Mellifuous ✔

Chapter 6: Oh God

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"Hello, Alfa, hello Luna. There is currently an available room for the pup if you wish for him to be moved to the nursery area soon," a sweet nurse says as she enters the pup's room, her voice gentle yet firm, as if trying to bring some sense of calm to the tense atmosphere that hangs heavy in the air.

The Alfa couple, seated by the bed where the small, fragile pup lies, remain silent, their hands intertwined in quiet solidarity. Their eyes are fixated on the tiny form curled under the weight of blankets far too large for him. His fur is matted, his body frail, and his chest rises and falls in the shallowest of breaths. The room is still, filled only with the occasional sound of the pup's slow, labored inhalations and the distant hum of the hospital outside. The couple's gaze never wavers from him, their hearts aching with every breath he takes, as if every breath might be a fragile thread that could break at any moment.

The nurse's words pierce the silence, and the couple quickly shifts their attention to her. There's a sense of hope that flickers in their eyes, but it's fleeting, overshadowed by the weight of everything they've already seen.

"That would be great," Conall says softly, his voice tinged with exhaustion. His lips curve into a small, but genuine smile towards the nurse, though it doesn't reach his eyes, which are filled with an emotion he can barely name. Grace, beside him, doesn't speak, her fingers gently stroking through the pup's dirty fur, as if trying to comfort him in the only way she knows how. The pup doesn't respond, too lost in his deep slumber to notice the gentle ministrations.

The nurse's smile is brief but appreciative. "Okay, then please just page me when the pup gains consciousness so I can move him to his new room," she says, her voice now carrying a slight edge of nerves, though she's trying to keep it professional.

Conall's gaze shifts from the nurse to the pup, then back to the nurse, a deep frustration knitting his brows together. "Can't you just move him now? He's absolutely petrified of all of us, so it's only gonna be a huge fuss trying to move him while he's awake. He practically wouldn't even let us touch him just a few hours ago," he asks, his tone sharp but filled with a deep concern that tugs at Grace's heart.

Grace, too, looks down at the small form, her heart aching. The pup's tiny body is so fragile, his demeanor so fragile, that it hurts to even imagine moving him. She doesn't say anything, but the quiet sadness in her eyes mirrors Conall's. They both understand the pup's fear all too well, the way he recoils from every touch, the way his little body stiffens at the mere approach of a stranger. They'd been through that earlier, when they'd first discovered him, and they hadn't even known what to do to calm him.

The nurse hesitates for a moment, shifting her weight from one foot to the other before responding. "I'm afraid not, Alfa. Unfortunately, it goes against protocol. It's normal for a pup in such a situation to be confused and disoriented. So it is believed that the safest approach is for him to be conscious so that we can try to explain what's going on. It will only overwhelm and confuse him further if he wakes up in another unknown surrounding," she explains, her voice patient but firm, as if she's had to say this same thing many times before.

Conall lets out a heavy sigh, rubbing his palm over his face in frustration. "Okay, fine, we'll page you when he wakes up," he says, his voice filled with reluctant acceptance. The nurse gives them a respectful nod before turning to leave.

Once the nurse is gone, the room falls silent again. The weight of the situation presses down on both Conall and Grace. They remain there, watching the pup as if simply being near him will somehow make everything better. But it's clear to both of them that they feel helpless, unable to do anything for the little one other than be there, just be present in the moment.