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Dr. Cornfield arrived to examine him and immediately called Marco over. Marco warmly glanced once at Nicky and then focused all his attention on the doctor. “I need to get him to the clinic right away, Marco. I wish I could take him to the hospital, but I know it’s impossible. We’ll need to transfuse him as soon as possible with alpha blood. ” Marco nodded. “You’ll have three of us as donors. ”
“Good. He’s going to need it. ” Marco ran off to obtain transport and Dr. Cornfield looked
over at Evan for the first time. “He’s bad, Evan. He’s only made it this long because he’s so young and strong. After I transfuse him and get him stabilized, I can find the records to see what they’ve been injecting him with. “I’m sorry, Evan. I’ll do the best I can. ”
Evan nodded as Nicky grasped his shoulder. “He’ll make it. Just keep telling yourself that and don’t give up hope. ”
“I know he will, Nicky. He has to—I don’t think I can live without him. ”
“Stop pacing, Evan . You’re beginning to make me nervous,” Nicky said, trying to concentrate on his painting. He was working at an easel set up in his and Marco’s quarters. It was the first time Evan had ever seen him work, though he’d heard that he was a really good artist.
Evan stood behind him for a few minutes, looking at his painting. It was a landscape of a mountain view in a picture he had taped to the top of his easel. It was beautifully done, and Evan was a little amazed that Nicky had painted it. Nicky was a great guy and had been a good friend to Evan, but he never seemed to be serious about much of anything, always making jokes and fooling around. Nicky always surprised him when he displayed just how smart and talented he really was.
Six weeks had passed since the night at the Hunters ’ complex. The total number of Hunters who had decided to surrender and join them that night numbered seventy-five, including the feral soldiers. They had decided to divide the numbers up by three, with a third going to live at Zack’s home in Georgia, a third going to the alpha in Tennessee, and the rest living in a big encampment near Mountainwood. The young gamma male and female wolves had been encouraged to find a mate among their numbers and quite a few had done so. The rest were being supplied with blood from the other wolves on a rotating basis until a mate could be found for them. Marco grumbled that he felt like he was running a dating service these days instead of a pack.
Ironically, the general who had been captured was one of the first to find a mate. An older widower from Zack’s pack had asked for him. Now that he was Werekin, they had to accept him and not make fun of him, but Logan was finding it hard not to be just a little gleeful that the previously homophobic general was now the mate of a wolf, and from all accounts, very happy.
The most worrisome problem, of course, had been Brett. When Evan was finally allowed to see him after a few days of intensive treatment, he had still looked terrible, and had gazed at Evan with no recognition evident on his face.
The doctor had discovered the records showing the various chemicals that he’d been injected with, an assortment of acids and poisons. He said the only treatment was the alpha blood and they gave him as much as he could hold. After about a week, he’d begun to show improvement and his recovery had been steady after that. He knew who Evan was, but he still wouldn’t meet his gaze or talk to him, turning his head to the wall whenever Evan came in.
Evan wanted to throw his arms around him, and tell him how much he loved him, but Brett was somehow distant and unyielding. Evan contented himself with sitting by him quietly and holding his hand occasionally when he’d allow it. Evan went to see him less and less though, thinking Brett preferred him to stay away and not wanting to make him uncomfortable.
Marco walked in and Nicky turned to smile at him. He came over right away and dropped a kiss on his lips, rubbing a hand over his shoulders. Evan couldn’t help wishing that he had a close relationship like that with his own mate.
“Hi, Evan,” he said. “How’s Brett today?” Evan dropped his gaze. “I-I don’t know, Marco. I haven’t been to see him today. Yesterday when I came in to see him, he gave a big sigh, like, oh God, not him again. I think I’m just making him miserable. He obviously doesn’t want to see me. ”
Marco made a sound of exasperation. “I think this has gone on long enough, damn it. Evan, come with me. I’m putting a stop to this right now. ”
Marco turned and strode off, obviously expecting Evan to follow him so he trailed along behind him down the stairs to the basement clinic, where Brett was.
As they walked in, Brett sat up in bed and looked from Evan back to Marco with a little apprehension. He swallowed hard and nodded at them. “Alpha, Evan, how are you both this evening?”
Marco folded his arms and gave Brett the look he usually saved for Nicky when he was doing something outrageous. “Brett, have you decided to come back to the pack and take up your duties here?”
“Yes, Alpha, if you’ll have me. I know I’ve shirked my duties as lead gamma, and ruined all that, but I’ll come back in any capacity you’ll let me. ”
“We can talk abou
t that later. First there’s a little matter of thirty days of jail time you owe me. You’ve been confined in here for two weeks. I’ll count that toward your time. If the doctor says you can be released, then I’d like you to start the rest of your time tomorrow. ”
Brett flushed a deep red and looked down. “Yes,Alpha, of course. ”
“Since you’ve been so ill, I’m going to allow you to serve the rest of your sentence on house arrest. Evan, here, will be your jailer. ”
Evan and Brett both turned looks of astonishment on Marco, but he stared steadily down at Brett. Without turning from Brett, he addressed Evan. “Evan, you are not to allow him out of your room for the full two weeks, is that clear?”
“Uh—yes sir. ”
“Good. And Brett, you will do everything Evan tells you to do, is that understood?”
“Alpha, I—uh. . . ”
“Are you questioning my ruling, Brett?”
“No, sir, I was just going to say that Evan might not. . . ”
“Evan?” Marco said. “Do you have a problem with it?”
