Chapter15 Yara Ohthismanissofrustrating!WhythehellishetellinghispackthatImtheirLama.Andnow,theyre allcallingmeLuna .Itsinfuriating! Warrenwalksmetothepackhospital,basicallyhandingme offtoCharlic. Everythingokay?Charlieaskshim. Yeah ,thanks.Ineedtogetbackandshow myface.CanIleaveYara withyou? Igotyourback,Alpha ,hesays,andbeginsleadingmetoaroomwhereIfindHaynesalreadyseatedonabed. Okay,letstakeacloserlookatwhatwevegot,Isaytohim,gettingsomescissorsandcuttingawaytheshirt. Iwetthebandagesthat arecoveredindriedpusandblood.ThenIcarefullybeginpullingthemawaytoseethemassiveinfectionunderneath. UH!CharliesaysandIturntoseehescoveredhismouthandnose.Whatthefuck,Haynes? Haynesjustlooksdown.Theres nowayhesnotfeelingterribleiftheinfectionisthisbad . Tmgoingtohavetodebridethiswhichmeans Ihaveto scruballtheinfectionoutofthewound.Ineedtoseethefleshnderneathand make sureitshealthy. Okay,hesays. Itsgoingtohurt.WouldyouallowmetogiveyousomethingtonumbtheareaasbestIcan.Itwont numbitall,the.infectionwillblockit,butitwillhelp. No,hesays,stillnotlookingatme.Istareathimindisbelief.Whatiswiththeseguys? Theresnoshameinlettingmenumb thisarea.Iwontbeknockingyououtoranything,Isay,tryingagain. No,hesaysmorefirmly . IturnbacktothetrayofthingsthatIneedtocleanthewound. ThewholefrigginpackisasarrogantastheirAlpha.Noonefeelspainanymore?Whatthehellkindofpackisthis?ImumbleasIgetmythingstogether. Shesnotexpectingananswer.Shekeepsforgettingwecanhearher,Charliesaysand IturntoseeHaynesfrowningatme. AsIgetreadytostart.Haynesspeaks. Idofeelpain,Luna.ButImawarrior.Painisapartofmylife.Ivejustacceptedthat ,hesays,andhesoundssodefeated. Ihateit.Ihatethatthisistheonlylifethatheseesinhisfuture. Well,Idontacceptit,justsoyou know,I sayferociously.Itakeadeepbreathandlookathim.Imgoingtogetstarted.Ifat anytimeyouchangeyourmindaboutbeingnumbed,letmeknow. HenodsandIbegin towashoutthewound.WhydidntyoucomeseeDr.Stevenswhenthisfirstgotinfected?I askhim. Idid.Hesaidmywolfwouldhealme,buthehasnt Istop,lookingover atCharliebeforeturningbacktothewound Didhehaveyoucomebacktocheckandmakesureyour 1/1 Chapter15 wolfwashealingyou? No,hejustsaidtogiveitafewdays.Bythenwewerefightingagain,andIdidnthavetimetodoanythingelseaboutit. Howisyourwolf?Hemustbepreityweakifhehasnthealedyou,Isay.Ihavetogivetheguycredit.Hereallyisusedtopain.IknowwhatIm doingispainfulbuthehasntonceflinchell WhenIrealizehehasntanswered,1stop,movingsoIcanlookhimintheeye.Warrior,whenwasthelasttimeyouheardyourwolf? Itsbeenatleastaday,hefinallysaysandIcanseethatthis,morethananythingisupsettinghim.Notfortherightreasons,inmyopinion.Hessadhiswolfisgone.Immadthathesgoingtodiebecausehedidntgetpropermedicaltreatment. Theinfectionhasmovedupintoyourshoulderanddownyourarm.Imguessingyoudonthavealot ofuseofthisarmnow?askhim. IignorethetitleandlookatCharlie.Charlie,comelookat this . Hewalksover,stillcoveringhisnoseandmouth.Doyouseethis blackareahere? Yeah,whatamIlookingat? Thats gangrene,I say ,thentiltmyheadtolookatHaynes.Doyouknowwhatgangreneis? No Itmeansyourfleshisdying.Youareliterallyrottingtodeath.Andwithoutyourwolf,Idguessyouhadaboutthreedaystolive. What?heasks.How ? Yourinfectionisrampant.Wellbeluckyifithasntgottenintoyourbloodstream.RememberwhatIsaidinthedininghall?Yourenogoodtoyourpackifyouredead.Well,youwouldhavebeendead,andtheywould havebeendownawarrior,agoodone. ButLuna,I askedDr.Stevens,hesaysdefensively, Well,ImtheleaddoctorherenowandwhatIsaygoesandwhatImsayingisthatyouveearnedyourselfacoupleofdayinthehospital .Somakeyourselfcomfortable.Imgoingtohavetocutthis dead areaout.Bloodis