Bear Naked 4: The Sons of Garm

Chapter 48

"Grace?" Jonathan asked at the tent flap. At first he didn't get an answer. Part of him knew she was there. She never got up earlier than he did, ever. But after Myrna's defection, and spending most of the day yesterday trying to console Erica, it made him nervous. "Grace?"

There was an angry grunt and the sound of someone moving in the tent. He let out his breath. "I brought you some breakfast."

He was answered with another noncommittal noise. He pursed his lips. Could be a bit more appreciative.

As the tent opened and Grace emerged, he bit back his thoughts. She looked terrible. She'd always been skinny, and now she was rail thin. She was pale and sweaty, her bare back bony. "Not hungry," she muttered.

Robbie appeared at their side as Grace climbed out of the tent. "Come'on girl, you will feel better with some fluids, at least."

She stood and Jonathan noted how shaky her hands were. He shared a concerned look with Robbie. Robbie wanted to take her into Branson and take her to a medical clinic. He was afraid she had HIV or something.

Aaron and Valerie thought she was just detoxing bad. "You have no idea how rough it can get," Aaron said. He should know, a cop he dealt with addicts on a regular basis. They both thought she needed to be checked into a drug treatment center.

So far Arthur had refused to consider either option. The balance of power in the camp was too delicate, he said, too complicated to have people away from camp for any length of time. Besides putting her into drug treatment in Branson meant someone had to remain in neutral territory for ninety days, and driving back to Dubuque or Wisconsin somewhere, as Aaron suggested repeatedly, put them out of camp even longer.

Jonathan's heart wanted to say, fuck it. He could take Grace and go. But his mind told him that Arthur was right, things were too precarious right now for even one of them to just leave like that.

Besides he knew Arthur's real fear, because he shared it. She might check out of treatment and run. It happened often enough with addicts. Diana, Jonathan's aunt and Arthur's wolf was married to a human, kin. His family had several alcoholics in it. They went into treatment, checked out AMA and disappeared for a time. It was a never ending cycle of drama.

And that was alcohol. Meth, heroin, narcotics, the cocktail of shit Grace was coming off were supposed to all be harder habits to break. For her to relapse on drugs was bad enough. But if it happened near here, what was to stop her from ending up back in the Fleischer's hands?

So they nursed her the best they could. Robbie found a worn fleece blanket and wrapped Grace in it while she drank a glass of orange juice. She gave him a leery thanks, no longer accustomed to having men care for her. Soon though, another wave of sweats hit and she shed it.

Arthur came over and knelt beside them. "You are looking better, Grace," he said as he lifted her chin and inspected her face.

Jonathan bit back a snort.

"You know what would make you feel even better? A hot shower and clean clothes."

Sarah, one of Arthur's beta, was there with towels and toiletries. "I was just heading that way." It was too innocent.

"I'm fine," Grace muttered.

"Grace," Arthur said, a sharpness in his voice. He looked in her eyes. "Take a shower."

She met the gaze for barely second before looking down and nodding. "Yes, sir."

"Come on, he's right. You'll feel better," Sarah insisted brightly, all but pulling Grace to her feet and leading her away to the shower.