STILL MONDAY YOU GUYS!!! 9:50 pm so really not bad!
It's also A LOT LONGER, because I promised!
Dedicated to HarleyTheHusky, because Slogan!!!
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Logan
"We still have quite a bit of time to locate Kaitlin," Doctor Dev says. "I'm giving Saffron fluids. She shifted, so of course there is no need for surgical repair. I've already started treating her for hypovolemia, and her blood pressure's steady, so it looks like..."
Doctor Dev keeps talking, and I try to follow, but science has never been my best subject. I vow to pay better attention in biology class, because all I manage to decipher from Doctor Dev's explanation is that it's a good thing that Saf shifted and that the IV is helping keep her stable. I'm about to ask Doctor Dev for how long when I hear a familiar voice out in the hallway and realize there's no need.
"Where are we going, Alpha?" Kaitlin wines.
I don't think I've ever been this excited to hear her nasely, high-pitched voice. To say I've always found Kaitlin annoying is an understatement. When Jess and I were dating, she used to hang around all the time, like a leech, and it drove me crazy. One time, I even prayed to the Moon Goddess that she would just stop talking and disappear. I'm so glad the she didn't, because right now I want to throw my arms around her—that's how glad I am that she's finally here!
"The infirmary," Father says from outside the door, and the knob starts to turn.
"I have a lot of homework," Kaitlin complains.
"Is that right?" Father asks distractedly, clearly only half-listening.
"Like in all my classes." Kaitlin's tone sounds completely fake, but then again, it is Kaitlin. She never, ever sounds genuine, and she's always exaggerating. I can't believe she's still doing that now, when Saf and Zara are hurt and Jess is missing. I feel my annoyance start to grow and quickly squash it. I owe Kaitlin for being here—for saving Saf's life—and I make a vow to myself that I'll try not to find her fake or annoying, ever again.
"I should really—" Kaitlin starts to say something, but she never finishes the sentence. The moment the infirmary door opens, her gaze lands on Zara, and all the color drains from her face. "I—" she says, taking a step back, only to slam into Father's chest. He grabs her shoulders to steady her, and she looks from him to Zara and back again, her eyes filled with panic.
I know how hard it is to see Zara like this. When I first walked in, I probably didn't look so good myself, and Kaitlin and Zara are way closer than she and I are. They hang out and do girls stuff, like talk about makeup and have sleepovers... or whatever it is girls do.
I try to think of something to say, some way to comfort her. I wish I could tell her Zara will be okay, but I can't give her false hope. I even wish I could say it's not as bad as it looks, but I don't really know if that's true either. All Doctor Dev's said is that Zara's condition is stable, and that's all we can hope for right now.
"Kaitlin," I say her name softly, and her eyes snap to me, then move down to look at Saffron. With a gasp, she tries to spin around, but Father tightens his grip on her shoulders and holds her in place.
Kaitilin looks like she's going to barf, and I look down at Saf again and see her through fresh eyes. Her body is caked with dry blood, and she looks so pale. I wouldn't even be able to tell she was alive if it wasn't for the heart rate monitor's rapid beeping, and I put a gentle hand on her arm to calm myself and make sure her skin is still warm.
"Kaitlin," Doctor Dev crosses the room, "I suggest you close your eyes."
"C-close my eyes?" Kaitlin's already pale face turns even paler.
"Luna, get Kailtin onto a gurney."
"N-no," Kaitlin squeaks. "I have to go. I-I left my math book in my locker." Kaitlin tries to back away, and her gaze moves wildly around the room, as if searching for an escape route.
I know this has nothing to do with her math book, and not just because I've never heard Kaitlin care about homework before. She's obviously freaking out. The horror of what happened to Zara and Saf—the violence brought upon our pack—my be really getting to her.
"Kaitlin, look at me," Mother says soothingly. "I'm going to help you lie down, okay?"
"Lie down?" Kaitlin looks bewildered.
"Yes, come." Mother leads her past Saf's bed and nudges her down onto the adjacent one. The entire time, Kaitlin's eyes dart around the room, looking from me, to Saf, to Zara, to Father, and back again.
"What are you going to do to me?" she whimpers when Doctor Dev pushes forward the IV. She looks like she's about to pass out, barf, or both. I can smell her fear and it gets stronger with each passing second.
"Alpha didn't explain?" Mother asks, glancing back at Father. He just looks confused, which to me doesn't really say much one way or the other. Mother seems to understand though, because she nods.
"P-please," Kaitlin's lip trembles. "Don't hurt me. I'll do anything you want. I swear. Anything."
