The Protector (EarthMix AU)

Chapter 12

Triggered warning; mature contents.

Tian

Even though I was numb inside, I couldn't stem the tears that slipped down my cheeks and kept dripping onto my folded hands.

I felt like my brain had already processed that I was going to lose the only important thing I had left in my life, the only living soul that I knew, unlike Phupha, would never choose to leave me.

It had taken me a long time to find the car keys after Phupha had ordered me to get my car started and by the time I'd found them, Phupha was already rounding the house, with a deathly quiet Edin in his arms.

I hadn't had the courage to as Phupha if Edin was still alive but he'd told me anyway with a gentler, "He's hanging on, Tian."

Edin hadn't been unconscious even he had been quiet, he'd spent the entire care ride to the vet's office licking my arm as I'd cradled his head in my lap. Even with all the pain my loyal friend had to have a feeling, he's still sought to comfort me in the same way he always had.

The vet had been waiting for us when we'd arrived and Edin had been rushed into surgery.

My hands had been covered in blood by the time we'd gotten to the clinic but now they were clean again and I had no clue how that had happened.

Phupha probably.

But for once, I couldn't bring myself to care or to wonder what it meant. I didn't even care that he was there. I just wanted my dog to be okay.

"Drink this," Phupha said as he handed me a small paper cup of full of water. I did as I was told because I didn't have the energy to argue.

I felt the tissue in my hand replaced with a dry one but when Phupha settled his hand on my lower arm, I pulled it away.

I nearly laughed at the irony - suddenly I was the one who couldn't stand to be touched.

Phupha didn't move away from where he was sitting next to me but he didn't try to touch me after that. Minutes could have been hours for all I knew before the vet come out.

"He's going to be okay," Dr.White said even before he'd closed the door to the back room behind him.

I sucked in a breath and felt my body sway in relief. I didn't remember standing up. Phupha's fingers closed around my elbow but I was too unsure of my ability to stay upright to shake him off the way I wanted.

"The bullet damaged his spleen so I had to remove it but he'll make a full recovery."

"Thank you," I hug the doctor and whispered against his shoulder.

"You're welcome," he said with a small, gentle pat to may back.

"I need to keep him here overnight but you can take him home tomorrow. He'll need to take it easy for a while..." I nodded.

"I... I'm supposed to fly to Chiang Rai in a couple of weeks. I was going to take him with me. It's a chartered jet so he wouldn't be in a crate or anything. But I can cancel..."

The vet shook his head. "That should be fine." She said.
"He's a strong dog, Tian. He'll be back to his old self in no time."

I swallowed hard. "Thank you, Dr. White."

He gave me a pat on the arm. "You can come see him in a few minutes."

As the vet turned to go, Phupha said, "Doctor, were you being able to extract the bullet?"

Dr. White gave Phupha a strange look and then glanced at me but I had no idea why Phupha had asked the question.

"Um, no, the wound was a through and through," the vet said.