the pad with the water rising around him. “I’m going to stand up and try to ring some of this water out of my boxers before getting out. Just relax. I think Angela is just going to trim down your hair around the wound before washing it, then she will leave you alone to wash. Don’t be afraid to stand up if you need to but stay in the tub until I come back.” “Yes sir.” He respon
Madilyn turns her head towards the door as she hears me enter. Her eyes are red and slightly swollen from her rubbing them, her rosy cheeks, wet from tears. Her arms are wrapped tightly around her stomach and her face shows the discomfort that she’s experiencing. “What’s wrong, Lyn?” I ask as I crouch down bedside the bed. “My tummy hurts.” She sniffles as tears run down her cheeks. I look at Lilly as I take Madilyn’s hand in mine, rubbing it gently. “I heard her throwing up in her bathroom when I came back to our room. When I went into their room Madisyn was sound asleep so I brought Madilyn in here. She’s been doing extremely well today compared to yesterday but she seems to have come down with something. She’s thrown up twice since coming in here with me.”I sigh as I wipe the tears from Madilyn’s cheeks. I place the back of my hand against her forehead but she doesn’t feel feverish. “Her temp is normal.” Lilly finishes as I spot the digital ear thermometer on the nightstand
I reach out to my youngest, gently taking her chin in my hand as her pain filled eyes meet mine.“Make it go away. Please daddy, it hurts.” Madilyn whines as her sobs renew. I open the bottle of Ativan and take two of the soft dissolving pills out. Lilly has never seen me take medication unless I was injured and cocks her head to one side as I place one whole pill under my tongue before breaking the second in half. “Lynnie baby, I need you to open your mouth and lift your tongue.” Her sobs have calmed enough for her to comply and I place the half a pill in her mouth. “It’s okay.” I nod and smile gently as she closes her mouth. “It will melt away. You shouldn’t taste anything, you just need to swallow the saliva that builds in your mouth.” Madilyn nods silently as Lilly looks at me again, this time there’s worry in her eyes as I do the same thing with the Zofran.It’s after I put the second medication in Madilyn’s mouth that I slide my hands under her arms. I wait for Lilly to loo
Madilyn is calm and more relaxed so I roll to my side allowing her to sit up in the bed. Her eyes are now more curious than fearful but both are still easily seen within them. “Did he make you go to school?” Madilyn asks with a yawn. “No. For the first time in years he believed me. He turned off my alarm and waited until I was asleep before he left. I woke up around lunch after the kitchen staff left lunch on my desk. Next to the tray of food were two prescription bottles and a note underneath.Dad wasn’t one to apologize but that note was the closest he ever came to one. He kept me out of school for a week and I got to meet and spend time with the injured rogue. Everything changed after that. He incorrectly believed that I was an empath but I never developed the ability to feel what they were feeling. The intense emotional distress that abused and endangered wolves experienced simply manifested into severe stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. When I was eighteen the council came
The very breath I breathe is knocked right out of me as he has never commanded me to do anything. Even his father has made a strangled growl in response to his statement. “Even though you are an alpha, I am commanding you to come back.” His tone has softened but the seriousness in his voice has not. “I will return or I will die trying.” I somehow manage to whisper. Luna steps up next as Alpha Damian steps back wrapping her arm around me as Madilyn grabs my neck. I can feel Madilyn trying to wrap herself around me. Luna loosens her hold as I timidly take the young pup into my arms. “No! Don’t leave!” She starts off yelling. “You don’t deserve your daddy. He hurts you when you’re a good wolf. Please stay. My daddy can be your daddy. I promise I’ll share him.” She barely makes it through the last two sentences before breaking down crying. I hold her tightly as I look at luna’s face, her cheeks wet with tears. “I’m sorry.” Is all I can manage to whisper as she takes the little one
(Cole’s POV)It’s a shock to say the least to see Lucas come out to the porch let alone to see what appears to be a forced apology from him. I have a hard time believing what he has to say. I have never heard of Wolfington Academy and the only hint he gave was that he would go away. Not something I would ever want to happen to a newly shifted teen but I certainly wouldn’t want him to continue being a danger to the preshifts either. It’s been easy enough the last few months for me to avoid interacting with him even though I have sincerely missed the twins. These last two months, while they have been terribly hard and mentally painful for me, have also been the best for showing me the support I will have when I’m not myself. Alpha and luna both have gone out of their way to help me through my own decision to return. Every night luna and the twins would come to my room after dinner with a plate of food wrapped in cling wrap and several drinks. They would put the food and drinks in the
He finally lifts his head and stands from the stairs, walking slowly towards me. Suddenly his pace picks up and has taken on a more aggressive look. I start moving to intercept him as he’s headed straight towards Cole. ‘Stop me. Please dad, I don’t want to hurt him.’ His call for help is real, he genuinely fears hurting Cole. I step quickly into his path, silently wrapping my arms around him. One around his waist, the other under his arm allowing me to curl around and place my hand on the back of his neck. He freezes in place and stifles a yelp as I hold him close. I’m struggling to put together what these new symptoms mean. “Lay your head. I need you to relax so I can submit your wolf without causing you pain.” I whisper in his ear as I guide his head down. He whimpers quietly as I massage his neck looking for the best pressure point. “I need you to talk, Luke. To anyone. I don’t care if you confide in your brother, your mother, any of the doctors or nurses in the wing, tell
I wrap my hands around his, sliding my fingers gently between his hands and hair. He surprises me with how easily he gives up his stimming. “Stand up son.” I keep my voice gentle and reassuring, waiting for him to respond. He fights me briefly as he stands, trying hard to get out of my hold. “No, Cole. Accept the contact.” I persist as I refuse to let him run from me. Surprisingly, it seems he wants to run towards the van picking him up, not back into the house. “Stay with me a moment son. Allow me to calm you.” He relents to my desire, slowly giving me the calm I know he needs to make a rational decision. “I know you heard the conversation. I need to know your thoughts.” “Dad sent him.” He whispers, his voice fearful. “I know. Your dad requested the change but the council honored it so the plan remains the same. You have pack members at White Ridge which gives your father no excuses for picking you up.” He nods against my shoulder before slowly pushing himself away.
