<b>Chapter </b>271


    <b>I’m </b>shaking my head again, ashamed of admitting to another weakness but there’s been too many times that I’ve been inpored and while Linton <b>ream </b>I’ve been sickened by eating the food left outside my door. It’s only been over thest five years that the girls I help have started halelng po


    Whenever theye but discover that I’ve been besten senseless they provide for me as much as I provide for them. They bring me find and water, medication and daily essentials from the store room when I run out. They help me with myundry and disposal of my garbage. In return I give them a bufe haven, an escape from the rape and abuse that is all to prevalent within the walls of the Red Fang territory. I have developed a symbiotic rtionship that never thought could exist with these littles, something I have a hard time breaking away from. We depend upon each other.


    1 draw a sharp breath in, letting it go so slowly. It’s as if I’m holding it as alpha drags his finger through the hair on top of my head.


    “Breath Cole. How often you hold your breath is quite worrisome.”


    1 remain silent as I grab a hold of the mattress beneath me squeezing it in my hands as the persistent burn sifting at the base of my neck res into an aff epassing fire raging through my entire body.


    These res have been urring all day despite my insistence to Dr. Pierce that I haven’t had any more. Theye in waves. I’ll <b>get </b>three to four of them over an hour before I get a two hour break. This is the fourth one this hour so hopefully I won’t experience any more during dinner, alerting alpha to my lies.


    I let out a yelp of surprise when alpha pulls me towards him. I’ve learned quickly how to breathe through this new pain<b>. </b>It’s still a lot harder to deal with than the sharp or stinging pain thates from my cuts and bruises or the dull ache thates from having broken bones but I’m still managing


    “You’re in a re, aren’t you?” Alpha whispers.


    “He hasn’tined of having any more of them. Though, thinking about it, he hasn’tined about the side effects of the binder and steroids he’s receiving either.” Dr. Pierce informs him.


    “Are both high enough to cause them?”


    “Considering the sensitivity to medication that we’ve seen, yes. I would expect him to be experiencing several significant side effects as I’ve upped the steroid to 500 milligrams every six hours and the binder is up to fifty percent, also given every six but <b>I’ve </b>staggered them so he receives them two hours apart on the feeder. He’s also receiving one milligram of Valium and 800 milligrams of ibuprofen every eight hours. Fifteen milligrams of hydrocodone and 650 milligrams of tylenol given every four.”


    I remain silent during their conversation<b>, </b>concentrating solely upon my breathing until it slowly dies away. Even with my eyes closed I feel alpha straightening my shirt. I lift my arm and slide it through the sleeve as he holds it straight.


    “Thank you.” I barely whisper but I know he hears me.


    “Are you certain you want toe out?”


    I nod my head as he steps away from me, reaching his hands out to help me up. I timidly put my hands in his and pull myself up, barely managing to stifle my desire to cry out. He stands still and silent as I adjust to being on my <b>feet</b>, waiting patiently for me to let go of him and start towards the door.


    Alpha follows slowly behind me. He’s trying to give me my space but he also seems to recognize that I’m worse off than I’m willing to admit. It feels like it takes forever to get out to the table. Everyone is already sitting and eating.


    I recognize Alpha Lucas and Alpha Damian are seated next to luna on one side of the table. Alpha’s seat is obviously empty at the one end, on luna’s left side. To the left of his seat is another empty chair before two girls, simr in size and looks are next to each other, opposite of the alpha’s two sons. I easily recognize the child directly next to me as Madilyn but I can’t remember her twin’s name at the moment.


    <b>“</b>Really dad? You’ve got to be kidding me. Why couldn’t you just leave him in the wing?”


    Lucas is alreadyining about my presence and I’m not even at the <b>table </b><b>yet</b>.