Page 9 of Run Free

“Even with the surgery, he’s likely not going to make it, Clara. The animal Dave is working with stands a stronger chance. Are you okay because you seem to be making this call emotionally? I know it’s hard. I know he’s a shifter, but you have to look at the facts.”

“Prep me for surgery, I’ll do it myself. You can’t possibly understand, Eddie, but I will not give up on him.”

It was the hardest thing I’d ever had to do, and it felt like an out-of-body experience as I walked through the motions. I couldn’t sedate him because his pulse was already dangerously low. That probably bothered me more than anything. Still, he didn’t even flinch a little as I cut into him. It took a few hours to get inside, find the place he was bleeding from and close it up, and then sew him back together.

His heart rate immediately strengthened. How had this man survived these last few weeks? It had been clear these weren’t new injuries. His breaks showed signs of healing and then being broken again. He was by far the worst victim we’d seen.

I refused to leave his side. Nothing else at that zoo mattered now that I’d found him. The team came to me with questions, decisions that needed to be made, and I did the best I could to guide them, but my tunnel vision would not allow me to see past my mate.

It had been forty-eight hours since I’d finished the surgery and still he hadn’t woken up. I knew I had him sedated now, but I expected to see some kind of fight left in him, and it scared me that I didn’t. His heartbeat was much stronger and his breathing no longer shallow. So I had cleaned him up myself and set every broken bone. They were mending nicely thanks to his accelerated wolf healing.

I made the decision to lower the pain killers and take him off the sedation medicine. I needed him to wake up now.

“How’s our guy doing?” Dave asked, coming in with sandwiches and hot coffee.

“Good. I think. I decreased the pain reliever and stopped the sedation meds. Now we just wait for him to wake up.”

“All his vitals look good, Clara. He’s strong.”

“I know.”

“Then why all the fuss? What is it about this wolf that has your head so messed up?”

I stared at him and sighed. “You can’t possibly understand.”

“Try me.”

I sucked in a deep breath. Verbalizing the words for the first time was difficult. “He’s my mate, Dave.”

I could see shock in his eyes. “Oh. Well that certainly changes things, doesn’t it? When did you guys meet?”

I gave him an incorrigible look. “You should know, since you were there.”

“Shit, that’s why you went hysterical at the cage,” he said, like all the pieces were clicking into place. “I’m so sorry, Clara. Why didn’t you tell me? I absolutely would have dropped everything and performed his surgery if I had known.”

I shrugged. “It’s not something I can easily talk about. I don’t know anything about him. Not even his name.”

Dave smiled sympathetically. “It’s Gage. Gage Matthews. Byron told us, but we also found his wallet and things in a shed near where the cages were. Would you like me to bring them to you?”

I nodded, wiping a stray tear from my cheek.

When he left, I turned to my mate. “Gage Matthews.” I tested the sound of his name on my lips. It felt good. I knew that was silly. “Gage,” I said again. “Gage, you had better pull through this, because sitting here watching you die sucks ass. I know you don’t know me, but I need you. Open your eyes, Gage,” I whispered.

Gage

Chapter 7

I stirred and the first thing I noticed was that the pains were gone. All of them. I stretched, and my body felt whole again.Thank you, angel,I thought.

I hadn’t wanted to die, but maybe it was worth it to feel like this again. I briefly wondered what heaven would feel like.

I smelled her coconut scent. My angel was still with me.

“Open your eyes, Gage,” I heard her melodic voice say, but I couldn’t. Not yet. I drifted back into unconsciousness.

There was no concept of time in heaven. I didn’t know what day it was or how long I’d been out, but the smells alone made me happier than I ever remembered being on Earth.

“Open your eyes, Gage,” I heard her say again. This time I tried. It took far more effort than I would have expected. I was blinded by white lights shining around her as I stared into those dark, endless pools. So much love and happiness there. I could look into her eyes forever.

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