The Unmarked Mate

Chapter 32

James

"DO SOMETHING!" I yelled at them, feeling helpless. But they hadn't wait for my command. The Silent Valley Doctor was applying pressure on the two holes still gushing blood out. Doctor Roger started chest compressions. Come on Elestren! Don't leave me! Don't stop fighting! I love you! Come back to me! I prayed in my head. Too stunned to say any of this out loud. I heard the cracking noise of her ribs being broken in the compressions. It happened sometimes, I knew that, but that noise was excruciating torture to my hear. She was gone, it had been one minute and thirteen seconds. She couldn't be dead. Goddess why? She couldn't have lived through all of that, survived all that man did to her and die now! I was holding her hand, praying, mumbling, I could hear there were other people watching the scene, but I couldn't say who it was for all I was able to focus on at that instant what the endless note of the machine. And then I heard it beep again, back at a steady rhythm, she took a massive breath in. She opened her eyes widely as she sat up on the bed. She was alive! Relieved, happy but still worried, I looked at her.

"Welcome back Miss Dahlia" said an overjoyed Doctor Roger. I heard gasps of relief behind the door and turned my gaze toward them. The door had stayed opened, and I saw many people packed there, dozens of them, crammed up in the corridor.

"Okay, okay, she's not dead but she needs medical attention and privacy! All of you in the corridor get out, there is a waiting room, go there!" commanded the Silent Valley Pack doctor! He turned back to me. "You too, out!" Doctor something ordered me, I growled. As I was starting to get up, Elestren grabbed my hand and spoke in a weak voice.

"No please, let him stay!" she said. I smiled, I was overjoyed. She wanted me to stay with her. I felt guilty for feeling so happy right now, but she was alive and she wanted me by her side.

"Miss Warwick, we're going to have to take off your clothes and see the wounds, you sure you want him here?" the doctor was actually concerned, he was being a considerate man.

"Thank you doctor, but, I'm sure! Don't take this the wrong way but I trust him more than I trust you! Nothing personal, I just had some bad experiences with a doctor" she shamefully admitted. I sat down next to her while she was laying back down.

"No worries! We'll start by cleaning and patching up that neck of yours to avoid any other incidents and then we'll look, okay?" she nodded.

They cleaned the neck wound of any traces of silver, they had to open it to repair the artery but it was over quickly. Then the nurse came with scissors to open her shirt. I wanted to stay with her, she wanted me to stay, but I realized now why the doctor had asked me to go. When they cut opened her shirt, I turned around. I sat my back facing her, so that she would know I was there but she could have some sense of privacy. They said she had bruises on her stomach, burns on her throat and wrists, a few slashes on her arms, but nothing really deep. It was already too much. I bit my lip to make no noise, I was angry, how could anyone do that to her? Even if he had tricked the mate bond, the witch said she was now his real mate, what monster could enjoy torturing their own mate?

They asked her to turn over. I heard her move on her stomach, breathing loudly. Then the nurse gasped, I turned over out of reflex. I saw her back. It was bruised, scratched, tiny bits of flesh were dripping, wounds had healed, and over them some were still healing, and over these ones, fresher ones, deep slashes that were still bleeding and had not time to heal yet. The silver would have prevented her from healing. She must have been whipped, several times. I felt tears wetting my cheeks. They disinfected it and bandaged it, slowly, afraid to hurt her more. She didn't say anything, not even an ouch when they applied the disinfectant. The doctors said that after she was properly fed, and rested it would heal in no time. She did look thinner, the werewolves said he called her fat, and that he needed to do something about it, I guessed he had. That was so wrong. She was beautiful whatever goddamn size she was. I held her hand while they were putting the bandages on her. They bandaged her whole torso, to protect the wounds and to help the ribs heal in a good place. They tended to her feet, and said this would be healed in a day or so.