<b>Chapter </b><b>103 </b>
I take a moment to stop and look at my sweet, sensitive Madilyn. I brush her hair out of her eyes as I smile gently at her.
“I know. He’s very afraid, Lynnie. That’s actually why he ended up here. He got so afraid that he couldn’t breathe so we brought him here to help him. Like you, he’s afraid of shots. But that’s because he had a doctor who gave him too much medication. It made him very sick for quite a while. But that’s not <b>going </b>to happen here. He’s only getting what he needs. Do you want to help me make him less scared of the shots? Jamie told me that he really likes the little wolves. He cares for them when their parents can’t be there.”
She looks fearfully at the tray of syringes before looking back at me and nodding. Ang has added to his list of medication and I’m torn about giving them all at once. It’s obvious by the number of supplements she’s added that he’s malnourished as the only time we give IV or IM injections of supplements is when they are dangerously low.
I hand the tray to Madilyn before picking her up off the counter and carrying her over to Cole’s bed. I set her down gently as I look over his numbers.
“Cole, are you still awake?”
“Barely.“.
He whispers as he cracks open his eyes. I take the tray from Madilyn as I pull up a stool to the head of his bed. I watch Madilyn getfortable<b>, </b>crossing her legs as she sits near his chest.
“Hello.”
He speaks quietly as he reaches out to Madilyn, stopping short of actually touching her. She cocks her head to one side, looking a bit sad at his refusal.
“What’s wrong? Why did you stop?”
“I know Das shared the rumors that are going around my pack. I don’t think your dad would want me to touch you.”
“Then why did he sit me here with you?”
“I don’t know sweetpea.”
“Daddy, he’s afraid to touch me.”
I can see the tears forming in her eyes as she has never encountered such a thing from an adult wolf. I hate to admit it but this was actually a test to confirm Jamie’s story about Cole’s fear of caring for his siblings. It does appear to be true. He is indeed terrified to touch my daughter<b>, </b>even in my presence.
“Rx Cole. Jamie told me how being with pups helps you to rx. That’s why I brought her over here. If you’re okay with it, I’d like her toy with you a minute, snuggle with you as I give you these shots. I’ve got four supplements and a longersting medication for your nausea that has to be injected IM<b>, </b>as well as a lower dose of the steroid and pain medication going in your IV.”
“Do you know about the rumor that I’m a pedophile?”
“Yes, Das mentioned that as well as another nasty one that I don’t want to mention in front of Lynnie.”
“Are you choosing to ignore the rumors?”
“Unfortunately I can’t simply ignore rumors that serious as there’s always some level of truth to them but I am choosing to give you a chance to prove the rumors wrong.”
He looks at Madilyn again as she cries. I feel bad that such a simple thing has upset her like this.
“Please don’t cry little one.”
Cole speaks gently as he wipes the tears <b>from </b>her <b>eyes</b><b>. </b>I can <b>see </b>his hand tremble as he moves to touch her hair. He looks hurt as she moves away from him and towards me.
I don’t like this daddy.”
<b>1/2 </b>
She whimpers as he draws his hand <b>away </b>from her.
“<b>He’s </b>afraid of me. I don’t like it.”
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