Fractured

Chapter 52: Aftermath

Not wasting anytime I headed straight for the medical building. The moment that it came into sight, I felt an overwhelming amount of apprehension well up inside of me. I hadn't stuck around long enough yesterday to get an idea of the number of losses Silent River had suffered. I knew no matter how many, it would be devastating. These people were my family, and I cared for each and every one of them.

As I approached the building, the potent stench of blood wafted towards me. My nose scrunched up involuntarily. I stopped just as my hand grasped the door handle, not because I was scared of what was on the other side though I was. No, I stopped because at that very moment, Griffin's voice rang loud and clear through my head.

"Logan, I know you can hear me, and I would just like to say," he paused before singing,"You're a jerk, you're a jerk, you're a jerk, jerk, jerk. You're a jerk, you're a jerk, you're a jerk, jerk, jerk. You're a jerk, you're a jerk, you're a jerk, jerk, JEEERRK!!!" perfectly to the tune of The Lone Ranger's theme song. An old TV show he had forced me to watch countless times as a child. I found myself smiling as I shook my head and entered the building. At least I knew he was feeling better, and he obviously knew I was back.

The entry lounge was completely overflowing with people. Some injured but most appeared to be waiting to hear about loved ones. I knew our medical team was not equipped to handle the sheer volume of injured people, but they seemed to be managing things extremely well. I spotted Asher coming out of one of the rooms as I made my way down the long corridor.

"You're back," he said his eyes wide. I could hear the slightest hint of surprise in his voice.

"Yeah," I said feeling a little guilty for taking off like I did. "I am surprised you didn't already know. Griffin did, even sang me a little welcome back tune." Asher shook his head smiling.

"Lone Ranger?"

I nodded.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" I asked as we made our way down the hall.

"Because he's been singing that damn song all day. I'm pretty sure that he's been trying to link with you the entire time, but with the pain killers Doc Haver's has him on, he couldn't. I don't think he even realized he wasn't linking with you, but just singing the damn song out loud."

I reached for his arm, pulling him to a stop.

"How is he?"

Asher shrugged.

"He'll be okay in a few days, though his broken ribs will take a while to heal up. But you should be more worried about how you'll be once he sees you," he warned.

"He's that pissed?" I pressed continuing to proceed down the hallway.

"You wish. Pissed doesn't even begin to describe how angry he is at you, or at least was the last time I spoke with him." The look on Asher's face told me he wasn't exaggerating. "Well, this is where I leave you."

"Wait you're not going to go in with me?" I asked a little worried to see Griffin on my own.

"Uh-uh. No way do I want to be a witness to whatever is going to go on in there," he said gesturing to the door. "But good luck, man. It was nice knowing you." He joked walking away.

"Thanks a lot," I yelled after him. Mumbling to myself about what a traitor Asher was, I begrudgingly entered Griffin's room, just to be greeted by what I could only assume was a bedpan whizzing past my head. God, I hoped that it was empty.

"Where the hell have you been?" Griffin barked. I looked down at the dented bedpan before looking up to see Griffin glaring at me. Anger was practically flowing off of him in waves.

"Didn't Asher tell you?" I asked. My eyes were searching for anything else he might be able to throw at me.

"He did," he replied in a clipped tone. "But I want YOU to tell me what the hell was so important that you would just up and leave your pack at a time like this."

"I'm sorry. I was a kind of an asshat for doing that," I admitted. Griffin nodded wincing a little and clutching the bandage around his neck.

"A major asshat," Griffin said sinking back into his pillow. He looked tired so tired. His normally bright blue eyes which also held a hint of mischief were bloodshot and surrounded by very prominent purple bags. To be frank, he looked like crap.

"How is the neck," I asked noting the blood slowly seeping through the white bandage. Griffin's hand moved from his neck.

"It's fine," he said defensively. "Looks worse than it really is."

That, I didn't believe for a moment. I knew Griffin better than anyone, with the exception of his folks. He hated to admit when he was hurt, and would refuse doctor care.

"It doesn't look fine to me," I replied walking further into the room.

"What are you a doctor now?"

"No, but the fact that you're still bleeding means it had to have been a pretty nasty wound to begin with." Which meant, Griffin had been closer to death than I had thought. The feeling of guilt began to seize me gradually. I had been so concerned with protecting Izzy that had never checked to see what happened to Griffin.

"No! Don't you dare!" Looking up, I flinched when I saw the pure rage in Griffin's eyes. "Don't you dare feel sorry for me, or start seconding guessing yourself. That shit has got to stop." I didn't bother asking what he was talking about. It was all I had been doing, and everyone could see it, everyone but me.

How could I possibly not second guess myself? I made choices for years with confidence that I was making the right call, but I hadn't made the right call, had I? I told her to stay, left her unguarded. Now, she was dead, and I was lost.

'You can't keep beating yourself up for what happened. Everything you did, I did. Every choice you made I followed along with. You may be the alpha, but you're not alone, not in decisions and not in blame.'

'It's mine to shoulder.' My words rang out through the link, but he would never hear it. No one would.

"I am going to check in with Havers. Rest up, man," I replied before quickly heading out of the room. Not even a second after I closed the door I heard screaming echoing down the hall. The agony the voice held sent a wave of terror through me. With thinking, I took off following the wails of pain.

Chaos filled the halls just outside the room. People were running yelling at each other.

"He's crashing," I could hear Havers' bark through the noise. Doing my best to remain out of the way I approached the room, and for a brief second, I saw him lying nearly lifeless on the hospital bed. No, it couldn't be.

~~~~~~Author's Note~~~~~~~

Well I wonder who that could be? Your thoughts?

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