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“Don’t worry about it, Na-na,” Cole says, slinging an arm around my shoulder and grinning at me. “You smellfantasticnow.”

Shayne laughs, sniffing at her wrists but shrugging when she doesn’t notice a difference. “I think he’s just messing with us,” she says, looking at me.

“Trust me, he’s not,” Greg says, glaring at Cole as he moves to Shayne’s side, slipping an arm around her waist and tugging her close. “You’re all…Kincaid-ed up now.”

“Yessss,” Shay says, throwing her hands up in victory even as she leans against Greg, letting him support her weight. He grins down at her, laughing. “My dream has come true!”

I laugh, shrugging Cole’s arm from my shoulder as the four of us start towards the nursing tents. After all, I already smell like him – no need to have hisarmaround me as well. Besides, we’ve got a big night ahead of us.

It’s time to concentrate.

Chapter 47 – Disaster

Nadia

“I need those bandages overthere, Nicole!” I shout. Nicole spins to me, her eyes wide – but honestly, I’m shocked she could hear me over the incredibleroarin the tent. Every bed is full of wounded soldiers – all wolves – some sobbing, some quiet and pale, butseveralshouting their goddamn heads off in pain. “Bed eighteen! Now!”

Nicole nods fervently to me as I slap a red flag on the side of my patient’s bed, scrawling notes on his chart that his femur is broken and his treatment plan needs to be verified by the doctor. I hastily clip the chart to the back of his bed and turn, looking for the next –

But he grabs my arm with a cry, pulling me back.

I gasp and spin to the patient. “Where are you going?” he shouts, his voice terrified, looking down at his leg, which lies at a sickeningangle, twisted to the right halfway down his thigh.

“The doctor will be here shortly,” I say, clenching my jaw for a moment and forcing my eyes to his face.

“Help me!”

“I’m anurse,” I say, leaning closer, wanting him toactuallyhear me. “Your case is beyond me – the doctor will –“

He inhales to interrupt me, his expression livid - but then he suddenly goes still, his eyes flying wide. His hand suddenly releases my arm as his eyes flash to my wrist and then over me. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I – I didn’t know. Apologies.”

I stare at him, not understanding this sudden change, but the pause in his panic gives me time to study his clammy skin, the tears streaking down his cheeks. It’s terrible – this big Alpha wolf, a private in the Clythera military, in so much pain that it’s breaking him down.

“Please, it hurtssomuch – I can’t even think –“ he whispers, shaking his head.

I stutter, wordless, not knowing what to say. I mean, I know what he needs – fuckingmorphineand his leg strapped to a damn board before he can be shipped to a hospital – but I can’t justdothat –

“Chief!” A frantic voice calls from the entrance. My head whips in that direction, my eyes flashing wide when I see a soldier stumbling in on a guard’s shoulder, bloodgushingdown his face and into his eyes. God damn it, afuckinghead wound.

I stand straight. “Ten minutes,” I say, glancing down at the soldier, hopingdesperatelyI can keep that promise. “I need to –“

“Amir!”

I turn and run towards the new patient, waving to a mat on the ground, knowing we need to get him down. “Nicole!” I shout, starting to run. “I need a clean kit over here! Now!”

“Okay!” she calls, her voice high and frantic.

I lean over the whimpering soldier as he lies back. “It’s okay,” I say, my heart pounding as I look for the source of his injury. “We’re going to get you cleaned up, all right?”

He just sobs, leaning back, in terrible pain.

Twenty minutes later, I’ve got the head case wrapped up – no broken skull, thank god, though a concussion is probable – butmorepatients are flooding in andnoneof my red flag beds have been seen to – and there’s nowhere for them to lie down -

“God damn it,” I snap, striding for the door. Where thehellis the doctor?

“Nadia!” A voice shouts behind me, desperate.

“Two minutes!” I shout, holding up two fingers behind me as I stride from the entrance.