“Come.” I state as I gently pull him up and into me. He whimpers and fights briefly before taking hold of me tightly. We simply stand in silence, waiting for the trauma of leaving to subside. I wait for him to push away first, following his lead for when he’s ready to start out towards the front door. “Would you like some Ativan? It won’t take effect until you're well on your way north so it won’t alter your ability to decide to stay or go but it will make the trip easier to handle.” “Please.” Is all he manages to whisper against my neck before he pushes himself up to stand on his own. “Stay.” I whisper just as quietly as I step away from him into the attached bathroom, opening the cabinet and pulling out the low dose Ativan that I keep there. I return in front of him cupping his chin in my hands, lifting his head so he’s looking straight instead of the floor. He whimpers subtly as he pulls away but I don’t allow him to leave me. “Easy there, son.” I whisper as I use my thumbs
His eyes are wide with my explanation but he slowly removes his shirt as I’ve requested. “Put it on my desk.” I keep my calm helping him along when he appears lost. “Please.” He pleads helplessly. “It’s okay.” I try to comfort him. “No sir. It’s not okay. I’m not okay.” “I know. That’s why I’m doing this. Don’t step away.”I instruct as I close the distance between us. He accepts my embrace as I pull him into me again. There’s one test that I’ve never done with him as I’ve respected his sensitivity towards his back being touched but today I’m using that sensitivity to break him down in the hopes that he’ll be better able to handle leaving. It could also lead him into a complete breakdown requiring me to place him on a mental health hold but I’m taking my chances. “What are you going to do to me?” He asks as he struggles to lay his head on my shoulder.“I’m going to touch your back.” I explain as I guide his head down and pet the back of his head. “Please, sir. You don’t know h
It’s as we sit in silence that his frantic sobs finally quiet and are slowly replaced by the steady rhythm of his slightly wheezed snore. He hasn’t slept or ate right in the last two months and his condition shows it easily as he’s nearly back to the same weight he was when he got here despite our efforts to counteract his depression by upping his medication. I close my eyes and lay my cheek against his head as I listen to everything around me. I reassigned everyone that normally helps in the pack house to other tasks, closed the med wing with the exception of emergencies and canceled all the meetings that were scheduled today. I knew today would be tough but nothing could have prepared me for the brutal reality of this young man choosing to leave. The pack house is eerily quiet as if the house has been swallowed whole in preparation for the sadness, the sheer trauma of his departure. I have no idea how long I’ve been sitting with him when the shuffle of my mate’s feet starts down t
Friday July 20th; 8am(Cole’s POV) It’s been a month since my meeting with alpha discussing my options for getting out of the hell I call home. I was allowed to take the hard splint off for good two weeks ago but that hasn’t kept me out of the med wing. I’ve been in a steady slide into severe depression and I’ve had to seek the comfort of both alpha and Dr. Pierce when my feelings have become too extreme for me to handle alone. My mood swings have been so wild that I’ve gotten extremely nasty with Jessa. I so much as begged alpha to send her on a trip with Alpha Damian until today because I knew how badly I was hurting her. I didn’t mean to hurt her and I know I’m going to pay dearly for my lack of control when I return. Sleep is scarce at best and eating is nearly impossible. I can’t begin to describe how many times I have screamed myself awake, fighting alpha’s hold around me just to break down and cry in his arms. The anticipation of returning after six months of relative peace
“This is also the reason why we don’t want you to wait for the committee to remove you. The information that your father has access to without much digging on the process says if you make it to the final step in the investigation ten members of the council will move into your pack and you will be simultaneously moved out. The move is permanent no matter if you go to trial or not as the council members that move in are not simply investigating you.” I stop my gentle rub just under the hem of Jessa’s shirt and cock my head slightly as this was where Dr. Pierce had essentially stopped when breaking down the process.“So what are they doing when the committee starts their nine month investigation?” “What they’ve done for ten years now is remove the wolf being investigated to a temporary sanctuary pack within an hour’s drive of the regional committee’s headquarters. The pack has constant contact with the committee and as soon as any feral behaviors are seen the wolf is placed in the pack