Chapter 27

“Try to rx with us Cole. Your breathing is still very restricted and the more rxed you are the easier it will be to move the air you need I’m going to start with the back of your shirt. It’s loose enough that you shouldn’t feel the scissors just hear them.”

Even the simple task of cutting his shirt to expose his chest is anxiety provoking for him. He squeezes my hand hard as he starts gasping through his mouth. Once she’s done cutting the back off of his shirt I hear her through the pack link.

‘He’s got really bad scarring on his back as well as what appears to be more recent cuts and bruises but it’s difficult to figure out what’s new versus old in this light. Are we doing him by the book?‘

“No. I need to be able to bring him back in six months for the second run if I can’t gain his trust enough for him to talk about the abuse. Only an intolerable offense like stealing, assault, or rape will get him kicked out. Everything else he gets a pass as far as the council is concerned. I’d like to keep him from feeling singled out but if we find injuries consistent with current abuse that’s going to be hard to do. I do however need everything documented. We’re going to keep two separate files on him.”

She stands from her seat and walks over to the cab pulling out a small throw nket. When she returns to the bed she carefully wraps the nket around the pillow before grabbing the oxygen and cing it back under his nose. He yelps lightly when he first feels the tubing on his face but fortunately he settles down quickly. It’s when we’re ready to move him to his back that we run into a slight problem. The young man is so terrified of having a catheter ced that he’s curled himself into as much of a ball as his body would allow.

“Cole, I need you to rx your legs. Stretch them out for us.”

I speak gently near his ear trying to gain some of his confidence back. He squeezes hard on my hand as he attempts to speak.

“I’m…. sorry….. alpha….”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Cole. We just need to get you in a position that allows us to get these stickers on your chest.”

“I’m…. sorry…. I’m….. scared…. I’m….. weak”

“Cole”

I sigh, not certain how to approach this.

“Fear is not a weakness and right now, I would expect any wolf,in this situation, including myself, to be afraid. That’s the reason I’m with you right now. It’s important for any wolf to have support when they are having such a difficult time. The biggest thing I need from you, right now, is to trust me. We are telling you what is going to happen before we do it. I really need you to think about it. Outside of using a stethoscope to listen to your heart and lungs or your ear to check your temperature, have we done anything without telling you first?”

Even with his entire body shaking I can feel his grip on my hand rx slightly before he faintly whispers no. I’ve gone back to gently rubbing the back of his head, trying my best tofort him. I’m struggling to imagine what it is this young man has experienced at his home hospital to have made him so terrified of being here. He truly must be desperate for help to even go there if he’s this fearful and has no support once

he’s there.

“Cole.”

It’s the first time Lilly has spoken directly to him. I find it surprising when he flinches badly as she touches his knee.

“We understand that you’re scared and you’re trying to protect yourself by curling into a ball but it’s important right now that we get your legs rxed so we can roll you towards your back, While Ang works on your shirt and the stickers I’m going to cover your feet and legs with a heated nket. Would that help? To be covered ? ”

He nods his head slowly as he whispers ‘please‘.

“Okay. So let’s work on getting you straightened out.”

His grip tightens on my hand again as she gently rubs his legs. Ang starts cutting one of the sleeves of his shirt as Lilly gently encourages him to straighten out his legs.