The Son of Red Fang by Diana Sockriter novel Chapter 25

Chapter 25

“Lilly, can you lay the pillow down where Demetri was laying, raise the rail and plug it in.”

I give her a loving smile as I help her with Angela’s request.

“Cole, if you understand what I’m saying I need you to let go of my hand.”

It doesn’t take long for him to respond, slowly letting go of her hand. I easily notice the tremor in his hand but don’t say anything about it. It’s when she places the stethoscope to his chest that he startles badly enough for him to return to the distressing high pitched whine he’s had most of the morning causing Lilly to cover her ears. Hearing a whine like that triggers memories that she still hasn’t let go of from long ago.

She looks at me with tears in her eyes as I pull her gently into me, holding her head against my chest so she can wrap her arms around me, grasping the back of my shirt into her fists. It’s only a few seconds later that I can hear her through the mind link.

“That’s why you think he’s been abused.‘

‘That’s part of the reason, yes. I’ve never met an adult wolf with that whine that hasn’t been severely abused as a child. The problem is I can’t do anything about it unless he’s still being abused. Damian mentioned that he’s twenty–three which means he has to admit that the abuse is still going on and he has to agree to the protection orders. I can’t just pull him out.‘

Lilly loosens her hold on me as his distressing whine dies down. Angela speaks softly to him as she resumes listening to his chest.

“Can you help me roll him back so I can get him laying on the pillow? He seems to prefer being on his stomach over his back.”

I kiss Lily’s forehead as she steps away allowing me to approach Cole again.

“Cole. I’m going to have Demetri steady you as you are so I can give you a break from the mask. I need to put the oxygen cannula back on you though. I’d also like to get a heart monitor on you. It’s a handful of special stickers that I need to place on your chest. Good news is we don’t need to attach any wires but I do need you to lay on your back for a few minutes while I place them.”

I can hear him whine in response to the plan.

“What about leaning him against the body pillow instead? Obviously we can’t ask him why being on his back is stressful but he’s been responding very positively to the way we work with him. Leaning him against the pillow will give us the access we need while keeping him comfortable with us.”

Angela nods her head, liking the idea.

“If he’s comfortable enough with it–then I’ll grab a second one so he can change positions. It’s not good for him to lay on his arm like this.”

With our new plan for him Lilly unplugs the thermal pillow as Angela raises the rail on the opposite side. They hand it off so it can be placed on the other side as Cole seems to be coming out of the sedation enough to talk. I take the mask off him so it’s easier to understand him.

“Di…. rect heat…. hurts…. back”

24

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