warm weight into his arms. His mate felt shockingly dainty and slender. Hardly any weight rested in his arms at all. Frowning, he wondered if his mate had been starving herself.
He couldn’t concentrate on that now. The banks of the river were going to be difficult to traverse. When the river swelled and breached its banks, the dirt became miles of mud before the river eventually flooded the entire ravine. Thankfully, the rainy season didn’t start for another couple of days, but there was still no guarantee it was safe. He hesitantly began to make the trek downriver.
Over the next hour, his mate never stirred, garnering further concern. If the injuries were severe, she’d need their pack Healer. Relief speared sharply through Kasey when he spotted a steep trail leading back up into the forest. His feet were sure as he climbed it, never faltering under the weight of his mate.
He finally reached his truck and delicately settled the black wolf on the passenger seat, making sure she rested comfortably, and then covered her with an old quilt to ward off any chill. Kasey hurriedly climbed into the driver’s seat, heading for the reservation as fast as he dared. The Healer would know what to do. Kasey’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as he glanced over at the motionless form next to him. He didn’t know why the wolf had been so terrified of him or hadn’t recognized him as her mate, but he would do whatever it took for her to accept him.
Almost two hours passed before the pack Healer could examine the injured wolf. Instead of heading to his home, Kasey turned toward the cabin owned by the pack. It was closer to the reservation and the Healer.
Kasey remained tense as he watched Charlie Blackhawk examining the black wolf. “Is she going to be okay, Charlie?”
Charlie gave a small laugh as he checked on the leg that had been broken during the fall. It was already slowly repairing itself, but with the amount of time between the break and the wolf’s arrival, the bone would need to be re-broken and set properly. The wolf had lost a lot of blood as well, which was sure to leave it weakened. “She is a he, and I am afraid that we must break the bone again, Kasey. There is no other choice. If we do not, it will heal improperly, and he will not be able to walk without discomfort and a limp.”
Kasey sucked in a breath, his face paling at the thought of having to hurt his mate all over again, but the Healer was right, so he agreed with a reluctant nod. “All right,” he muttered, filing away the fact his mate was male for later perusal.
“Come hold him down by the shoulders, Kasey. Hold him tight, because I fear he will wake up when it is done.” Charlie waited for Kasey to move into position before gripping the leg close to break. The Healer could sense the wolf stirring, and there was no way the pain would not bring him into full consciousness. Taking a deep breath, he twisted, re-fracturing the half-repaired bone.
Kasey winced at the sound of bone cracking, and the slender body beneath his hands shuddered. A loud yelp of pain suddenly issued from the wolf, and he came awake with a vengeance, struggling to get away. Kasey put as much weight on the wolf as he dared while Charlie, working quickly, realigned the bone and strapped on the splint. Kasey crooned to his mate, trying to soothe him. “Shhh, pup, it’ll be okay. The pain is over.”
The wolf continued to struggle until he’d exhausted himself and couldn’t move. Charlie examined the other cuts, but only one deep cut on his left side concerned him. “He’s your mate, isn’t he?” Charlie asked intuitively while working to stitch up the deep gash in the wolf’s side.
Kasey could only manage a gentle nod, anguish tightening his throat.
Charlie gave a sigh before saying, “You will have your hands full with this one. His mind is unsettled and filled with much pain and terror. I am afraid that he has suffered some sort of abuse, and
He couldn’t concentrate on that now. The banks of the river were going to be difficult to traverse. When the river swelled and breached its banks, the dirt became miles of mud before the river eventually flooded the entire ravine. Thankfully, the rainy season didn’t start for another couple of days, but there was still no guarantee it was safe. He hesitantly began to make the trek downriver.
Over the next hour, his mate never stirred, garnering further concern. If the injuries were severe, she’d need their pack Healer. Relief speared sharply through Kasey when he spotted a steep trail leading back up into the forest. His feet were sure as he climbed it, never faltering under the weight of his mate.
He finally reached his truck and delicately settled the black wolf on the passenger seat, making sure she rested comfortably, and then covered her with an old quilt to ward off any chill. Kasey hurriedly climbed into the driver’s seat, heading for the reservation as fast as he dared. The Healer would know what to do. Kasey’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as he glanced over at the motionless form next to him. He didn’t know why the wolf had been so terrified of him or hadn’t recognized him as her mate, but he would do whatever it took for her to accept him.
Almost two hours passed before the pack Healer could examine the injured wolf. Instead of heading to his home, Kasey turned toward the cabin owned by the pack. It was closer to the reservation and the Healer.
Kasey remained tense as he watched Charlie Blackhawk examining the black wolf. “Is she going to be okay, Charlie?”
Charlie gave a small laugh as he checked on the leg that had been broken during the fall. It was already slowly repairing itself, but with the amount of time between the break and the wolf’s arrival, the bone would need to be re-broken and set properly. The wolf had lost a lot of blood as well, which was sure to leave it weakened. “She is a he, and I am afraid that we must break the bone again, Kasey. There is no other choice. If we do not, it will heal improperly, and he will not be able to walk without discomfort and a limp.”
Kasey sucked in a breath, his face paling at the thought of having to hurt his mate all over again, but the Healer was right, so he agreed with a reluctant nod. “All right,” he muttered, filing away the fact his mate was male for later perusal.
“Come hold him down by the shoulders, Kasey. Hold him tight, because I fear he will wake up when it is done.” Charlie waited for Kasey to move into position before gripping the leg close to break. The Healer could sense the wolf stirring, and there was no way the pain would not bring him into full consciousness. Taking a deep breath, he twisted, re-fracturing the half-repaired bone.
Kasey winced at the sound of bone cracking, and the slender body beneath his hands shuddered. A loud yelp of pain suddenly issued from the wolf, and he came awake with a vengeance, struggling to get away. Kasey put as much weight on the wolf as he dared while Charlie, working quickly, realigned the bone and strapped on the splint. Kasey crooned to his mate, trying to soothe him. “Shhh, pup, it’ll be okay. The pain is over.”
The wolf continued to struggle until he’d exhausted himself and couldn’t move. Charlie examined the other cuts, but only one deep cut on his left side concerned him. “He’s your mate, isn’t he?” Charlie asked intuitively while working to stitch up the deep gash in the wolf’s side.
Kasey could only manage a gentle nod, anguish tightening his throat.
Charlie gave a sigh before saying, “You will have your hands full with this one. His mind is unsettled and filled with much pain and terror. I am afraid that he has suffered some sort of abuse, and
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