09 % Chapter26 Yara Ivenever encounteredthistypeofinjurybefore.Inhumans, someonewiththis typeofthroatinjurywouldbedead .So , ImterrifiedthatImgoingtodosomethingwrong.Whileits notoutoftherealmofpossibilitythatshecouldstilldieonme,evenifIsaveherlife,Icantguaranteethatshellbeabletoswallowlikenormal, orevenspeakagain. Youredoinggreat,Luna,Savannahsaystome. IglanceatherandIdontknowwhatshesees onmyface,butshenods. Youredoinggreat . IrefocusonPipersthroat.ImusingeverylittlebitofknowledgeIhaveaboutanatomytotryandstitchherupproperly.Thethroat isntaneasyplacetostitch. Luna,theotherwarriorsarestitchedup.AlphaWarrensentthembacktothepackhousetoget cleanedupandget somerest,Annasays,cominginandlookingatPiper. Youshouldgogetsomesleeptoo,Anna. Icanstay,Euna.Me,Katie,andElizaaregoingtorotate tokeepwatchonBetaCharlieandPipertodaywhileyou get somerest.Ifanythinghappenstoeitherofthem,wellletyouknow,shesays,includingtheothertwonursesthatIve barelyhadachancetoworkwith.Iknowthattheyaredoingaprettygoodjobthough,becauseHayneswashealingnicely whenIsaw himearlier,soIfeelcomfortablethattheycanlookafterCharlie.ImnotconfidentaboutPiperthough.Shewillbeincritical conditionforawhile. Illneedtospeakwiththem,Anna.IhaventspentanytimewiththemandallthreeofyouneedtounderstandhowcriticalPiperis.Evenaftershewakesup,shesgoingtoneedtimetoheal,IsayasIfinallyfinishwiththelaststitch. Illbandageher,Luna,Savannahsays. InodandturntoAnna.Aretheyhere?Icangiveinstructionstoallofyouatonetime. Annagoestogettheothertwoandafterformallyintroducingmyselftothem,IexplainwhattheyneedtolookforwithPiper,thatifshewakesup,shesonlyallowliquidsandshesnotallowedtospeakoutloud. Yes,Luna.Welllookafterher,Katiesays. Wellcomegetyouifanythingchanges,Elizasays. IlookatthemandrealizethatKatieistheonewhois pregnant.Katie,howisyourpregnancygoing? newrentinmathof youtopakatever Itsgoingwell,Ithink,Luna.Onedaywhenwe MaybeI candothatlatertoday,Isay,feelingtheadrenalinerushfrombeforeflowingoutofmeas ifseineoneuncorkedabottleanddumpeditupsidedown. Wheneveryougetachance,Luna,shesays. Whensthelasttimeyouate?Savannahasks , cominguptojoinourgroup. Idontevenknowwhattimeitis, say . Midafternoon,Luna.Youvebeeninsurgeryforhours. Inod.Thedays haveblendedtogethersince Ivebeenhere,Ihonestly dontknowwhatdayit is or what time it is , much less when Ilast ate. 173 Chapter26 3 Imgoingtogogetsome sleep,Isay,feelingtheexhaustionhittingmehard,makingitfeel likeImwalkingthroughconcrete.Youneedsometoo,Savannah. Yes,Luna,Isay,lookingatPiperonemoretimebeforesteppingoutoftheroom. AllIwanttodoiscrawlintobed.Imsotired,thatIdontevenhavethestrengthtowashthebloodoffofme.Ipullmyglovesoff,tossingtheminabinasIwalkintothehospitalwaitingroom. 69%1 IlookupandseeWarren.Heswaitingforme.Hestandslookingatmeintently.Withoutsayingaword,heopenshisarms forme. Ifeelmylipsbegintotrembleaseverythingfromthelastfewdaysbeginscrashingdownonme;myfearforPiper, myangeratSimon,myhunger,mylackofsleep,myworryaboutthewarriorsinthispack,myfightwithWarren…allofithitsmeastheadrenalinethathaskeptmegoingdissipates.IlosethebattlewithmytearsandamomentlaterI feelWarrensstrongarmswraparoundme,embracingmeasifheknowsthatIllshatterintopiecesunlessheholdsmetogether.Iclingtohim,likehesalifepreserverinastormyseaandwithouthim,Illdrowninmyemotions. Comeon,baby.Letsgetyoutoour