Chapter 6
stood across the hall from Decebel. She knew he was a big guy but in this hall, with his stone like features revealing nothing of his thoughts or emotions, he seemed positively huge. His only acknowledgment of her when she walked up was a slight nod of the head. Sally couldn’t help but think that at any moment he was going to bust out with “me Decebel, you Sally” type language. That thought brought a slight smile to her face. She knew it was a comment that Jen would have appreciated. Since she could tell he wasn’t going to suddenly become the conversationalist of the century, she could at least try to get a little out of him. “How are you doing, Decebel?” Okay, Sally would admit that under the circumstances maybe that was a 'did you really just ask that' question, but hey, it was all she could come up with.
Decebel raised a single eye brow at the brown headed human in front of him and considered the question. How was he? Did he even know how he was? The answer to that was simple, there was a whole lot of 'I’m hanging on by a thread' raging inside him. So naturally, he lied. “I’m doing fine. How are you?” See, Decebel thought to himself, I can be approachable when I put my mind to it.
“Huh,” Sally acknowledged. “Are you always this reticent?”
Reticent? And here Decebel thought he was being so not reticent. Go figure.
“I am guarding this door, I am not being reticent. I am being sensitive to my surroundings which can make me seem aloof.”
“Well I’ll be, that’s the most I have ever heard you say,” Sally said in honest astonishment. “Wow, you were like, explaining yourself to me and stuff. Jen would be so proud of you.” Decebel visibly tensed at the mention of Jen. “You know, I think she thinks you’re like the chocolate bunnies they sell at Easter, you know all yummy on the outside but hollow on the inside.” Now Sally was pulling a Jen, her brain, mouth valve just would not seem to close.
“She compares me to a bunny?” Decebel asked incredulously.
“Not in so many words. You have to understand, Jen likes guys. Well, she likes hot guys.” Sally noticed there was that slight tensing in his features again, but this time it was the mention of Jen and guys that seemed to bring it on. I’m going to have to do some sleuthing, she told herself. “But she doesn’t date much because, despite her rough edges, she’s really smart and she gets bored easy. So if the outside package is interesting but the inside is crap, she’s just content to ogle the package from a distance.”
Before Decebel could consider her words or respond, the operating door swung open. Decebel turned abruptly, standing directly in front of a balding, middle aged man with beady eyes and a severe chin. His eyes suddenly widened when he looked up at Decebel, who realized his wolf must be looking out through his eyes because the doctor’s jaw dropped open. Sally stepped up in front of Decebel and put on her sweetest smile. She looked at the doctor’s name badge before speaking. “Doctor Thomas, how is Jen doing?” Sally couldn’t help the slight waver in her voice. Fear of the unknown was sometimes worse than reality.
Dr. Thomas looked at Decebel and then back at Sally. He seemed to be trying to make a decision. “Does Jen have any family here? Parents, aunts, uncles?”
“I’m her betrothed,” Decebel spoke up.
Sally nearly broke her neck when she whipped around to look at him, her jaw nearly hitting the floor. Decebel glared at her, daring her to contradict him. She didn’t. Sally simply turned back around to the physician, skepticism written across his face.
“Decebel is from Romania. They do things differently there and their marriage has been planned for a long time, if you get my drift.” Sally was scrambling for some sort of reason that would justify this 20 something looking mountain being engaged to a 17 year old. Honestly, what the hell was he thinking?
“An arranged marriage?” Dr. Thomas still didn’t sound convinced.
“Yes well, things are different in other countries. But you see, Jen will be turning 18 in just a few weeks and that is why Decebel is here now, because…”
Before Sally could continue to dig her deep, dark grave Decebel stepped in. “You will tell me how she is.” Sally glared at him and he reluctantly added, “Please.”
Sally decided Dr. Thomas just wanted to be done with them because he finally relinquished. “Your friend is not conscious yet and I have no way of knowing when she will become so. It is actually a blessing for her to not be awake to experience the healing process of burns. She has suffered burns over 70% of her body.” Sally couldn’t help the squeak that emitted from her throat, she felt her knees go weak and might have hit the floor had Decebel’s hand not steadied her. “Most of the burns are on her left side and her back. There was quite a bit of glass and small bits of metal imbedded in her back and arms that we had to remove one at a time, that is what took the longest. She will need to be transferred to our burn unit where she will have daily debridement. I’m not going to sugarcoat it, she is in for a long, painful road to recovery.”
“What about scarring?” Decebel asked. Sally realized she should have been the one asking the questions since Jen was like a sister to her, but she couldn’t seem to get her mouth to work.
