Chapter 17

“I know it’s hard but it’s important that you don’t fight us right now. We’re just trying to help you. You’re in a really difficult situation being in a new territory with leadership you don’t know or understand. I get it. I really do. Is there anything we can do that will help you rx?”

“Xanax . ”

“You take a sedative when in the hospital?”

I nod slowly as I attempt to reach for the mask.

“Let me put the mask on you. I promise it will help you.”

I shake my head trying to get away as he brings it close again. He lets go of my hand as my wheezing worsens from the stress, gently cing it on the back of my head while finally cing the mask on my face.

“Just breathe Cole. I won’t strap it to you yet but you need to breathe.”

I try to fight but he moves with me, keeping the mask gentle on my face allowing me the time I need to ept it. “Ang, do we have any Ativan here or is it only at General?”

“I stock the half milligram dose here. How much?”

“Let’s start with two pills. These are the rapid dissolve ones?”

“Yes”

I hear her footsteps approaching before stopping behind me.

“Cole, I’m going to put a pulse oximeter on your finger. Are you familiar?”

I hold out my index finger for her to ce it on. I am quite familiar and it’s one of very few things that has never been used to hurt me in the hospital. After holding the mask gently to my face for a few minutes Alpha ck allows me a break by letting ity on the pillow beside me again.

“I need you to open your mouth and raise your tongue. I’m going to ce two pills in your mouth. They need to dissolve under your tongue in order to work. This is a sedative called Ativan. Xanax is going to wait until we get the IV established.”

This is a difficult request as there’s been more than once that I was given something that caused more issues than I already had. It’s been years since I’ve allowed anyone to ce anything directly in my mouth without seeing exactly where it came from.

“Cole,” I’m shocked at the gentle patience I hear in his voice. “I understand this is different from what you’re used to and trust but I’m trying to stay away from the shots which is the only way we can give you Xanax or Valium right now. Swallowing water while you’re gasping for air doesn’t work out well.”

I slowly open my mouth as my fear of shots is worse than the potential that he’s lying about these pills. I’m at least familiar with the medication.

“That’s it. These go under your tongue. Simply let them dissolve away.”

I feel the pills drop into my mouth and I manage to move my tongue around them so they fall underneath. It only takes twenty or thirty seconds for them to disappear,pletely fasteless with no residual gritty feeling.

“Cole. Your oxygen levels afe fluctuating badly so I need you to cooperate with the mask.”

He gently ces it back to my face . I immediately fight but not nearly as bad and to my own surprisee to ept the alpha’s gentle hold as the tension in my chest eases slightly.

“You called, boss.”

I startle badly at the sound of a new voice causing the high pitched whimper to return.

“Rx Cole. This is my beta, Patrick. I called him to help Ang while Iy with you andfort you.”

I can feel the alpha’s gentle touch on the back of my head while he holds the mask to my face. My thoughts are continuing to swirl with various doubts as to the sincerity of this new alpha. Yet everything that he’s said would happen, from disciplining my pack mates to what’s happened so far in the hospital, has happened.

“ Is he one of the new prospects that camest night?”

“Yes, his name is Cole.”

“The first pack here on first runs is always Red Fang. With their history with us, why are you so inclined to give this one special treatment? ”

“First impressions mean a lot to me. You know that. And my first impression of Cole is that he’s different. He deserves a chance , an open mind towards who he is and what he’s capable of. ”