* * *
The next few minutes were a blur as Sera followed the pride down to the private living area, out into the hall, and then inside the wolves’ private area.Theirs had homes that were covered with rocks to resemble dens, with dark walls and flooring that made her feel entirely claustrophobic.Or maybe it was the nerves singing in her veins because Caesar was unconscious and it looked like purple lines were streaking up his leg from the wound.
“Right in here,” a female called from a home’s doorway.She was wearing scrub bottoms and a white T-shirt, her graying hair pulled back in a messy bun.
“Just Caesar and his mate in the room,” she said with authority.“The boys can wait outside, but the rest of the pride needs to disperse—my house isn’t that big.”
They laid Caesar on a hospital bed in a sterile-looking room.
Jupiter put his hand on Sera’s shoulder.“I’m going to head up to security.We need to figure out how traps like that got into the paddock in the first place.”
She swallowed hard, her mouth dry.“It has to be Otto.”
“I’m sure it was, but it still doesn’t change that we have so much security in place it shouldn’t have happened.We’ll figure it out, okay?”He stared down at her, his eyes glowing with his lion, and then he strode out of the room.
“I’m going with him,” Amadeus said.“Dad will be fine.He’s the strongest male I know, and he just found you finally after waiting for so long.He’s not going anywhere.”
“Thanks,” she said.
“I’ll stand guard in the outer room,” Lucius said.“And keep in touch with everyone so you don’t have to.”
She nodded, tears stinging her eyes at their sweet words.When she was alone with the wolf pack doctor and Caesar, she inhaled deeply and pushed off the worry.Caesar had saved her life.He was going to be okay, she knew it.
He had to be.
Paula was leaning over Caesar’s leg and mumbling to herself.She turned to a tray with tools and lifted what looked like wire cutters from it.She met Sera’s gaze.“I’m Paula.I’m really sorry to meet you like this.”
“I’m Sera.”
She nodded, then said, “I think they put something on the wire.I’m picking up some kind of strange smell I can’t place.Hold his shoulders in case this hurts him and wakes him up, okay?”
Sera nodded and moved to the head of the bed, leaning over her mate and pressing her hands to his shoulders.His skin was gray and his breathing was shallow.She turned her head to watch Paula work, cutting each section of wire away and gingerly pulling the barbs free.The wounds gushed with blood.The more wire she took off, the more blood covered his skin and the bed.
“Oh crap, I know that smell,” Sera said.
“What is it?”
“Jimsonweed.Our prowl used it to poison traps.”
Paula leaned in and sniffed one of the barbs, holding it gently between her gloved finger and thumb.“You’re right.I knew it smelled familiar.Do you know how to treat it?”
“Yeah, one of our males fell and tripped a trap, and he fell unconscious right away.Our healer applied a poultice of parsley and charcoal mixed with honey to his wounds, which pulled the toxin out.He woke up a few hours later and was able to shift and heal.”
Paula told her where to get the parsley from her spice cabinet, the honey from the kitchen table, and the charcoal from her pharmacy cabinet.In no time, the wire was off, his leg was clean, and Paula was smearing the thick paste over his wounds, then wrapping his leg with sterile cloth.
“You said a few hours?”Paula asked as she cleaned up the area.
“Yeah.”
She pulled over a chair and patted the back of it.“Have a seat, honey.It’s going to be a long night for you.But the good news is that it’s only been ten minutes and already he’s looking better and his vitals have improved.Your knowledge saved the day, saved your mate.”
Sera blew out a breath.
“I’ll be back to check on him in a few.”
Sera sat heavily in the chair and reached for Caesar’s hand, wrapping hers around it.She brought it to her lips and kissed his knuckles.
“You can wake up anytime, Caesar.Because I want to tell you how much I’m falling for you, but I don’t want to do it while you’re unconscious.”
