Lunar 8

Chapter 8
They come running through the doors, and Doc is screaming “this way.”
Her beta is carrying her. She doesn’t look like she’s even alive. Her skin has
a blue tint, and her eyes are lifeless. She is still a beauty, even as young as
she is. The Alpha is an idiot. He has no idea what he has thrown away.
They run into the operating room as the beta lays her on the gurney. The
Gamma jumps forward, starting cpr while the crash cart is wheeled in.
I hear the word clear several times, and then finally, someone utters, “Oh,
thank the goddess.”
The beta and gamma are chased out while the doctor continues to work on
young Katia. One of the nurse hands them fresh clothing, telling them, “Go
get cleaned up and get something to eat. There’s nothing more you can do
for our little Luna.”
Beta Mark speaks quietly, “Coral, you should be careful what you say.
Someone hears you calling Katia that, and you could end up in the
dungeons or worse.”
“We’ve been calling her that since she arrived as his chosen mate. Although
they aren’t mated, thank the goddess, we are keeping her as our Luna.”
“And the Alpha?”
“Who knows, maybe one of his wounds will get infected and take him out,”
she mutters. “Now that would be justice. The Alpha dies from a wound that
a little girl and her wolf gave him while defending herself from rape and
murder.”
“He is still the Alpha, Coral, and there is nothing we can do.”
“Mark, he is a disgrace! If she lives, we are going to have to watch him
torture her every chance he gets. The pack has decided we will do whatever
we can to make her life easier whenever Alpha Thomas isn’t around.”
“Our little ghost has to live first. Kelp?”
“She’s hanging in there. I can barely feel her, but I can feel her.”
“Come on, buddy, let’s get cleaned up and put food into our stomachs. Doc
will link us if anything happens.”
I watched them walk out and scoot out of my hiding spot. Looking through
the window on the door leading into the operating room, I caught a glimpse
of Katia. She is lying there pale with her eyes taped closed. The doctor put
her throat back together and sewed a tube into her throat. It’s hooked to a
machine and breathing for her. If only she had been older, her wolf would
have been stronger and maybe able to help heal her. I was so proud when
her wolf forced the shift to keep the rape from happening. She was
magnificent, not one scream, and the shift had to be agonizing. A first shift
doesn’t usually happen until a wolf’s 15th birthday. It can last for hours, and
elders are there to help the pup through it. She shifted three years early,
forced by stress and fear, and it was instantaneous. Her wolf was small like
her, but fierce and gorgeous. She was black as midnight with the milky
white eyes of those who are moon-touched. Moon touched ones are so rare.
Many believe it to be a myth.
I’m sure her beta and gamma already know. That is most likely the reason
the three of them are always together when Alpha wasn’t trying to tame her.
She’s building her pack and gathering her protectors.
I am so lost in thought that I lost track of time, and Katia’s little pack has
returned. I hurry back to my hiding spot so I can hear the doctor when he
comes out to update them.
“Hey guys, they are still at it. Hopefully, it won’t be much longer. Doc said
she was holding on. He said to talk to her even if you get nothing back, just
talk to her.”
Those young men, who are just barely adults at ages 20 and 21, sat linking
Katia for hours. They never slept. One went to get coffee while the other
kept talking to her. They never left again. The Alpha showed up and
glanced in the room. He turned and left without saying a word.
Finally, the doctor came out looking like he was ready to fall over. “I’ve
done everything I can. It’s up to our girl now. She’s holding her own, but she
isn’t out of the woods.”
“What the hell does that mean?” they both asked.
“It means the next 24 hours are crucial. Getting her through that alive
should put her in the clear.”
While they are talking to each other and not paying attention, I slide into the
room with Katia. “Oh, my little one, I should never have left you with that
woman.” Closing my eyes and, putting my hand over her forehead, seeing
all she has suffered in her 12 years, and all she still will suffer. She will
have to decide for herself if she will ever find happiness, but I worry she
will not be able to hold out that long. Hearing a noise, I scrambled out and
back to my hiding place.
The beta and gamma are carrying cots into the room. They plan on sleeping
in there with her and not leaving her side. “Mark, what are we going to do?
I mean how are we going to sit back and watch him continue to torture
her?”
“We will think of something. For now, let’s get her through this night.”
Coral goes in and checks her vitals, letting them know Katia is still hanging
in there. “Doc says he will be right down the hall if anything happens. He
keeps a room to sleep in here on nights too late to head home.”
Coral left. The two of them put a cot on each side of her bed. Each laid
down and reached up, taking hold of each of her hands. “If we hold on tight,
she can’t slip away, right Kelp?”
“Hear that, Katia? We got you. You can’t leave us.” I heard Kelp whisper as
he started to go off to sleep