"Kaitlin, no one's going to hurt you," Doctor Dev tries to pat her on the shoulder, but Kaitlin jumps back. It doesn't help that the doctor is holding a needle. Kaitlin takes one look at it and completely freaks out. Tears stream down her face, and she scrambles to the very edge of the hospital bed.
"This isn't going to hurt one bit, Kaitlin," Doctor Dev tries to calm her down. "You won't even feel the needle. Just close your eyes, and it'll all be over in a second."
"No, please," Kaitlin tries to move back further, but her back hits the wall, and she pulls her knees up to her chest.
It's obvious that she's terrified of needles, and that worries me. What if she's so scared she refuses to do the blood transfer? Or she keeps fighting so Doctor Dev can't insert the IV? Could Father order her to stay still, or does Kailtin have to agree to give blood of her own free will?
"Kaitlin," I say softly, trying to appeal to her in the only way I know how. "I'm so grateful to you for helping Saffron."
"H-helping?" Kaitlin repeats, as though in her panic she's completely forgotten why she's here.
"It really means a lot to me. To all of us," I continue, and the smell of her fear starts to recede.
"It does?" Kaitlin still sounds confused.
"I owe you for this one," I add. If there's one thing I know about Kaitlin, it's how much she loves calling in favors. "Like Doctor Dev said, it doesn't even hurt. Jasper's giving blood to Zara now and he's fine. Right Jasp?"
"Yeah," Jasper says hoarsely. "It might make you feel a little thirsty, but it doesn't hurt."
"Thirsty?" Doctor Dev rushes toward him. "Okay, Jasper, I think you've lost quite enough blood for one day."
"No," Jasper tries to push Doctor Dev off when she moves to unhook the IV.
"Hey," Doctor Dev snaps, and Jasper looks at her. "I'm going to remove this IV. I don't think Zara would be very happy if she woke up to a dead mate."
"She'll wake up?" Jasper's entire face transforms.
"I can't guarantee anything, Jasper, but she's doing well. Her heart beat is stronger, her blood pressure looks good, and she's reacting really well to the transfusion."
"Then I should keep giving her blood," Jasper insists.
"Jasper, if you give too much blood I'll have to find someone to give you a transfusion," Doctor Dev chuckles, as if she were making some sort of joke. "Now, I don't have time to argue."
"Okay," Jasper nods reluctantly, and Doctor Dev peels back the tape and takes out the IV.
"Luna, can you monitor Zara while I set up Saffron and Kaitlin? Oh, and get Jasper some water?"
"Of course."
"Alright, Kaitlin. I want you to close your eyes while I do this. It might help to breathe. Logan, talk to her?"
"It's going to be okay," I tell Kaitlin while Doctor Dev takes her arm and looks for a vein. Kaitlin no longer looks terrified, but I don't want to risk it and keep talking. "Remember when you were cheering last year and your foot slipped?"
"Zara's hand slipped," Kaitlin snaps, sounding more like her usual self. I'd forgotten that Zara was still on the cheer squad then, or I wouldn't have brought it up. Kaitlin's eyes fly open, she looks at Zara, and turns pale again. Doctor Dev still hasn't had time to insert the needle, and I try to think fast of a way to distract Kaitlin.
"It's too bad you quit Joe's this summer," I say. It's a lie, since I actually celebrated the day she quit by eating an entire pie and naming it Kaitlin Quit, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to hear that.
"It is?" Kaitlin sounds surprised, but she relaxes again, and Doctor Dev prepares to insert the needle.
"Sure. When the girls are better, we can all go to Joe's to celebrate. You, me, Saf, Jasper, Zara and J..." I trail off.
"Jess?" Kaitlin whispers, and I realize my mistake. Jess, Kaitlin's best friend, is still missing. "Is she—"
"All done," Doctor Dev interrupts. "Kaitlin, you just lie back and let the IV do all the work."
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Okay, be honest... what did you think?
AND KAITLIN... WHAT DO YOU THINK OF KAITLIN?
What will happen next?
♥ BET YOU CAN'T guess how many words are in Sold to a Wolf Pack so far! Here are some other books for comparison: Twilight (126,000 words); Red Queen (122,000 words); Cinder (94,000 words); Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (263,000 words); Lightning Thief, Percy Jackson (91,000 words) ♥
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NOTE: If any of the medical stuff Doctor Dev did in the previous chapters is wrong, I'll go back and fix it. I've been doing some research, and I think she should have been giving Saf fluids, had her feet elevated, covered her with a warm blanket, and maybe done other stuff, too? I don't know. Biology and medicine is hard, you guys! ANY DOCTORS OR NURSES READING THIS? MEDICAL STUDENTS? SCIENCE GEEKS? HELP!!!