Chapter 603 Chapter 603
After two wrong turns, Asher finally found the room Journee was in. The door was open, or he would have gone right by it. The pup was running around Journee, whining and getting in the way. Shaelan was sprawled over her, talking to her. Whatever she was saying, Journee’s cat wanted nothing to do with it. Another woman, with short brown hair, he could only assume was Fionna, was trying to hold her injured leg.
The blonde woman came running in with a needle. She looked at him. “Get that wolf out of the way.”
Asher lurched and grabbed him up when he went by him. The pup struggled, digging his back legs into his side. Squatting down, he hugged the little furball into his chest and rubbed the side of his neck.
“She can’t stop the shift.” Shaelan glanced over her shoulder at the blonde woman.
Mika came running in the door, and he wondered if one of them sent for more reinforcements. She had a blanket and a bowl in her hand.
The pup nipped his chin, and Asher realized he was holding him a little too tight. He didn’t know much about this woman, but he couldn’t imagine being injured and losing control of your state of shift and potentially ending up crippled and unable to ever shift again because of it.
Cursing in his head, he went around the women to the other side of her. He held the pup closer and spoke softly. “Journee, calm down and try to communicate with your cat. Panicking is setting her off.” His animal would refuse to shift back if that kind of emotion happened.
“She burned through the dose while we were gone.” Shaelan grunted and tried to help Fionna steady her leg. “Give me a second to brace the right place, Journee.”
He realized he was holding his breath, and his cat was so still inside him that he had to wonder if he was anticipating the pain she would go through during the shift.
At the first sound of bones shifting, Asher leaned back, and the pup went still in his arms. The poor baby wild beast probably wondered if his body was supposed to do this too. He moved back further when Mika went around by her head and set the bowl down.
“Okay, Journee, try to breathe through it as it happens.” Shaelan’s voice was gentle and assuring, but he could see her face and see the worry on it.
More bones shifted, and the spotted fur receded, replaced by the palest blonde hair he’d ever seen. He didn’t remember it being that light when they were kids; then again, girls weren’t on his radar at that point.
Journee screeched as the pain ripped through her. Asher couldn’t look at her face because he wanted to scream with her. Shaelan and the other two women were doing something with her leg as Mika tossed a blanket over her body and knelt by her head with the bowl. He found out a second later what it was for when Journee started to gag like she was going to throw up.
He backed away further because the pup was squirming again. “It’s okay, boy.” He nuzzled the top of his head. “Give her a minute to settle.”
“Taylor, give her the shot now. I need to adjust this leg.”
The blonde woman took out the syringe she had clamped in her teeth and pulled off the cap. The way she just jabbed it without hesitation into Journee’s leg had Asher flinch. He wouldn’t be seeking any medical treatment from that one. Ever.
“Journee, I’ve tried to numb it as best we can, but this is still going to be uncomfortable.”
Nichelle came rushing into the room. She stood there, eyes wide for a second, then jolted to Asher. “I’ll take him outside for a few.” She grabbed the pup out of his arms so fast the creature didn’t have time to react.
“Asher, you may have to hold her down.” Shaelan barely glanced his way.
He nodded, then realized she wasn’t watching him for an answer. “Okay.”
Journee heaved again and then flopped back down. Her face was soaked in sweat, and her expression told him she was still feeling it despite the shot. She opened her eyes and looked up at him; it felt like someone had throat-punched him. He could see the pain, her past, every traumatic moment in her life so far in the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. They were hazel, with green rings around the iris, and he felt like they were familiar, which was ridiculous. He didn’t know this woman.
“Ready?”
Sucking in a breath, he leaned forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Sorry.” He whispered. She was still looking at him, and he figured it was better than looking down to see what they were doing with her leg. He didn’t want to see it, and it wasn’t even attached to his body.
She sucked in a deep breath. “Do it.” She said and then grasped his arms and squeezed her eyes shut.
She screamed so loud he was sure every shifter in the building heard her. He wished she’d pass out from it, but she somehow managed to stay awake. Shaelan was wrapping it tight when he finally glanced in that direction. His eyes were filled with unshed tears, and he needed to get the hell out of the room, but he wasn’t going to let go until they were done. He felt stinging in the underside of his arms and knew she’d held on so tight that he was going to have rows of crescents on each arm from her fingernails.
“Okay, I’ll give you a pain killer and let you rest for a bit before we do an ultrasound and probably an x-ray to see how it is.”
“Will,” Journee licked her lips and swallowed a few times, “will I be able to shift still?”
“Nothing broke through the skin, so you have a good chance of being able to.” Shaelan wiped her hand over her forehead and then looked at Asher. The expression on her face changed, and he had to wonder how bad he looked right now to get such a concerned look from her.
Not knowing what to say to her, he turned his attention to Journee. “Can I have my arms back now?” He tried to smile, but it didn’t happen, not with the intense look she was giving him.
“Sorry,” she whispered and slowly released his flesh.
Closing her eyes, she took exaggerated deep breaths and blew them out. That told him right there that she was still in a lot of pain and was powering right through it. She pressed her hands over her eyes and held them there. Her face was scrunched in pain. He glanced at Shaelan and wondered if they could give her more for the pain. He may not know this woman, but she had a strength many didn’t have.
Despite his doubts about her, he felt he still needed to give her some encouragement. Leaning close to her head, he touched her arm, so he wouldn’t startle her when he spoke. She opened those amazing eyes and looked at him. Inches apart, he thought they were even more fascinating and breathtaking. He sucked in a breath and tried to figure out what to say, and his cat was suddenly at attention inside him. Asher froze. He realized she was staring at him, the strangest look in her eyes. He cleared his throat. “You, uh, did great.” He straightened away quickly and glanced at the other women, like he was afraid they were going to know how messed up his head was right this second. “I should go check on the pup.”
“Daigo.” Journee whispered.
He looked back down at her.
“His name is Daigo. Hunters killed both his parents.” Her eyes drifted closed, and then she blinked a few times, trying to open them. Whatever Shaelan had given her must be kicking in. “I have to talk to the Alpha,” she whispered so softly he barely heard her, “or the king.” Her words were slurred, but her brow was still showing she was feeling the pain.
The pup’s parents being killed hit him. Again, his eyes felt liquid. He nodded. “I’ll go check on Daigo for you. Get some rest.” He was on his feet so quickly that he almost stumbled back and hit the wall.
“Are you okay, Asher?”
He jerked his chin and looked at Shaelan. He shrugged and nodded, having no actual words to explain how okay he wasn’t.