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“Sure, just sit right over there with him,” I agreed, giving Vasille a look. She scowled right back, arms folded across her chest.
None of this was our choice, though. Sure, this was just a trial run, but if we waited a few years, that kid probably wouldn’t last to even get the first shot. Wolves were quick to cull their feral counterparts, citing it as a safety issue for the rest of the pack.
His age was probably the only reason they hadn’t had him put down yet, actually. But it wouldn’t save him forever.
“You can do it, or I can find someone who will,” I said harshly to Vasille. “Either way, we’re giving him the shot.”
I’d kept my voice pitched low when I reproached the pissy doctor, hoping not to alert Tiana. Dr. Vasille looked like she’d sucked on a lemon as she turned and began to stomp through the preparation process.
“Is he going to try to fight?” I asked Tiana.
She looked uncertain. “Probably. He’s been really anxious lately. I’ll help keep him still, though. I don’t want to leave him behind for this.”
The ‘just in case’ was unspoken, yet loud in the quiet of the room.
Anthony had been watching the exchange with curious eyes, content to wait in his mother’s lap for whatever it was we were going to do to him.
Vasille, to her credit, managed to make herself look friendly enough that he didn’t immediately bolt at the sight of her. It wasn’t until Tiana braced him against her chest with his arm extended that he began to panic, tears filling her eyes promptly.
I crouched in front of him, gripping his calves as he tried to kick at Vasille and rubbing soothing circles against his little knees. “Hey, buddy,” I soothed.
Wild eyes found mine, and he snarled.
“Remember me? I know this is scary, but we’re just trying to help. If you’re still, we can let you go.”
Either he was too young to understand me or didn't trust me, but his little limbs kept straining against us as Vasille lined the needle up.
Finally, she managed to get it into the crook of his elbow.
My heart dropped when he eventually slackened, going limp while she pushed the pink fluid into his bloodstream. Tiana managed to wait until the needle was removed and his arm was bandaged up before snapping him around to check on him.
Anthony’s little eyelids fluttered for a moment before opening again, his body straightening up like he hadn’t just fainted in her arms. Dr. Vasille was already scribbling notes on her little clipboard nearby, rejoining us to check his vitals despite his screams of protest.
“He seems fine.” She grimaced at a particularly loud screech. “Pissed off, but fine. Bring him back if there are any issues. Dizziness, vomiting, etcetera. I don’t think we should give you a dose yet, just in case it affects him adversely.”
Tiana nodded and thanked us as she bounced him, then walked out of the clinic.
“If something happens to that baby, it’s on you,” Vasille bit out, giving me another glare before going back to making notes and ignoring me entirely.
You did the right thing.
Aria’s voice cut in before I could let that thought seep in too deeply.
Did I?
Her certainty nearly washed the question away completely, and I couldn’t help but smile as I stalked out of the clinic.
Yeah, you did. Some of these kids never stand a chance in life; you’d be surprised how many fallen-blood wolves lose their babies because of the madness. Tiana is his mother, and whether Dr. Vasille likes it or not, she gets the final say on her son.
Aria was passionate about a lot of things, but this seemed to be something of a soapbox for her. When she sensed my amusement, I got the mental equivalent of a shove.
Auren made sure everyone knew the risks, so you’re not allowed to beat yourself up over anything that might happen, she assured me.
Famous last words.
The next day, half the wolves we’d dosed were back in the clinic sick. Anthony wasn’t among them, though; it was mostly the older patients that seemed to have been adversely affected.
Dr. Vasille was thrilled with this new twist, more than happy to take notes of every symptom and theorize why it had happened before advising on ways to weather them, after which she’d shooed people out. It gave me the feeling that she’d never really wanted to be a doctor forpeopleso much as she enjoyed studying people’sillnesses, the cause and effect seeming to be the morbid equivalent of a puzzle to her.