“It will be extensive. What? Will she no longer meet your desire for a mail order bride?” Dr. Thomas said in obvious disdain for the idea of Decebel and Jen’s impending marriage, which was fake of course.
Sally felt like cold water had been splashed on her face at the doctor’s comment. She felt anger like waves rolling off of Decebel. Damn temperamental werewolves. She reached up and placed a hand on his arm, a gesture she hoped would convey her desire for him to bring it down a notch.
“Ok, well, thank you Dr. Thomas. Can we follow them as they transport Jen to the burn unit?” Sally asked, her arm still on Decebel in silent warning.
“That will be fine. The nurses will notify me as soon as her parents arrive and I will be going over her treatment with them.” Dr. Thomas gave Decebel one last sharp look, for good measure Sally assumed, but when Decebel narrowed those yellow eyes on the doctor he abruptly turned around and, with hurried steps, walked away.
They brought Jen out on a gurney shortly after the doctor’s nervous departure. After the little display Decebel had put on, Sally was surprised when he gave her only a passing glance. Decebel looked away quickly and turned to look Sally in the eye. “I am going to go let Vasile know what is going on with Jen. You will go with her, I will send Alina to come up with you.”
“Ok, can we pause this little sitcom for just a second because just a moment ago you were all, this is my betrothed, blah blah blah, and now you are just leaving her in my care? I don’t get it,” Sally told him.
“You don’t have to get it,” Decebel almost growled at her.
“Just one, all I want is one blasted wolf who isn’t a bossy, grumpy hair ass butt head,” Sally muttered to the ceiling as she turned to follow the gurney. “Is that too freaking much to ask.”
She wasn’t positive but she thought she heard a muttered yes from Decebel.
Fane saw Decebel coming down the hall towards them. He assumed this meant they had given him news on Jen. Why was it taking so long with Jacquelyn? Just as he was going to ask Decebel what he knew, the door to the room Jacquelyn was in opened and a short woman who looked to be in her mid to late thirties emerged. She wore her hair short in a practical manner, and her eyes spoke of someone who had seen too much grief in her life. None of that held Fane’s attention as soon as he caught the woman’s scent. His head spun around to his father. He saw that Vasile’s stare was intent and he too was assessing the air. At his father’s barely apparent nod Fane confirmed what he had initially thought, this woman was a Canis Lupis.
“Who is the guardian of Jacquelyn Pierce?” the woman asked, scanning the group that had gathered around her. As her eyes fell on Vasile, Fane thought he saw a slight recognition in them.
Lilly stepped forward, her steps heavy with worry and fear.“I am her mother Lilly Pierce,” she answered.
“I’m Dr. Cynthia Steele.” Lilly’s quick intake of breath did not go unnoticed at the sound of that name. After all, it had only been 24 hours since Fane had killed Lucas Steele. “I need to discuss your daughter’s condition with you. Would you like to go somewhere private?”
Fane let out a low growl that had Dr. Steele's head jerking around to look at him.
“We don’t have to go anywhere,” Lilly explained, “everyone here is family to Jacque.”
Before the doctor could continue Vasile stepped forward. “Dr. Steele, we need you to be clear with us about everything you know about her condition. Do you understand what I am saying?”
“You don’t have to pull that Alpha crap with me, Vasile Lupei, I know who you are and I know who your pup is, considering he killed my brother only a day ago,” she snapped at him. Fane and Decebel tensed at the tone of voice the woman was brave enough to use on their Alpha. Vasile just took it in stride.
“You are correct,” Vasile confirmed, "my -"
Fane interrupted him. "Yes, I killed your brother and I am sorry for your loss, but I am not sorry for protecting my mate from someone who tried to take her from me."
"Protecting your mate? If she is so protected Fane Lupei, then why is she laid up, burnt to a crisp in my hospital?" Dr. Steele's voice was like a slap in the face.
Fane's eyes were glowing as power lashed around him, causing Dr. Steele to lower her head although it was not in true submission.
“Could we please get back to my daughter? We can deal with the werewolf crap in a minute,” Lilly said as stress laced her voice.
