108 Parker Milly had been beside herself since hed brought her and Whit to the hospital .
Hed not told her the truth of things she was too little to understand .
But Milly cried anyway at hearing her mother was sick and in the hospital .
It was all hed told her , not elaborated on the word sick .
Shed clutched at Whit instantly upon hearing the news , and fear had rolled of the tiny little girl .
Hed picked her up himself to comfort her , and told her everything was going to be alright .
Parker had carried her on his hip through the packhouse as shed sobbed , while hed walked holding Whits hand as hed taken them to the hospital to see Belladonna .
Her breathing tube had been removed and replaced with nasal prongs and though he knew she had a chest full of stitches , the children didnt see that .
She was covered with a sheet and blanket as she lay there on the bed .
Hed felt Whitneys hand tighten in his at the sight of his mother laying there in the bed .
The hospital was a place that both her children were used to coming and going from , a place they always saw her in .
But this was an entirely different matter , because she was now the patient , not the doctor .
Likely something neither one of them had ever seen before .
Milly had cried even more and wanted to be put on bed .
Hed not let her , couldnt .
Belladonnas wounds werent healing on their own yet .
Annette had been checking that every 30 minutes since the surgery was over .
Standard wolfen protocol because one never knew a wolfs tolerance to being sedated , and they could start healing even before their human was awake .
Hed pulled a chair up for both himself and Whit , and they all sat by her bedside , and hed let Milly reach out and touch her , and had comforted the little girl as best he could , with softly spoken words of reassurance , that she would wake up tomorrow , was just sleeping deeply because she really needed the rest right now .
Theyd had breakfast , lunch and dinner in the hospital , because Milly wouldnt leave the room , pitched a fit at his attempts to give them a break from being in the room , and to go and get some fresh air .
Her little girl wouldnt have a bar of leaving the room .
Not aven Whit could get her to , hed just shaken his head at Parker and sighed .
Milly had not really said anything all day , just wouldnt leave the room .
Hed sat and talked quietly with Whit throughout the day , and theyd tried to engage Milly together .
Shed not wanted that , become introverted by lunchtime .
Whit had told him this was how she was when 103 theyd met her .
She likely just needed their mum to wake up .
He understood that and after dinner hed thought about trying to take them back to the packhouse for sleep , but didnt think Milly would go , so didnt try it .
Hed settled on the couch and Milly had climbed into his lap and leaned on him , fallen asleep on his chest as hed stroked her back gently .
He could see Whit was watching his little sister .
He reached out and touched her curly hair and sighed .
This is how she was , clingy and quiet .
Traumatised , Parker had stated softly , not wanting to wake her up .
Shell be alright when your mum wakes up , hed stated .
Hed seen all sorts of trauma when taking over other packs .
Children as young as Milly , however , were resilient and could forget with time , come back to life once they felt safe and protected .
50 Shed been able to do that before , because of the love she got from Belladonna and Whit , he knew shed be alright .
She did understand that her mother was alive .
Sleeping deeply is what Annette had told her , that shed gotten sick and needed to sleep for a full day , then shed wake up and start to get better .
Though Parker didnt know how long her getting better would actually take , seeing as there was no active healing , but he was hoping it wouldnt take more than a day or two .
That would be indicative of her beast healing her once the sedation wore off .
His eyes flicked open and Vex was up and alert inside his mind and looking right at Belladonna , he didnt know what had woken him , but the machines in the room were still beeping softly and didnt indicate that anything was wrong .
Something hed gotten used to and hed fallen asleep himself .
Hed been woken by something , though not sure what it was , but then hed seen it , movement , her hand slid up the blanket and touched her chest , and then her eyes were opening a moment later , and he felt relief flood through not only himself but Vex as well .
She then she settled and went right back to sleep .
Likely had pain , and it had disturbed her .
The sedation was wearing off .
He mind linked the nurse on duty to let her know Belladonna was starting to wake up , and she came into the room , walked quietly on her soft soled sneakers , and checked on her , looked at him and stated , It could be a while yet .
Hed nodded and sat watching her until sleep had reclaimed him , and been woken by Vex once more at nearly dawn , to find Belladonnas eyes were open , and she was looking about the room .
There was only one light on in the room due to them all sleeping .
Her eyes finally 100 landed on him and her children .
Their son was curled up on the couch next to him with a blanket draped over him , and Milly was asleep on him .
A slight smile touched her face , and he felt his heart rate increase a little at her smiling at him with her children .
Who were very comfortable with him right at that minute .
She spoke softly .
Hi , how a are you you feeling ? he asked and felt Whit shift on the couch next to him .
He looked at him as he rolled over and curled up the other way .
Parker wanted to wake him , but his boy had not fallen asleep until nearly midnight and needed the sleep .
Id get up .
he murmured But .
Its alright … stay there .
She told him .
How are you feeling ? he asked again .
Shed not answered his question .
He knew Annette would come on duty in an hour and the nurse was due any minute for her 30 minute rounds , so he didnt bother to mind link to either of them .
Like I was hit by a tree .
She sighed .
My chest hurts .
Mm , you had surgery , he stated .
What ? she frowned at him , and he saw her hand move to her chest and knew she was already being a doctor and checking on herself .
Ill let Annette explain it to you .
What do you remember ? he asked as he watched her .
She lay there for a moment , her hand gently pressing on what he knew would be the incision site , as she thought about things , then she just shook her head .
Nothing , I was rendered unconscious by Freya .
Mm , the whole pack was rendered unconscious , bar myself from what I can gather , he told her .
Selena came , I saw her .
he nodded .
Belladonna looked at him , though she didnt seem the slightest bit surprised to hear that , just nodded .
Freya is gone .
She murmured .
I had the displeasure of seeing her be ripped from you .
Not something I ever want to see again .
He stated honestly with a sigh .
She is Selenas wolf .
He told her, and it gained her full attention .
She told you that ? she asked ..
Yes , you knew ? he inquired .
Not really … but I suspected … Freya spoke to me before being removed .
Told me a few things .
Belladonna sighed softly , and the nurse , Odette , came in to do her rounds .
Ah , I see youre awake , that is good to see Bella .
she smiled at her .
A few minutes only , Parker told her .
Ill let Annette know , Odette stated .
Shes up and on her way to the hospital now , I believe , to check on Bella .
She told him , then turned to Belladonna .
You scared everyone .
She murmured Not even Parker left the hospital .
He shook his head slightly but let that one go .
It was true , hed only left it once and that was to go and get her children , an acceptable reason for him not to be at her bedside .
Though he was certain , Odette had stated it to infer he was acting like a Mate would .
Im fine , my chest hurts a bit is all , Belladonna stated , That is to be expected after open heart surgery .
Annette will tell you all about it when she gets here .
Do you want pain relief , its charted .
Belladonna shook her head .
It will likely only make me drowsy and sleep again .