room,hesaysgently,scoopingmeintohisarms. Getbackinbed.YoucanarguewithyourLunaaboutcoming offtheinjuredreservelistwhenshesstrongassuminghestalkingtoCharlie,butIdontlook.Ilaymyheadonhisshoulder,tuckingmyfaceagainsthisbeginswalkingbacktothepackhouse. hesays.Imroatashe Aswewalk,Itakedeepbreathsofhis teakwoodscent,lettingthematebondcalmme.Iveheard ofthepowerofthematebond,butthisis thefirsttimethatIthinkIvehadachancetotrulytestit.IhearArricbeginpurring,thesoundrumblinginhischestandagainstmy ear,lullingmeintosomethinglikeatrance.Imaware,butnotfullyawake. Iknowthe momentwestepkintothepackhouse asthemurmuring stops.Still,IdontlookupandWarrendoesntstop.Ifeelhimclimbingthestairstoourbedroomandwhenwewalkin,Itakegulpingbreathsofhisscentinourroom. Hedoesntlaymeonthebed,insteadgoingintothebathroom.Hestandsamoment,thensitsonthesideofthebathtubandturnsonthewater,keepingme inhisarms. Imgoingtotakeyourclothes off,Yara,andthenImgoingtobatheyou.Yourecoveredinblood.Iknowyouretired,but,youllbehappytobecleanwhenyouwakeup. Inod,tootiredtospeak. Hesitsmeonthesinkandpullstheshirt,hisshirt,overmyhead.Holdontome,hesayssoftly,puttingmeonmyfeetandpushinghisshortsoffme.Ifeelhimremovinghistooandthenhecarefullypullshisshirtoffwhilestillholdingmeup. Thenhepicksmeupandstepsintothebathtub,sittingandputtingmeinbetweenhislegs. Justleanbackagainstme,hesays. Idoandhebeginsrunningthewarmwaterovermytiredbody Whensthelasttimeyouate,Yara?heaskssoftlyashecontinuestorinsemeoff. Idontknow. Hekissesthe sideofmyhead,thenbegins pouringthewarmwaterovermyhair.Werequietashewashesmyhair,rinsingitandreplacingthesoapywaterinthetubbeforebeginningtowashmybody. Piperpushingforwardagain. IfeelmyfearforPiperpushing What ifshedoesntmakeit,Warren? Iwhisper,chokingbackasob. Ifeelthewashclothpause beforehe continues.Thenyoullknowyou dideverythingyoucouldtosaveherandSimonwill 13:53Sun,Dec1 Chapter26 dieanevenslowerdeathforkillingthatsweetgirl. 169% Ifeelmylips trembling.Whatif…Ihiccup,tryingtoholdbackmytears.Whatifshesurvivesbutcantspeak?Whatifshecantswallow?WhatifsurvivingisworsethandyingbecauseIwasntabletostitchherthroatproperly? Ifeelhimrubbinghisfaceagainstmyhead,kissingmeashethinks. Wellfigureitout,Yara.Iftheresaspecialistthatwecanbringintoworkwithher,Illdoit.Butletsnotgetaheadofourselves.YoureanincredibledoctorandPiper,whileyoung,isstrongwithastrongwolf.Itmaytakehersometimetofullyheal,soletsnotrushit.Letswaitandseehowsheistomorrow. Inod,thensighasIfeelhimgentlywashingmybody.Icantrememberthelasttimesomeonetookcare ofme,definitelynotlikethis.AlphaSolomonwaskind,buthewasabusyman. Justsoyouknow,thisfeelsanawfullotlikekindnessandcompassion,Itellhim. I feelArricspurr,whichhasntstopped,increaseinintensity. Iconsiderthistakingcareofmymate.Butifthiscountsaskindnessandcompassion,maybeitwontbeas thought,hesays,kissingthesideofmyheadagain.Sleep,Yara,Illtakecareofyou. dformeasI IfyouhadaskedmeifIdeverbe abletofallasleepinabathtubwithanakedAlphawashingmybody,Idhaveprobablylaughedinyourface.Butbetweenmyownexhaustion,Arricspurring,andWarrensassurancethatImsafe,Ifallintoadeep,deepsleep. 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...