Page 51 of The Wolf Slayer

“I would like to examine you and make sure you’re not bleeding or showing other signs of distress.”

Niev nodded and while Christa went on to grab gloves, Niev laid down and pulled her jeans down. The few moments it took Christa to examine her felt like hours, Niev’s eyes resting on Blake.

“I don’t have an ultrasound here, and finding the fetus’ heartbeat without it will take me a long time. It would be much faster if I asked a wolf to listen to it. Only if you feel comfortable with it.”

Niev nodded as more tears ran down her cheeks. Before Christa left she handed Niev fresh clothes to wear. Just as she pulled the shirt over her head Christa returned with Seth by her side. In a quick but calm manner, she explained the situation to him. He nodded and quickly kneeled in front of Niev. He closed his eyes and listened in silence, while she was holding her breath.

“I can hear the heartbeat. It’s barely audible, but strong.” He took Niev’s hand and gently squeezed it as if he wanted to reassure her.

“That is normal for an early pregnancy like this,” Christa quickly explained.

Instantly, the weight was lifted off Niev’s heart and she could finally breathe again. At least, until her eyes moved over to Blake’s slashed and shattered body.

Seth too looked over to his brother and got back on his feet. “How is he doing?” Seth walked over to Blake’s body and gently wiped the blood off his face.

“Surprisingly, he’s doing well. I’m not sure why but some of his wounds are healing very fast. I can literally watch some of them heal. I’ve never seen anything like it. His injuries are severe and without this strange manner of healing, he wouldn’t have survived coming here.”

Seth seemed deep in thought when suddenly, he turned toward Niev. “You were gushing out blood while laying on top of him.”

He turned to Christa and explained, his words tumbling from his lips.

“She was just as badly injured as Blake. She’d lost so much blood, I was afraid she would die in my arms. She healed on the way here and now she looks as if nothing ever happened to her. Do you think she could’ve helped him?”

Niev didn’t wait for Christa to answer. She crossed the room with a few large steps. Seth’s idea gave her new hope and strength. She opened the glass cabinet and grabbed a scalpel from one of the shelves.

Without giving it a second thought, she slashed open her palm and held it over Blake’s shoulder, all the while ignoring her own pain. She’d expected the blood to splash everywhere, instead her healing skin only gave her wound a few seconds to sprinkle a few drops of blood on Blake’s shoulder.

Christa leaned forward, watching his wound closely. “It’s working,” she said in awe. “Your blood is healing him.”

Niev leaned forward too and inspected the wound closely. Christa was right. Wherever Niev’s blood dropped, the healing process was enhanced. Muscle tissue was repairing itself and bones started fusing back together. It was amazing to watch. Niev could literally watch the cells of his body work their magic.

“Why is he not awake?” Niev was afraid that his unconsciousness could be a bad sign. Even though she could see his body healing, she still was afraid to lose him.

“I sedated him. I wanted him to be as comfortable as possible.”

“Thank you.”

Niev started to inspect each of Blake’s wounds. Christa had started to stitch up the smaller wounds, whereas the bigger and deeper wounds were filled with a thick, dark paste. Niev assumed it was to stop the bleeding or prevent an infection.

“I’ll heal all his wounds,” her tone held a level of confidence and authority Niev had never known before.

“Of course, my love.”

Christa didn’t question or try to stop Niev, likely because she knew nothing could stop her at this point. Both women would do anything to help Blake survive. Christa started clearing the thick paste out of one of his wounds and as soon as it laid open, it started to bleed. Niev held her arm closely over the wounds and cut deep into her palm. The pain was so intense that she had to grind her teeth to hold back a cry.

The door opened and Niev could hear more people entering the cabin.

“What are you doing? He will bleed out!” Mayra’s voice seemed so far away. Niev heard how Seth quickly explained to her, Tanner, and Bill what they’d discovered. Mayra came over and gently touched her daughter-in-law’s shoulder. Her touch gave Niev strength as she moved on to the next wound. After she’d taken care of all his larger wounds, she inspected the smaller ones.

“You should rest. You’ve done more for him than we can ever repay you.”

Mayra took the scalpel out of her hand. As soon as Niev’s focus eased, she felt her declining strength. Her legs felt shaky, her head dizzy. Mayra’s warm gentle hands wrapped around her and held her up right. Niev was tired so she didn’t fight her, but she wouldn’t leave Blake’s side. Mayra gently forced her to sit on a chair by Blake’s head and rubbed her back. His face seemed peaceful while Christa’s sedative kept him unconscious and comfortable.

“Niev, I know you’re tired and that you have gone through a lot today, but we need to know what happened.” Tanner’s voice was soft but determined.

Keeping her gaze on Blake’s peaceful face, she gently caressed his hair. “Blake and I spent the day in Clemont. I’d asked him to help me pack my belongings and take care of everything before I move in with him. When we arrived back at his cabin, Blake was out of his mind. He said I should get inside the house right away.”

She paused as she remembered the large red wolf standing right in front of her. A shiver ran down her spine as she recalled the fear she’d felt.

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