<b>Chapter </b><b>107 </b>


    I walk with Lilly back over to Cole’s bed. Both he and Madilyn appear to be sleeping. I guide Lilly to the stool I was sitting in before I started then stopped giving his medication to him. She sits down gently as I do the same on the bed. I run my hand through his hair a couple times before speaking to him.


    “Cole, I’m sorry for the dy. It looks like my helper has fallen asleep for the night. You met Luna Lilly this morning when we discovered the injuries to your chest and abdomen. She’s going to coach you through the slow count as I give you the steroid. Unfortunately, the feeder we have been using won’t do this smaller amount over an hour so I will give it by hand over about a minute.”


    I feel him nod his head in my hand as I ce my hand in his.


    “Lilly, he can’t handle anything on his neck but gently rubbing the back of his head seems to be quiteforting. Put your hand were mine is.”


    I can feel that Lilly is a lot more timid in being hands on with Cole then I am. Unfortunately, he can feel it too. I can feel him tense up as she slides her hand under mine.


    “Please don’t fear me, Luna. I swear to you and alpha both, I haven’t done what they im.”


    “Can you tell us about the rumors? How they got started? There’s always some truth to the rumors.<b>” </b>


    I can feel him sigh as I know he has little desire to talk.


    “Cole, I’m going to move Madilyn closer to your chest so that Luna can hold your other hand a bit morefortably. I don’t want you to identally grab Madilyn when I start this steroid. I know it’s quite nasty for you to receive. Just keep in mind we are starting to wean you off the IV stuff. Hopefully by tomorrow night you’ll be able to handle the majority of your medication by mouth.”


    I pick Madilyn up and gently move her closer to Cole. He visibly rxes,ying his cheek on her head, when she snuggles into his chest. Lilly gently takes his hand in hers, as I hold onto the other. I can feel his gentle tugs as I get closer to giving him this medication. It’s heartbreaking that he suffers like this but it’s the only way to strengthen his wolf enough to get him to heal.


    “Cole, I need deep, even breaths. Follow Luna’s count.”


    I rub his hand with gentle circles as I hear Luna start encouraging him to follow her lead. I wait for a consistent pattern to start before I start injecting the medication. He pulls away hard and whines loudly as the medication creeps into his vein.


    He easily gets off track with his breathing as he fights his instincts to pull away. I know he’s not using all his strength but it takes a lot from Lilly to get him back on track. Overall I feel he handled it well and he rxes as he feels the coolness of the saline when I’m finished.


    “The bad news is you’ll have two more doses like this. Another at 150 milligrams and the second will be at 100 milligrams. I believe I saw in your chart that she’s nning on trying you on the 100 milligram pills after that.“/


    “So I guess that’s the good news?”


    He speaks quietly as I let his hand go. I detach the syringe with the saline in it allowing him to rx before moving on to the pain medication.


    “I know it’s a tough subject but it would really help me out if I knew your side of the story with these nasty rumors that Das has spouted off. While I’m not too keen on believing what he has to say I can’tpletely dismiss such damaging rumors. Especially since he did supply me with a usible exnation as to the damage done to your abdomen.”


    “What exnation was that?”


    I take his hand back in mine and attach the pain medication to the IV near his wrist before starting to talk again.


    “He said he saw your dad grab you by the neck. That you managed to get away but he caught up to you and when he did he put over a dozen kicks into yo abdomen. Is it true? Is that what happened before he chained you and took a belt to you?”