Free Slate's Mistake by Tigertalez Page A

seeing
her mate with huge holes and lacerations over his arms, legs, hips, and torso.
She had never gotten sick at the sight of anything before now, but ice cold
fear raced up her spine and pooled into her gut, churning and knotting it into
a quivering jelly pot that threatened to empty itself at the contrast of the
dark red streaks that stained the paled skin of her mate who lay motionless on
sheets, heavily soaked with his blood. She could see an IV dripping into his
arm and bloody haphazard gauze in spots.
    Seamus didn’t turn his head from the wound he was
trying to stitch when she entered, but he seemed to have known it was her. “I’m
relieved you came. As you can see, I can use your help.”
    Although her throat went dry and constricted slightly
at the horrific sight of her mate, she managed to quietly squeak out a
response. “I’ll go wash up.”
    “I’m not that concerned about infection right now. After
you grab some gloves, come here and hold this for me.”
    Katie quickly did as he told without question. She
rushed to the bedside and held the blood-soaked gauze firm against the wound as
the doctor worked as fast as he could to sew up around the area. She helped
hand him different tools he needed, pressed where he needed pressure, and did
every other task she was taught to assist a doctor during surgery.
    At the sound of a soft creak, she looked up to see who
just walked in the door. Alphy stood half in and half out. “How’d you get him
to shift? Did he regain consciousness?” His voice sounded slightly hopeful.
    “Briefly, long enough for me to tell him his mate was
on her way over and if he wanted her hands on his body, he’d better go skin.”
    “Tricky, doctor. I’m impressed.” He tried to tease, but the worry
lines gave him away. “How’s he doing?”
    “More pressure, Katie,” the doctor mumbled, snapping
her out of her shock. Did the doctor
really say that to Slate? Did she really have that much power over him? He was in lion form when he was hurt?
    Her head swam with questions, but she locked them in
the back of her mind as she focused on her task while listening to what Seamus
had to say about the man she loved. Crap,
I’m in love with him.
    “He’s lost a shitload of blood. I’ve got an IV going,
but if he loses much more, it could easily go south. With Katie’s help, I’ve
been able to work fast enough to get him stabilized, but it’s a fragile balance
so no promises.”
    Alphy’s voice was lowered. “Thanks, Sea, I’ll let the
others know. Just to let you know, Kace still needs stitches, but I’ve hooked
him up to an IV and with Gale’s help, and a few shifts, we were able to stop
the bleeding so he seems to be doing much better. He’s sleeping right now. His
body temp also rose.”
    Seamus twisted his hand around, working the stitching.
“Good, I’ll be there as soon as I’m done here. I’ll have to do a quick check to
make sure there aren’t any hidden issues, but it sounds like he’ll be all right.”
Alphy left with only the sound of the snip of the door latching behind him.
    “With the elevated temp, aren’t you concerned for
infection?” She had to ask.
    Seamus shook his head. “Shifters run hotter than
humans, but when they are injured then their temp rises a little more. It’s
their way of healing. The sleep is also helpful.”
      “How did he
know how to hook up an IV?”
    “Alphy’s been in the military a long time. He’s
learned enough in the field.”
    It was noon by the time she and Seamus were able to
take a break. After using the toilet, she made her way into the kitchen and
grabbed some food that Connie had made. The house was empty of bodies, and
boards were placed over the broken windows. A new door was finally fitted into
the place of the front door, but the glass entrance in the back was just
covered in plastic. Glass and wood no longer crunched under her feet, but the
blood couldn’t get cleaned up before it set in so plastic was