Chapter 53

"Stings."I bounced from foot to foot. I'd told Bredon soap and water would work, but he'd insisted on hydrogen peroxide.

"I need to clean these scratches." Bredon dabbed at my ribs with a soaked cotton ball. "I'm only doing the deep ones."

I feared that they all were rather deep.

When I'd been the new kid in a school, my strategy had been to stick to the perimeter and stay quiet. To newly changed Lycans, that was a neon light that said, "I'm a weakling. Beat me."

I'd tried talking my way out, which did no good with the bullies. With the wolves and bullies, the only thing I could do was try to defend myself.

Which I'd done poorly. However, none of our keepers had been summoned to intervene.

"Shhiiittt." I shivered as he pressed the cotton ball against my calf. Truthfully, I wanted to kick him in the face. "Fuck that hurts."

"After your shower, I think you should change again." Bredon stood and started the water. Then he began to undress.

"I'm perfectly capable of showering," I told him snippily.

He didn't pause undressing.

Suddenly, I felt like crying. I squeezed my eyes shut and bit down on my bottom lip.

"Sage." He pulled me into his arms and held me while I cried.

After a few minutes, I whispered, "You're very good at this. Have you had many weepy females to take care of?"

He pulled away from me to see my expression. He was frowning.

I'd meant it as a joke.

"You are the only female I love."

"You watch over Talia," I reminded him.

His lips tightened. "That is different. She has always been a sister."

"I know that," I told him while nodding. "I really do."

He pulled back the shower curtain and motioned for me to step in.

"Shit." The water made my cuts sting and feel like the skin was pulled tight. However, the hot water felt good on my battered body. "Use lots of soap. I think I rolled in pee out there."

Bredon grabbed the soap, and after working up a lather, he began to run his hands over my body.

I couldn't stop myself from stepping away when he got to my ribs.

"You are lucky they didn't slice open your belly."

"Look," I said sharply. "I've never been exposed to anything like that before. I didn't know what to do."

"I should have prepared you better. Gone over strategies, worked on technique."

"That doesn't sound like much fun." I loved running around in wolf form with the sun warming my fur and scents tickling my nose.

"Sage, there are things at play that are out of my hands. Demonstrating that you have control of your wolf is important. Showing that you can handle yourself with other wolves is necessary."

"Then, I need to know these things before I'm tossed into the fire," I growled. "I've been made vulnerable because I don't know things."

"I'm trying to keep you safe. I fear you will be overwhelmed if I tell you everything at once," he fired back with heat.

"You saved my life," I shouted, my voice echoing in the bathroom. "I am safe." I saw he was ready to argue, so I continued, "I know you are taking it easy on me because you just got me back. But, Breed, I need you to push me. I'm getting hurt because you're babying me."

His blue eyes flashed.

"What I'm saying, Breed, is that you have allowed me to be sheltered. I know you have tried to keep obstacles out of my path here." I watched and waited for his reaction.

"Sage…I almost lost you." His hand gripped my forearm.

"You saved me, honey." I rested my hand on his hip. "But now…I need to learn. Sometimes, when loving someone, you must push them even if they resist or it hurts you."

He looked unhappy, but I could tell he knew I was right.

"I have three smart Lycans in my family, who, shall we say…" I flashed a small smile, "have skirted the rules for years. I need to learn how to succeed in this new life."

"I will figure it out." He didn't hide that he hated this.

"Thank you." I knew when to leave things alone.

"I think a healer should be called," Bredon said, pacing while staring daggers at my side.

"Whatever you think is best," I murmured. I was trying to keep my freakout under wraps. I wasn't healing like a Lycan should. After the shower, I'd changed forms. That had come quickly. The cuts were no better once I was in my human form again.

He pulled out his cell phone and made a call.

I wondered if I would be forced to interact with the wolves if I was still injured tomorrow.

Bredon finished his call. "One will be on their way very soon."

"Thank you."

"Mate, you do not need to thank me for seeing to your needs."

I smirked, then grinned. "See, that's something that I need to know."

He let out a sigh.

"Can you ask Talia if she can bring me more shirts?" The one I'd worn earlier was beyond saving.

"Of course."

