A Lamb Amongst Wolves

Chapter 22

Connor blinked, and saw white.

A white ceiling. White light. For a moment he was completely lost, his mind sluggishly waking up and beginning to piece things together.

White like Alexis' face, and his shirt before -

Connor shot up, panting, and at first didn't recognise the room he was in.

'Dearie me! You're awake.'

Connor turned his head and saw Abigail, sitting in a chair next to his bed.

He was in hospital, tubes attached to his arm, three other patients in the room with him, and Abigail sat at his side, smiling relievedly whilst he stared at her.

'I'll call the -'

'Alexis!' Connor croaked. 'Please, he -'

'He's alive!' Abigail quickly assuaged. 'He's alive. He's in critical condition but he's stable, it'll be all right. Shh, dearie.'

Her soft, soothing tone was like a balm over Connor's frazzled, exhausted state of mind.

'He's in critical condition?' he nonetheless repeated, the word more sinister than anything he'd ever heard.

'Well, he was shot in the chest. He was incredibly lucky it just about missed his heart and main arteries, but still. Fortunately, they got to him in time, and now he's in good hands. Don't worry, Connor. Lexi is a very hard nut.'

It took several seconds for Connor to process that, and Abigail smiled gently before reaching out to brush his hair from his forehead, studying him.

'Don't worry,' she repeated. 'I'll go tell one of the nurses you're awake now, and they'll have a look at you.'

She stood up, squeezed his hand and left the room. Connor stared after her, already missing her warmth. He desperately needed comfort, and everything about Abigail was comforting.

But she returned soon, and with her a doctor who looked Connor over before thankfully telling him he could stand up. Connor didn't listen that closely, only thinking about Alexis, but anything that allowed him to go to his Alpha was worthy of attention.

He himself was fine, he knew that. Well, mostly. There was still something fundamentally disorientating about his current situation, going from passing out over Alexis after he'd been shot to waking up to Abigail's smile in hospital and being... well, safe again. The disconnect was hard to process.

Fortunately, Abigail listened to the doctor for him, Connor only catching bits as his mind struggled to readjust to reality. Something something painkillers for his back something something under observation until tomorrow something something nothing permanent. Connor was only really interested when a nurse took the tubes out of his arm and told him he was allowed to walk around if he so wished but please not to overexert himself.

'Okay,' he replied. 'Thank you.'

The nurse smiled at him and left. Abigail bent down to rummage in a bag next to Connor's bed.

'I know you want to go see Alexis,' she said. 'Here, put this on first. I didn't have time to go to your flat yet but I took something of mine in the meantime.'

It was a sky-blue dressing gown, just the right size for Connor to slip over his hospital gown. He gingerly stood up, taking a moment to find his balance, and gratefully put it on.

'Thank you.'

'I'll show you where they put your personal belongings. If you're all right with me leaving in a bit, I can go to your flat and bring you back some clothes. And feed your kitten.'