Land of Wolves

Chapter 86

It's easy to tell the medical staff apart from the warriors, the clothes covering their bodies a dead giveaway. They wear complete outfits, a drastic change from the haphazardly thrown-on underwear scrub bottoms the warriors are forced into as they enter the hospital building.

Two nurses stand near the doors to provide directions and hand out clothing, and Caleb ushers us toward the one on the left.

A few wolves are waiting nearby to speak with her, but they step aside once they see Caleb.

"Where were the humans taken?" Caleb asks.

The nurse eyes him, her lips pursed as she tries to decide whether his underwear is appropriate. I'm surprised the wolves even care to dress inside here, but I suppose enough medical equipment and sharp objects are sitting around that they don't want to risk any injuries from flopping body parts.

Instinctively, even though I know it's dramatic, I step in front of Caleb. The nurse's eyes dart back up, and her cheeks turn a bright shade of red. I knew her gaze was lingering, and her blush proves it.

Caleb's fingers curl around my waist as the nurse spins around and points down a hallway to our left.

"The pediatric ward is just down that hallway and to the right. The overhead signs will guide you," she says. "The women will be in the examination rooms nearby. King is there already."

Warriors are on her the moment she's finished speaking, all rushing to get their questions answered. Caleb and I don't bother sticking around, and we quickly make our way in the direction she pointed. The hallways are busy, and I wince when my shoulder is roughly bumped from behind by a warrior.

He throws a loud apology over his shoulder as he hurries ahead, his legs carrying him at a pace mine can't replicate. Caleb usually goes feral when the other wolves get so close to me, but all he does is gently pull me closer to his side.

I have a feeling the warrior was too distracted even to notice who he was bumping into, and he meant no harm.

A lot is happening.

"How many wolves are hurt?" I ask.

Caleb guides me to the right. I have to practically jog to keep up with his long strides, and my arms pump at my sides as I force myself to take in slow, even breaths. Despite our hurry, I know Caleb will slow if he hears me pant.

"Roughly thirty are seriously hurt," Caleb admits. "HPAW managed to get a small explosive just past the border. Most of our men were able to shake it off, but a few were too close to the blast. We've also had a few eardrums explode from the noise machines, but those have been healing within a few hours."

The wolves' eardrums are exploding? I knew the noise hurt them, but I had no idea it was that powerful.

"Are your ears okay?" I can't help but ask.

I'm sure Caleb hasn't been sitting back while his men fight. He's being exposed just as much as they are.

Caleb makes a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat. "My ears are fine."

He's lying. The way he reaches up with his free hand and scratches the side of his nose is a dead giveaway. People always fidget when they lie, and Caleb is no exception.

I open my mouth, debating whether or not to push, before snapping it shut when a familiar face enters my line of sight. Just my fucking luck.

Jan steps out of a nearby room with a frown, and she rips off a pair of bloody gloves before shoving a loose piece of her brown hair out of her face. The strands cling to her skin, and she tosses the gloves in a nearby bin before aggressively reaching for her hair.