Page 11 of Lightning Strikes

I pull out my phone after they’re all fed, ensuring they’re situated… I call up a few fosters that usually take in kittens stray cats.

Each one says they don’t have the help for newborns but to call back if I can’t find anyone and they will figure it out… Shit.

I call the last one, holding my breath, and they say they’ll send someone to check them out before making their decision. I almost cry with relief. I set down a heating pad and cover it with a blanket before getting them comfortable, curled around each other in a pile. I head back into the lobby to unlock the doors, focused on taking the sign down. No one called the emergency line, so I hope I didn’t miss anyone that needed help.

I sit down at the reception desk so that I don’t miss the woman the foster care center is sending, signing into my account. I spin in my chair, keeping myself awake, as I start up a file for the kittens. How much each one fed and notate that one is deaf and blind, inputting that the kitten has special needs that will need to be met appropriately. I won’t lie to them when I know something is wrong.

I sit at the computer for about an hour, checking up on all of the patient notes from the week. I smile when I find that Mac brought Max in for a check-up and his next set of shots. Looks like Melissa doesn’t send meeverything.Little shit.

I’m actually shocked that I didn’t have to remind him… Even though I forgot, too. Bad vet.

I sigh as I lean back, making a mental note to feed the kittens again in another hour, then lean my head down when I get too exhausted to sit upright. I don’t get it. I’ve been sleeping plenty, working less, and drank enough coffee today for a damn hockey team. I relax and try to feel if my wolf has any issues but she’s completely ignoring me… I must have been neglecting her, maybe she’s draining my energy so that I’ll shift and give her attention. I don’t even remember the last time I shifted and went on a run… It must have been when I slept with Cal and grabbed the flowers to make my tea.

I huff out a breath, yawning as I stand and stretch out my tense muscles. I need to stay standing… at least until the kittens are taken care of and collected.

Someone knocks on the door, the young teenage girl steps into the reception area with a small smile. “Hey, I’m here from Fran’s Fosters… I would like to see the kittens.” I nod, shaking her hand before I lead her to the recovery room they’re set up in. She looks around, peeking into the heated box before she whips out her phone to take pictures and sends the photos to someone. “Are there any issues with them?”

I chew on my inner lip. “They must have just been born early this morning. I cleaned them up, ran a few tests. They’ve only had one feed since they were brought in and none of them vomited. There is one, the tiny one, that I believe may be deaf, and usually when that happens there’s another sensory issue, like blindness.” I hope she accepts my bullshit… I can’t really come out and tell her that I have special powers and know the kitten is both blind and deaf. “But other than that, they seem fine and healthy. Just need around the clock love, heat, and feeds every two to three hours.”

She frowns, pursing her lips before she steps out with her phone to her ear. I sit down on the floor and rub a finger down each fuzzy black kitten, quickly running another scan with my glowing hands. They all need to eat again, so I step back, and heat up some formula, and begin feeding two at a time in my lap.

The girl walks in, pushing her hair behind her ears. “We can take them all except for the deaf one. We already have too many special needs cats and can’t handle another…” I sigh as I nod, placing focus back on feeding the two in my lap.

“I understand. I’ll handle this little girl. I should be able to handle one on my own until she’s ready to be adopted out in eight weeks.”

The girl smiles as she throws her long brown hair into a ponytail. She steps up to the sink, washes her hands before sitting down beside me, and helps me feed the last three. “We have everything we need at the house, so…” I chuckle, waiting for her to bring the carrier in, and I set it up with some towels and blankets for their journey.

“Thank you for coming. Tell Fran to call me if you need any more supplies, on the house.” She nods, picking up the carrier in two hands, and nods to me on her way out the door. After she walks out and I stare down at the tiny kitten in my hand. “Well, little one. Looks like it’s just you and me.” I set her back down in the recovery room after I change out the bedding and head back into my office to finish up the notes.

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