Chapter4 Yara ImnotsureifAlpha Warrenbroughtmeherebecauseherecognizedmeashismateandhedidnthavethestrengthtorejectmeinthewoods ,orifheknewthathispackdoctorwaswellpasthisretirementyears.Eitherway,Imhereandsince1am,IllhelpthisAlpha.ThisisthereasonIchosemedicine.Hedoesnthavetolose hisleg.Itwilltake alotofefforton mypart,butImexcited tofinallygettoworkonawerewolf,anAlphianoless. Imassumingyouwanttodo thisnow,Alpha ?Taskhim. Yes,thesoonerthebetter. Okay.IgivehimthelistofitemsthatIllneedtogethisbonesputbacktogetherproperly.Oh,and wellneedtosedateyou.Isay ,lookingaroundtheroomtoseehowtheyhavetheirhospitalroomssetup.Isthiswhere… No,AlphaWarrensays.Iturntolookathim. No? Nosedation Okaythen,anerveblock,Illjustneed… Nohesaysagain. Alpha,please,Imgoingtohavetowashthearea ,scrubitclean,Imgoingtocutyourlegopen,pinyourskinandmuscle.backsothat Icangettothebonesandthenslowlyputthembackwheretheybelong.Thepainwillbeexcruciating.Youneedthenerveblock. No,hesaysagain,holdingmygaze.Ifinallylookaway,mumblingabout stupid,stubbornAlphas. WhenIturnback,heswatchingmewitharaisedeyebrowasifheheardme.Iwasntthatloud,wasI?Crap,Ivebeenhangingaroundhumanswhocanthearanythingfortoolong.Howmuchcanhehearofmymumbling. TheirritableDr.Stevenscomesin,throwing thethingsIaskedforonthetable.IjumpwhenIhearawarninggrowl,lookinguptoseeAlphaWarrenglaringathim . Willtherebeanythingelse,doctor?Dr.Stevensasks.Hesomehowmakesmytitle,whichisthesameas his,soundlikeadirtyword . No,thankyou ,doctor.Illtakeitfromhere. Igotothesinkandbeginscrubbingmyhands.Imnervousforalotofreasons.First,IminanunknownpackwithanAlphawhoismymate.Ihavenoideawhattoexpectfromhim,orreallywhyImhere.Andalmostworsethanthat,hewantsmetooperateonhimwhilehesawake!WhatthehellkindofcrazyAlphaishe? Youre thinkingsohardthattheressteamcomingoutofyourears,Yara.Whataresoworriedabout?heasksme. Iturnandlookathimovermyshoulder.Howdoes heeven knowImworried?Whyishepayingsomuchattentiontome ? Isthisthe matebond?IveonlyhadexposuretotwoAlphasinmylife,AlphaSolomonandAlphaSimon.AlphaSolomonisagoodAlpha,buthewasneverthisintunewithwhatIwasdoingorthinking.AndSimonashiverofrevulsionrollsthroughme.Hewasintuneforawholeotherreason.Themangavemethecreeps. WhenIfinishscrubbingmyhands,IturnbacktoAlphaWarren .Iseeheswaitingforaresponsetohisquestion.Thisisgoingtobeverypainful.CanIatleastgiveyou alocalanesthetic? No.IneedtobealertsoIcanprotectmypack,hesays . 19:58Sat,Nov 30GG Chapter4 Youcantexactlyprotectyourpackwithonlyoneleg,Alpha,Isnap,mynervesmaking mebold, Warren.Call meWarren,andyousaidyoucouldsavemyleg. Ican.IfyouareundersedationandImnotworriedaboutyouinchingoryankingyourlegawaywhileImoperating Ihaveaveryhightolerancetopain, Thatdoesntsurpriseme.HewasntevenwhimperingwhenAnnikaandIfound him.Healso hasmultiple,veryfaintscarsalloverhisbody.Themanhasbeenfightinginthepack warsforlongtime.Hemusthaveaverystrongwolfthatisabletohealhim,over andover. Howstrongisyourwolfrightnow?Iask,gettinghislegpreppedtowash. Iamverystrong,littleone, adeepvoicesays,andmyeyessnapupas Annikabeginspurringinmyhead.Warrenswolfisforward,answeringforhimself. Warrensmiles,onceagainlookingasifheknowstheeffecthiswolfishavingonmine.CanhehearAnnikapurring? Ishakemyhead,tryingtoclearit.IneedtofocusmyattentionandNOTonWarrensincredibleteakwoodscent. IfIholdthebonesinplace,oneatatime,howlongwillittakeforyoutosetthem? Iask. Notlong,littleone,hesaysbut itspracticallyapurr.Iamaverystrong,powerfulAlphawolf.Thewayhesaysitisntbragging,butmorelikepreening.Mybrainflashesanimageofapeacockstruttingaroundflauntinghisfeathersforhis chosenmate. Right,Isay,feelingmybodyrespondingtothedeeptenorofhisvoice.Itfeelslikehisvoiceiscaressingthenervesinmybody,makingthemalllightupwithaneedImunusedtofeeling,especiallywhenImabouttodosurgery. Ilookupintotheintense,jadegreeneyesofAlphaWarren.Are youready,Alpha? Warren,hecorrects.Inod. Areyouready,Warren? Yes,Yara. Igritmyteeth,hatingthatIknowthisisgoingtohurthim,butifhewontletmeatleastnumbhisleg,I