healing,soIhavetocutuntilIgettohealthy,bleedingflesh.AndImgoingtotellyounow,youve lostalotofmuscle,musclethatyouwontgetback.Thisarmwill alwaysbeweakerthan yourotherarm.Youregoingtohavetoreadjustyourfightingstyleto accountforthat.Doyouunderstand? Yes,Luna. Good.Okay,layback.Letsgetthisdone,thenImgoingtogetyoustartedonsomeheavydutyantibioticstohelphealyourbodysinceyourwolfhasgonesilent.Whenhesbackandyoureashealedasyouregoingtoget ,Illreleaseyou,butnotuntilthen. WhenImdone,Iorderthenursestostartan IVfluidbag andsomeheavydutyantibioticstowardoffanyadditional infection. Illbebacktoseeyouinthemorning.Illletthemknowthat ifanythingchanges,theyneedtocallme.Dontgivemynursesahard time ,doyou hearme?Isaytohim,seeingthetwonursesintheroomlookatmeoutofthecorneroftheireyethenateachother.Imhopingthats agoodsign. Whenwestepoutoftheroom,anothernursecomesuptous. 20:00Sat,Nov30 Chapter13 G Luna ,thereareseveralwarḍorsinthewaitingroom.They saidyoutoldthemtocome. Puttheminroom,triagethemandIllstartwiththemostcritical Yes,Lama, shesays,smilingassheturnsaway. Whenshestepsaway,IturntoCharlie.Ihaveaquestionforyou.Thispack,severalwarriors,moreprobablysincewegottothehospital,arechallenging Warren,testinghisabilitytoleadthispack.Butwhenafightnearlybrokeout,youwerereadytofightwithhim,YourehisBeta,themostlikelypersontotakeoverifWarrenisntcapable ofdoingso.IwanttoknowwhyyourefightingtokeephiminhisAlphapositionwheneveryoneelseseemswillingtoknockhimdown? Youdontmissmuch,doyou?heasksme,givingmeaappreciativelook.HesmyAlpha.ImhisBetabecauseIrespecthimandbecauseI havenodesiretobeincharge.Hisjobsucks,allthetime.Everyoneconstantlytestshim.Intheworldwelivein,thatsthewayitis.Thepacksneedsomeonestrongtoleadthem.Themomenthesnotthatperson,the packwillremovehimandputsomeonethattheyfeelisstrongerinhisplace.Personally,Ithinkitsaboutmorethanstrength,physicalstrengthanyway.AlphaWarrenisstrongmentally,notjustphysicallyandIthinkthepackforgetshowimportantmentalstrengthis,especiallyintimeslikethese. Ilookat himforalongmoment .Hmmm,IthinkIlikeyouagain,Isay,Onemorethingandthisisimportant.IdontknowwhyDr.StevensdidnttreatHayneswhenhisinfectionstarted,butthatsnotbeinglazy,tired,orold.Thatsmedicalneglect,itsmalpractice.Ishowedyouthatgangrenebecauseyouregoingtohaveotherswhohaveit.Ifheneglectedoneofyourpackmembers,hellhaveneglectedothers.Idontknow whatthereasonis,butIdsuggestyouandWarrenfigureit Iturnandheadtothenursesstationtoseewhatshappeningwiththeothers.Sevenwarriorshavecomein,wantingtobeseen. Imsurprised,butglad.Maybewordwillgetaroundquicklyandmorewillstarttocomein.Thispackwillbestronger,fightharder,iftheyrehealthy. ItsseveralhourslaterbeforeIfinallyfinish.ImexhaustedbuthappythatIwasabletocatchsomanyproblemsbeforetheybecametheinfectedmessthatHayneshas. Wellseeyoutomorrow,Luna?oneofthenursesasksme. Yes.PleasemakesureyoucheckonWarriorHaynesregularlyandIwant to knowif anythingchangesfortheworseovernight. Charlieiswaitingtotakemebacktothepackhouse.Whenwearrive,Iturntohim.ImsureWarrenis asleep.IstheresomewhereelsethatIcansleepforthenight,Iask,hopingthatCharliewillputmeinmyownroom. Ivealreadylinkedhim,Luna.Heswaitingupforyou. Oh.Great,Isaysmilingafakesmile . Charliesnortsandgesturesformetoprecedehimupthestairs.Hewalksme toWarrensdoor. Goodnight,Luna. Hewalkstothetopofthestairsand turnstolookatme. Hesnotleavinguntilyoucomein,Yara,IhearWarrensayfrominsidetheroom. Itakeadeepbreath,openthedoor,andstepinside. After her grandfather's death, she unexpectedly discovers that both her sister and boyfriend betrayed her, taking away the family fortune left by her grandfather. Determined to seek revenge, she decid...