“Gunshot wound,” Callen says quickly, and she sucks in a breath before moving closer.
She drops to her knees beside us, her hands hovering over Leo’s body, scanning quickly.” Keep the pressure, that’s good. Okay, we need more towels, a clean cloth to absorb the blood, and something to keep him warm. Move fast but stay calm and don’t startle him.”
Callen grabs the towels stacked nearby and hands them to her. I adjust my hold, letting Poppy take control. The moment her hands make contact with Leo’s fur, his eyes snap open, making her flinch back.
“Shhh, it’s okay, Leo. Hang in there, we are going to do everything we can until the healers can get here. You’re going to be okay. Paige’s sister is a vet, and she is going to patch you up,” Callen half laughs, trying to sound calm, but I can hear the strain in his voice.
“He won’t hurt you, Pops, I promise,” I urge, my eyes locking with hers. She searches my eyes for a moment before looking back at Leo and nodding shakily.
“Okay,” she breathes. “I need to assess the bullet wound. Is there an exit wound, or is the bullet still in there?” Poppy asks.
“Still in there,” Callen says, and Leo lets out a weak whine.
I press harder on the towel where it’s soaked through, my fingers shaking as I try to match her rhythm. “It’s okay, Leo,” I murmur, leaning closer. “We’ve got you. You’re going to be fine.”
“Okay, boil some water, and then I need something to get it out, tweezers, a knife, a needle and thread.” She instructs, voice sharp but confident. She’s already moving, hands efficient, eyes focused.
Poppy quickly moves to the kitchen counter, grabbing clean towels, disinfectant, and the small medical kit I keep in the cupboard. She glances back at us. “I need someone to hold the towels for me while I stop the bleeding. Paige, that’s you. Keep pressure here. Callen, back me up if he struggles.”
I nod, gripping the towels and pressing them firmly to Leo’s wound. The blood is warm and sticky, but I force my hands steady, listening to every instruction.
Callen flicks on the kettle and rushes to gather everything she asked for.
Leo groans softly, eyes fluttering open again, and I can feel the tension in the room spike. Poppy strokes his shoulder gently. “You’re so beautiful. Just hang on for me, boy,” she says, her voice full of awe.
Leo lets out a quiet purr, but it’s weak.
“Okay, I think that’s everything,” Callen says.
Poppy scans the kitchen quickly, noting the layout, the towels, everything she might need, and nods. “I need another blanket to keep him warm. Someone get it and keep your voice low. He’s already stressed.”
I glance at Callen, who’s still tense but letting me take the lead. “Got it,” I whisper, moving to grab the blanket.
Poppy gives instructions like a seasoned professional, her initial shock now gone, replaced by laser focus. “Steady hands, clear heads. We can do this. He’s going to make it, but we all have to be precise. As soon as he’s stable, you need to get him to your own vet, if you have one that deals with tamed wolves.”
I realise then, watching her work, that even in the midst of this horror, even with a wolf in the kitchen and hunters likely circling outside, we have a real chance.
**Paige’s POV **
Poppy washes her hands before putting the equipment in a bowl and pouring boiling water over it. She kneels beside Leo again, her face pale, but her hands are steady. She sucks in a breath, closing her eyes and muttering a prayer before her eyes snap open and she looks down at Leo with determination. “Okay, move your hands.”
I move back, grimacing at the blood now that the pressure isn’t slowing it.
“He’s going to need a blood transfusion, although I don’t know if your vet can even find suitable blood for him. I’d suggest calling ahead to give them some time to source some,” she says as she examines the wound.
“I’ll do it,” Callen says without hesitation. Poppy may think he’s agreeing to call the vet, but I know what he really means. He plans to donate his own blood to Leo.
Poppy doesn’t flinch as she digs in. Her hands are steady, practised. I know how passionate she is about becoming a vet, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen her in action. She works like she was born for this.
“Got it,” she breathes after a long moment, holding up the blood-slick bullet between the tips of a pair of tweezers. She reaches for a needle and thread, ready to stitch him up, then stops.
Her eyes widen. “Wait… what?”
We all freeze.
I follow her gaze. The ragged hole in Leo’s flank is shrinking. The torn muscle pulls together before our eyes, knitting itself whole. The bleeding slows, then stops completely.
Poppy staggers back, her face going impossibly paler. “What the hell…” Her voice breaks, high and sharp. “What the hell is going on here?”
She’s staring at us now, not just Leo. Her chest heaves, fear and disbelief pouring off her in waves.
Callen exhales slowly, wiping a hand across his mouth, leaving a smear of blood at his jaw. He looks at me, and I nod. She deserves the truth, especially after this.
“Poppy,” I say gently, keeping my voice soft. “Leo’s not… he’s not just a wolf.”
Her eyes flick between me and Callen, wide and searching. “Then what is he?”
Callen meets her gaze. “He’s a werewolf. We all are.”
The silence that follows is suffocating. Poppy shakes her head, a half-laugh escaping her lips like she’s trying to convince herself this is all a nightmare. “Werewolves don’t exist. They don’t…”
Her words trail off as Leo groans. His body shifts, bones.cracking, fur receding. I flinch even though I knew it was coming. His wolf form melts away, leaving his human body behind, pale and bloodied on the kitchen floor.
Poppy gasps, her hands flying to her mouth. Callen is already moving, grabbing a clean blanket from the back of the sofa and draping it over Leo’s bare form.
Leo blinks weakly, his eyes unfocused, chest rising in shallow breaths. Then, with a trembling hand, he reaches out toward Poppy. His lips part, voice barely more than a rasp.
“Mine.”
Her breath catches audibly in the quiet room. Before anyone can react, Leo’s eyes roll back, and he falls unconscious.
The silence that follows feels like it could shatter the world.
She shakes her head, eyes locked on Leo’s unconscious form as if staring at him long enough will make it make sense. “Why… why would he say that?” Her voice cracks.
No one answers at first. Callen presses his lips together, his jaw tense. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. My throat is dry, and my mind is a storm of a million thoughts.
Because I know exactly what Leo meant.
I swallow hard. “He’s… claiming you,” I whisper, my voice trembling.
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