cant helpit. Ibeginwashingthebloodoffhisleg,layingawetclothoverthebloodyarea,carefulthat Idonttugonthebonesthat are.stilljuttingout.Hisbodyiscoveredwithcakedblood,guts,andbitsofbone,justlikeIthoughtitwouldbe.Undertheteakwoodscent,hesmellslikewaranddeath. Itsgoodpracticeforme,learninghowtoignorethesmellofbattlewhileIwork.Idontgetthis kindoftrainingattheuniversity, Talktome,hesaysthroughgrittedteeth. Whatdoyouwanttotalkabout?Iask,notlookingupasIbegintoscrubthebloodfromhisleg. Youknowwhatyouareto me? he asks,althoughitsmoreofastatementthana question.Mystomachfeelslikeitstwisting intoknots. Yes,Isaywithoutlookingup.Afteryouhavehealed,youcanrejectme.Ifyoudoitbefore,itcouldimpactyour healing.Idontknow whythethoughtofthismanrejectingmefeelssopainful.Idontevenknowhim.Ihavenointentionofbecominghismateandreturningtothepacks,atleastnotuntil Imdonewithschoolanyway.AndthispackismuchtooclosetoSimonformycomfort. WhosaysImgoingtorejectyou?heasks,soundingoffended.NowIdolookup at him. 19.58Sat ,Nov30G Chapter4 ButImalonewolf Whatyouare,ismyfutureLuna ) YoudontevenknowmeIsaygoingbacktomywork. Iknowthatyoureintelligent,yourecompassionate,yourebrave,andIknowthatyourelonely,hesays. TheintelligentandcompassionatepartsIget.Thatcouldeasilybediscernedfrommebeingadoctorandhelpinghim,thosetwomakesense.ThebravepartImnotsureabout,butthelonelypart…. 41% WhydoyousayImlonely?Taskhim,wipingoffthebloodandturningtogetthescalpel.Iliftitup,showinghimthatImabouttocutintohisleg.Henodsandcontinues. Theclosestuniversitywithamedicalschoolisaboutanhournorthofhere.Betweenhereandthere,therearemanyareaswherealonewolf couldrun,ifshewantedto.Butinstead,hestops,grunting as Icarefullysliceintohisleg.Instead,youchosetocometoanareathatisfullofwolves. Hespartiallyright.Annikamissesbeinginapack,shemissesthecompanionshipofbeingwithotherwolves.Me,Idbefine livingalonetherestofmylife,butmywolflikesthesmelloftheforestanditmakesherfeelmoresettledtosmellthescentofotherwolves. WarrenhissesandIglanceupathim,watchinghimtakedeepbreathstocontrolhispain. Howdoyoudothat?Iask . Dowhat? Managethislevelofpain? Mindovermatter.Physicalpainwillbreakyoumentallyifyouletit.Thatswhypeoplegettorturedforinformation.Ifyoucanbreakthebody,youcanusuallybreakthemind.Mymindisstrongerthanmybodyandmybodyisverystrong Iglanceatthescarsonhislegs again.Theyreatestamenttotheaccuracyofhiswords. Youve beenfightingforalongtime?Iask,cuttingandpullingthemusclesawayfromwherehisboneshave snappedintopieces. SinceIbecameanAlpha,nearly twelveyearsago. Twelveyears?Iexclaim,standingupandlookingathim.HesolderthanIthought. Thateyebrowshootsupagain.Itsanarrogantlook,butonWarren,itsohsosexy. ItookoverthepackwhenIwaseighteen,Imnowthirty,thatstwelveyears,littlewolf . Annikas notthatlittle,Isay ,returningmyattentiontohisleg SheiscomparedtoArric . Well,Arric isan Alpha wolf.OnlyanotherAlphawouldbelargerthan anAlphawolf,Isay,asIcarefullypluck outthefirstbone.Ilookatit,checking toseewhereitgoesandthenIpressitagainsttheboneitsnappedoffof Okay,Arric ,letsseewhatyouvegot,Isay,carefullyholdingtheboneinplacesoArriccanbegintohealthefracture,Iwatchasthebonebeginstoconnectandseal infrontofmyeyes. Cool!Isay , forgettingwhereI am andwhoImwith .IvebeenworkingwithhumansforsolongthatIforgothowquicklywolves canheal,especiallyAlphawolves. Chapter4 Isit thatexciting?Warrensksmedrully. 1shrug.Iknownoteveryonefindsmedicineandsurgerythrilling,butIdo.Itisforme. Thenitmustbemyluckyday,hesays,justasthereisaknockthedoor. Ilookatthedoor,thenatAlpha Warren,wonderingwhocouldpossiblybeknocking. ItoldyouIwouldprotectyou,hebreathaway.Comein, yssmiling.Hissmileisso beautifulthatitnearlytakesaCharlie,hesays,nottakinghiseyesoffofme. Alpha … whatthefuckareyoudoinginhere?heasksangrily,stridingquicklytothetableandlooking atAlphaWarrensleg.filletedandopeno thetable. 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...