Chapter 797 Chapter 797
Calla opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a bedroom. When she went to sit up, everything came back to her. She hurt everywhere. She remembered bits of things. Her arm had a temporary cast on it until the swelling went down, and Fionna could see if the joint was permanently damaged.
Her legs were throbbing in beat with her heart. For a second, she almost panicked because her back felt numb, then realized it was probably because she had been lying on it for a long time.
The last thing she remembered clearly was riding in a van with Bear sitting by her head talking to her. He promised her lasagna and tulips as soon as she was better. He was a sweet man. Looking at the window, she saw it was dawn, or possibly dusk, she wasn’t sure.
Turning, she saw Bear sleeping in a chair half his size. It looked like a kitchen chair. He had it sitting in the corner and was using the walls as a headrest.
She needed to move. The dull ache in her back was almost as bad as the throbbing in her legs. She blew out a breath. She was going to take the throbbing as a good sign that her legs were still intact. Closing her eyes, she focused on her breathing as she built up the motivation to move. Sitting up was a good first goal, she decided.
Bear shifted in the chair and she watched him brace his legs so he wouldn’t fall off it. He’d pulled that van apart with only his hands to get her out of it, and now he was sleeping where he could be available if she needed him. He was a good man. She smiled and realized the side of her face hurt. Lifting her hand, she paused when she saw an IV still in it. Hopefully, that could come out soon. Touching her face and forehead, she was relieved there were no bandages or scabbed areas. Probably just bruised.
Pushing the blanket down, she looked at the arm the cast was holding. It was slightly bent. In its current state, that arm was going to be useless to help her move. Shifting, she managed to lean on her other arm. Every muscle from her chest down hurt just from that small adjustment. Blowing out a gradual breath, she prepared for the next move. With her teeth clamped together, she managed to move her body a few inches toward the headboard. She was out of breath like she’s just run for hours.
This wasn’t working. She needed a new plan. If she could get onto her side more, she might be able to pull herself toward the top of the bed. As she turned, she moved her leg, and electrifying pains shot all the way up to her hip. She couldn’t stop the whine from escaping her mouth.
Bear jumped to his feet and almost fell forward before he adjusted his balance. “Calla.” He rushed to her. “What are you doing?”
She dropped her head sideways onto her shoulder. “Apparently not moving.” She sighed. “No one thinks about how many muscles are involved in moving—until you can’t.”
He put his hand under her neck and shoulders and held the weight for her. “You shouldn’t be moving.”
“My back is numb. I’m stiff and sore. I can’t even feel my butt. I want to sit up.” She hated sounding so pathetic, but the aches were getting to her.
He looked at the door. Panic and worry were very plain to see.
“Come on. You tore apart a van; you can help me sit up.”
His gaze flicked to her face. “I know I can. I’m just wondering if I should.”
“Well, I’m going to do it with or without you. There will be less screaming if you help.” She was going for amusing, but it didn’t reflect on his face when he looked at her. “Relax. There’s no you-broke-it-you-bought-it policy on my body.”
He grinned fleetingly. “I worked hard to get your body out of that wreck without breaking it..”
She would have reached up and touched his cheek, but the only hand she had free was in a cast, and she didn’t want to knock him out trying to reach for him. “Please. Just prop me on the pillows.”
He held her look with intense focus. “Okay. You just relax. I’ll do the moving part.
“Kay.” She smiled.
Everything was complaining; lightning was shooting through her with muscle twinges, but she was almost completely upright and surrounded by pillows for maximum propping effect.
He leaned down and got in her face. “Are you okay?”
She sucked in a breath and nodded. All the air escaped at once. She closed her eyes. “That was like a workout.”
He touched her face, and she opened her eyes to see pain in his as he studied her face.
“How bad is my face?”
He gave his head a quick shake. “A little swelling and bruising is all.”
“And the rest of me?” She looked at her legs under the blankets. “Let me see.” She could see the reluctance on his face as he straightened and flipped the blanket aside. She stared at the yellow and green splattered patterns on the material she was wearing. “What am I wearing?”
His mouth quirked as he put his hand over it. “Edda loaned you a—moo-moo; I think she called it.”
“It’s awful.” She touched the material at her waist. “It’s like a child was handed paints and not supervised at all.” She cringed. Bunching it up, she slowly pulled it up her legs. Her feet looked a little swollen but normal. She was afraid to find out but managed to move her toes. The pain traveled up into her shins. She hissed out a breath.
“Just look. Don’t try to move anything yet.”
“I remember my arm, but not my legs. What did Fionna say about them?” She pulled the hideous material up further. Her legs were wrapped in white cloth or bandage. She could see the outline of something on the sides of them, but everything was covered, so she couldn’t see what they actually looked like.
“No bones are broken,” Bear said quietly. “Just badly bruised. Which, I didn’t know bone could be bruised.”
“So I will be able to shift again?” She stared at her legs and then realized she hadn’t felt her cat since she woke up.
“Fionna talked to Shaelan and some other doctor, and they think the reason your legs weren’t completely crushed is because our joints are mobile.”
She looked at him. “Because they shift around?”
He nodded. “Best they can figure is your animal knew and saved your legs.”
Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes and reached for her again. She was there, just very quiet. Feeling her brought Calla relief. Opening her eyes, she looked back at Bear. “I didn’t know that could happen.”
He lifted his hands and let them drop. “I’ve seen things like that with Noah, where he gets bigger, and I know Griffin can do it too, so I guess all of us can probably shift parts.”
“Like Journee and her claws.”
He nodded. “Yeah.
Sighing, she leaned back on the pillows. “Just as long as I can shift again, I can survive this.”