Technically, I was not to have access to a phone, but because of Bredon's position, he could keep his. My accommodations were much nicer than many who were housed here. It was my understanding that only three had progressed to rooms like this. The others were kept in giant cages.

Bredon explained that I was ahead of those who had undergone their first change four months ago.

I couldn't explain why I could control my changes and my wolf. I had no mood swings or violent urges.

I pulled my legs to my chest and closed my eyes. I rested in the big chair Sig had insisted they add to our accommodations.

"Sage, the healer has arrived." I felt Bredon's hand on my shoulder.

"Oh, uhm, sorry." I dropped my feet to the floor and ran my hand over my face, hoping I hadn't drooled. "I didn't realize I fell asleep." I rose to my feet.

Theresa was escorted by one of the guards. "Your body is adjusting, and that is tiring." She placed her bag on the table where we ate our meals. She then turned to the guard. "If I need you, I will call."

The male did not like being dismissed but did not argue.

She turned to me. "How can I be of assistance?" It was said with an air of deference that I didn't understand.

Bredon said, "She joined a handful of others in the yard today. Her wounds are not healing."

Her eyes flared wide momentarily, and she asked, "What form were you injured in?"

"I was wolf. Then, I changed when we got back. After my shower, I changed again." I ended with a shrug.

"Tell me the locations of the worse injuries."

"My right rib; a wolf took a swipe, and Bredon said the cuts were deep. I think my ribs might be bruised."

"You didn't mention that." Bredon, who had just taken a chair, got to his feet.

"It has taken some time to sort through what hurt most." I hadn't wanted to add to his worries.

"My left thigh, down the front, and my right calf," I finished listing the most painful of my injuries.

"I could smell the blood from the doorway," Theresa told us. "We can begin with your ribs if you wish?"

I lifted the side of my T-shirt, and she helped me pull it over my head.

"You are bruising." She lightly ran her fingertips over my injured ribs. "I'm going to remove the bandage."

I appreciated that she told me what she would do before acting. Still, she left me breathless with pain.

When she finished, I was sitting in my panties. My side was re-bandaged, and my ribs were wrapped. My thigh had two bandages covering the deepest parts of the scratches. My calf was covered in gauze and wrapped in an elastic bandage because she believed there was slight muscle damage. "I will return tomorrow to check and redress your wounds."

Bredon had stayed silent during the exam.

I knew he had questions.

I had them, too.

Theresa must have sensed that we both were ready to begin peppering her with questions. She held up her hand in the stop sign gesture. "I cannot explain why she is not healing as a Lycan can. Right now, I am more concerned about the damage to her calf and whether her body can fight off infection."

I had not considered that concern.

"If she shows signs of fever, call me. Try to stay off your right leg. If your healing does begin, it is best that you allow the muscle to knit without stress."

"No yard play for me." I glanced at Bredon to see if he disagreed. "Do I need a healer's note to get out of it?"

"I do not understand." Theresa tilted her head questioningly.

"In human school, if you were sick or injured, they required a note from the medical professional stating what you could and couldn't do."

"I will make the appropriate calls," she assured me. She focused on Bredon. "I know you would like an answer about her lack of healing. I do not have one. We must consider that she is different from other Lycans, born and changed. She may not possess the same skill set and traits of the Lycan born."

"I can accept that answer." Bredon dipped his chin respectfully.

"Some do not survive their first change. Others take years to master their change. Sage can do that. She also is in control of her wolf. She is quite extraordinary."

"Thanks, Theresa." I grinned.

"Do as I advised, and hopefully, we will see improvement tomorrow." Theresa closed her bag.

"Thank you, healer." Bredon escorted her the ten steps to the door.

After she was gone, I watched my mate. I wanted to hear his thoughts.

"She brought up many interesting points." He sat on the sofa across from me.

"But it is dangerous for me not to heal quickly."

"I believe it is prudent not to share that information."

"You are doing the diplomatic speak again." I frowned. It felt like he was erecting a wall between us.

"Sweet Sage." He moved to sit on the arm of my chair. "We will endeavor to keep this a secret."

"You are good at keeping them." I rested against his muscular body.

"I had to in order to survive."

I yawned, suddenly drained.

"You need to eat and then sleep."

"If I can't do playtime, we need to begin my lessons." I needed to be ready for our future.