Liam rubs my back. “Breathe. Just breathe. I got you. The doc or the nurse should be here any minute.”
My head spins, and the sound of rushing water fills my ears. Muffled voices murmur around me, but I can’t decipher their words. Then, I succumb to silence and darkness.
Chapter 22
Sodie’s Secret
LIAM
EIGHT YEARS AGO:
June 30, 2016: 8:25 p.m.
Emerald Pack Clinic
Where the hell is the doctor and the nurse? I pressed the emergency button what feels like an eternity ago. Jessica slumps forward in pain. I should probably rush out and call for help, but I don’t want to leave her alone. She doesn’t make a sound, but her face contorts and scrunches in agony. It’s so intense, I can almost feel it myself. She tries to push me away, but I refuse to move in case she falls over.
She pukes all over me. And I don’t care. Her safety matters more.
Shit, why didn’t she tell the doctor what happened this morning? I sat in the corner of the room and watched her downplay all the answers to the doctor’s questions. It wasn’t my place to interfere or call her out.
At the same time, she didn’t really lie. He didn’t ask her if anything new started today or last night. Iknewsomething was wrong and didn’t do anything about it.
I glance down at my vomit-stained shirt and pants. Instead of a sickly yellow color, though, bright red blood mixes with what looks like dark coffee grounds. I rub her back, murmuring to keep her calm. I don’t even know what I’m saying. I just try to hold onto my own control as anxiety threatens to take over.
My heart hammers against my chest. Control my breathing. Keep it together. Fuck, I need todosomething. If the doctor doesn’t come soon, I will take her to him. Sodie arrives.
“Get the doctor or the nurse now!” I bark.
His steps stutter, and he rushes out the door. His quick footfalls disappear down the hall, and he shouts for help. When he runs back through the door, Jessica slumps over in my arms.
“Where the fuck are they?” I growl.
Sodie looks me up and down. “She’s vomiting blood,” he claims.
Anxiety squeezes around my heart as her body goes limp, her lips turning white. “I’m fucking carrying her.”
Before I can gather her in my arms, Sodie grabs my shirt. “Wait. Let me try something.”
“We don’t have time!” I shout, ready to punch him if he tries to stop me again. Her breathing grows shallow. Her heart rate slows to a dangerous rhythm.
He looks at me with wide eyes. “Trust me, please.” He climbs into her hospital bed and, reaching between us, places one hand over her abdomen and another on her back. A bright white light emanates from his hands.
Finally, footsteps approach from the hall. The doctor and nurse rush into the room, and they stand in stunned silence. The doctor takes in the sight of my clothing and the puddle on the floor. Turning to the nurse, he tells her to call for more staff and prepare the small operating room.
Despite the fear in Sodie’s expression, he continues to hold his position. Jessica starts to stir. Her breathing slowly returns to normal. Her heartbeat accelerates slightly, and color returns to her ashen-colored lips.
The doctor comes forward. The light emanating from Sodie’s hands fades. He releases his hold on Jessica and backs away. I don’t move.
“Liam, I need to take a look at her,” the doctor demands.
I hesitate, still clutching her to my chest, but then shuffle to the side to make room. The doctor glances at Sodie warily. Then, he gives Jessica his full attention.
Anders races into the room, along with the nurse. The doctor announces, “I need to get her into surgery right now.” Jessica hasn’t opened her eyes or regained consciousness. I don’t want to let her go. “This is life or death. We need to go now.”
We spend two days and three nights in fucking hell. Jessica had some random, spontaneous internal bleeding, the cause of which the doctor can’t determine. She lost so much blood, her organs start to fail. The doctor begins a blood transfusion, and she reacts horribly to it. He can’t tell if it is a bad batch of donor blood or if she built an immunity from before.
When the medical team stabilizes her, they ask everyone to get tested to see who is a match. The only one who comes closeis one of the recruits named Darwin, and thankfully, he donates blood to her.
