Songs of Nightmares and Snow

8- Mending Wounds

Thane

I stare out at the warriors blocking our path, and I immediately recognize the one that hasn't shifted into his bear form.

Clint Eastman, my old friend and future Lieutenant of the Unit, he'll take over as Second in Command once my brother becomes Chief.

"Roll down the window, I'll talk to him. We go way back."

Nesryn does as I ask, and Clint walks towards me as he sees the window roll down. Once he reaches the window he stops, and stares at me in shock as he recognizes me.

"Thane? Dude is that you?" He says, and I crack a smile.

"Yeah, it's me man."

"It's been a long time."

"It has...but can we catch up later? I need some help." I say, gesturing to Astrea. "My mates been badly injured, she needs medical attention...could you let us in?"

He looks at Astrea in surprise, his eyes going wide when I pull down the blanket to show him the bandages that are wrapped around her, the blood starting to leak through. His eyes glaze over as he no doubt contacts my father via mind link, and within a few seconds he nods.

"Go on to the infirmary, you're parents will meet you there." He says, and the others move out of our way.

"Thank you." I murmur before Nes starts driving off, and I give her instructions to the infirmary. Once we reach it I quickly unbuckle and get out, running inside with Astrea cradled in my arms, and Nesryn hot on my heels with Ivory perched on her shoulder. I'm immediately met by a female doctor, and I recognize her as the one who used to patch me up after I got into fights. Dr. Lilah, a human mate to one of the warriors here.

"What do we have?" She asks.

"Vampire, gunshot wound near the heart. I think a piece of the silver bullet broke off, because she's developing symptoms of silver poisoning." I explain, and it takes me a moment to let Astrea go as a male assistant takes her from me and rushes her to the back of the infirmary for surgery.

"She's in good hands kiddo, I promise we'll take care of your mate." Lilah assures as she follows, and I stand there in silence as they disappear from my sight, my arms feeling empty without my mate.

I don't know what to do now, when I was tending to her wounds and comforting her, I was doing something, I felt like I was helping. But now that she's out of my hands I feel helpless, the anxiety creeping back up on me now that her condition is uncertain, now that I'm not in control...

"It's going to be alright Thane, this isn't the first time she's been through this. She's a badass, she always pulls through." Nesryn assures, and I turn to face her as something she says catches my attention.

"What do you mean by 'not the first time'?"

"She's an Enforcer, tasked with taking down the most dangerous of supernatural criminals, she has gotten badly injured before. Shot, stabbed, bitten...there was even a time we nearly got blown up and got a little singed." She explains, and I can almost feel my blood pressure rising.

"Okay, maybe I shouldn't have brought up all that." She says sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck.

"It's-it's fine...I just never thought about all of that before..." I sigh, "I've never seen her so-so..." I struggle for words, and her hand rests on my shoulder.

"I understand, seeing a mate like this can impact anyone."

I nod, and she drops her hand from my shoulder. As she does, she flinches, and I notice the rip in her jacket...and the smell of her blood leaking there.