“My apologies,” Dr. Steele told her. “Jacque has suffered burns over 65% of her body, most of which are third degree, but some are second degree burns. Her right leg is broken in two places below her knee, her hip dislocated, and fragments of glass had to be pulled out of her arms. She is stable at this time, but she has not woken up from the anesthesia we gave her for surgery. I don't know that she will wake up anytime soon.” She paused for a moment and when nobody said anything she continued. “I haven’t done anything to her leg, I wanted to wait to see what her body's healing process is. Since she is half wolf she is going to heal faster than a human. Her skin should heal completely with no scars, her leg I’m not sure, but I was worried that if I put pins in it that it would heal too rapidly and those pins would be a hindrance not a help. There is one problem that I'm not sure what the outcome of will be.”
"What problem?" Lilly whispered
"Jacque was given a human blood transfusion before I was able to get here. I don't know how her blood will interact with it, or if it will hinder the healing process. It's not something I've ever encountered."
By the time the doctor was through talking, Alina was holding a weeping Lilly in her arms. Fane had reached out to the wall for support as he felt the air sucked out of him. “I need to see her. Now.” Fane's eyes were glowing and his hands shaking at the amount of effort he was having to exert to keep his wolf under control.
“That isn’t going to be possible until she is transferred to the burn unit,” Dr. Steele told him.
“I don’t think you heard me right. I need to see my mate now.” Fane’s eyes continued to glow and his skin tingled with the need to change.
Dr. Steele’s jaw tensed briefly but she quickly composed her face. “Mate? Don't you think you both are a little young to be deciding something permanent?"
“I cannot, nor do I want, to change what fate has chosen for me. She is mine and you will either take me to her or I will tear this hospital apart to find her.”
She stood still, defiant, before she finally said, “Fine, follow me." Fane grabbed Lilly’s hand as he went to follow the doctor, giving her a small smile of reassurance.
They entered the operating room and then walked past the table that he had seen Jacquelyn on when they had forced him out of the room. Dr. Steele then pushed open another set of double doors bringing them into an area where there were multiple rooms encased in glass so that those who occupied them were clearly visible. There was a large round desk in the middle of the room that seemed to serve as what Fane would consider the command center. Fane took in a deep breath and although there were tons of smells of sickness, cleaner, worry, he could still pick out the cotton candy fragrance of his mate. He pulled Lilly along as he followed the path of her scent, no longer worrying about following the doctor's lead. He passed three glass rooms before he finally was standing in front of hers. He slid the door open to her little room and let Lilly step in before him. She rushed to Jacquelyn’s bedside and immediately started talking to her, holding her hand, brushing the hair from her face. Fane stood back and watched silently, giving Lilly time with her daughter. His wolf was so restless, anxious to be close to their mate, to touch her and feel the life flowing in her. He nearly growled at the idea of waiting even a minute more. At last Lilly turned to Fane. “Do you want me to step out?” Fane hated to ask that of her, but he needed a few minutes alone with his Luna.
“Yes, please.” His voice was strained as he held himself back. Lilly nodded, gave Jacquelyn a quick kiss to her bandaged hand and then stepped out of the room, sliding the door shut behind her. At last it was just him and Jacquelyn. He walked slowly to her bedside, afraid that the moment was just a mirage and would evaporate before his eyes if he so much as breathed too deeply. But when he got to her side she was still there, not a figment of his imagination, but real flesh and blood. Fane leaned forward and gently brushed some hair from her bandage wrapped face. He placed his nose as close to her neck as possible without touching her and breathed her scent in deep. Her scent was like a soothing balm, it caressed his wolf, calming him and helping him to clear his mind of the dread that had been his constant companion since he had felt Jacquelyn’s pain and fear through their bond. Then he kissed her lips so lightly that he barely felt their heat and whispered her name. “Jacquelyn.” First out loud and then through their bond. “Jacquelyn. Please hear me, my love, wake up for me.” Fane didn’t know if it would help but he had to try. After waiting several minutes, Fane realized that she wasn't going to wake up, at least not right then. He heard the door behind him open and turned to see Dr. Steele and Lilly waiting patiently.
"We are going to transfer her to the burn unit, her friend is there as well. They will both have to undergo multiple debridements to remove the dead skin so that the new skin underneath can heal," Dr. Steele explained to them.
"Can I stay with her?" Fane asked, never taking his eyes off of Jacquelyn.
"You may visit, but you cannot stay in the same room with her. There is too great a risk for infection."
Fane didn't like that answer but he wanted what was best for his mate. Whatever it took for her broken body to heal was what he wanted for her.
"When do you think we will know if the human blood is going to affect her, or how it will affect her?" Fane asked the doctor.
"There is no way to know, Fane. I know that is not what you want to hear. Over the next few days as her body begins to heal, her wolf blood should increase the speed of that process. If it doesn't then we will know that quite possibly the human blood is hindering it."