<b>Chapter 370 </b>
Fear <b>once </b>again reces his anger as his body begins to shake. I quickly throw <b>my </b><b>pads </b><b>off </b><b>and </b>make my way over to him.
Julie and Patrick follow my lead, making their way over as heys on his stomach upon the <b>mat</b><b>. </b>
I can tell that he wants to curl into a protective ball, queuing me into his current thinking<b>, </b>that despite the permission to do so he believes he’s in trouble for what he’s said.
“We can help you get out of Red Fang. You don’t have to leave here.” Julie tries to soothe <b>him</b><b>, </b><b>but </b><b>is </b>met with resistance as she runs her fingers through his hair. He’s wing at the mat<b>, </b>struggling <b>with </b>the onught of emotions coursing through his body.
“No, please don’t touch. Don’t hurt me. I’ll settle down, just don’t hurt me.”
His sudden statement confuses me as he tries even harder to curl into a ball. For the <b>first </b>time <b>[ </b>notice his struggle to move his legs and Patrick’s attempts to lift the bottom of his shirt.
“Pat, leave that be.”
My tone is concerned resulting in an immediate response.
“What’s wrong?”
He asks, dropping Cole’s shirt from his hand.
“Cole, no one is going to hurt you. No one will touch your back but I need you to answer honestly.”
I start rubbing my fingers between his shoulders hoping to calm his frantic movements. He whimpers softly between whispers. It takes several minutes before we understand what he’s saying.
“No one wants to hear my pathetic cries.<b>” </b>
Is the mantra that he’s relying on to calm himself out of the shear terror that we n on using his back as a way of punishing him. Concern and confusion are on both their faces as a sudden yelp alerts me to his struggle.
“Talk to me<b>, </b>Cole. What’s going on?”
“How is he in so much pain, boss? You never struck him.”
Patrick asks as Julie remains Silent, gently caressing the young man’s head.
“I’m fine. It’s nothing. I just need to rest.”
Chapter <b>370 </b>
He fights against Julie’s touch, moving his legs erratically but there’s something about <b>his </b>movements that attracts my attention in a bad way. Even though <b>he’s </b>pushing <b>against </b>the mat as if he’s climbing adder he’s failing to gain any traction. It’s as if all the strength in his legs <b>has </b>disappeared leaving himpletely vulnerable.
<b>I </b>stand quickly resulting in a shrill yelp of both pain and fear to emanate from Cole as I <b>walk </b>over to where I left the pads. I grab both of the foam training pads from the floor and walk quickly back
over.
“I don’t understand, how is he in so much pain?”
Patrick asks again as I silently encourage Cole toy his head on the pad. I take his hands in mine <b>as </b>
I bend down close to his ear.
“I know now is the worst time to get information from you on your back but it’s the only way <b>to </b><b>help </b>you. I need honesty, absolute honesty.”
Somehow he manages to nod his head.
“Right now, what is going on with your back?”
“Spasms.” He manages to spit out between breaths.
“Muscle spasms?” He nods slowly as he squeezes my hands.
“I got sick before you came in…. It’s stayed tight since….”
He’s panting hard as he tries to slow his movements.
“Was it the spar that triggered them?” I dread the idea that I pushed him into the spar without knowing his back was a time bomb.
“No.” He whines. “I dropped too fast.”
I slowly start petting the side of his head. His slowing movements and inconsister hope that the spasms are dying down.
ines give me
“I know it’s a huge source of anxiety but Pat and Julie are very confused right now. I’m the only one that knows about your back. I’m going to slowly pull the bottom of your shirt up so they can see the scar Ang and I noticed when you first got here.”
“Please leave it be. If you touch it the spasms will return.”
“I’m not going to hurt you. Just be still<b>.</b><b>” </b>I whisper near his ear.
“There will be no questions and no touching.”
Chapter <b>370 </b>
<b>I </b><b>speak </b>themand firmly, looking them both in the eyes <b>as </b>I do. <b>I </b><b>get </b><b>nods </b><b>from </b><b>both </b>as I start reaching towards the bottom of his shirt.
“Alpha please. No one has looked without touching me. Without hurting me<b>.</b><b>” </b>
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