Page 108 of Conner's Luna

Conner inhales and growls. Confusion flashes across his face and for a moment his eyes flicker with green hurt. I reach for the counter to try and pull myself up. I need to respond to the situation, to Conners pain, but my ribs shift and I groan as agony slices through me again.

Conner's answering snarl echoes off the tile walls and floor before my moan of pain has even left my lips.

Braxton stares at his brother hard, before he slowly takes a small step back. Lydia whimpers piteously when she registers Braxton's move, but Trey doesn't flinch.

"Bailey," Braxton says softly.

Conner's attention is immediately split between his brother's movement and the pair of lovebirds.

"Talk to him," Braxton whispers to me.

"Conner?" I choke out.

His head tilts to one side, but his eyes remain fixed on his prey.

"Conner Grim. The ambulance is coming. I thought wolf-people had good hearing. I have to re-assess my hypothesis," I say shakily.

Conner doesn't step away from Trey and Lydia, but his posture softens just the tiniest bit.

"Conner, please. My shoulder hurts."

Conner lets out a whine and spins around. He crouches down and gathers me into his arms, moving gently when I protest. I feel dizzy. I think I may pass out soon, so I had better give Trey and Lydia a chance to escape Conner's wrath before I do.

Because Lydia is pregnant. This is going to kill Conner. I stare at him worriedly while he stares back at me with a similar expression on his face.

The door to the bathroom is pushed open and the paramedics walk inside. I feel a spark of fear race through me. Isn't it obvious what has happened? There are sure to be questions about how I got attacked by a wild animal in the middle of the Student Center bathroom.

Except I don't have to worry. They're wolves, I realize as a reluctant Conner is edged aside by a very efficient paramedic.

"Alright, young lady," she announces, "let's make sure we get you some medical attention."

I'm laid on a stretcher, which I have to admit feels nice on my dizzy head. I'm given a shot of something that makes my blood feel warm and my headache and pain start to face. What doesn't sound fun at all is when one paramedic whispers to the other that I may require a blood transfusion.

"Conner!" I call out desperately.

"Baby? What's wrong, honeygirl? Do you hurt? Tell me where you hurt," he shudders, his eyes glowing, muscles twitching in spasms as he clings to my hand.

I stare up at him. Did he grow in the last few minutes? I'll have to remember that when I come down off of the pain-killer high the wolf-people put me on. "My body makes approximately 900 milliliters of blood per day. It'll take..." I pause, trying to do the calculations in my head, but everything's foggy, "two weeks to prelensish... replenish."

"Four to six weeks for red blood cells, honeygirl," he murmurs to me as I'm wheeled down the hallway. "Forty-eight hours to replace your plasma."

"'Kay," I mumble. "And that's why... what's why... what's why... that's why I don't needmoreblood. From other persons. People. You tell them."

"Alright, honeygirl," he says as I'm loaded into the ambulance, "I'll tell them, babygirl." Conner jumps in next to me despite the look of warning tossed to him by the paramedic.

"Thea is super-cute," I say earnestly. Is Thea here? Conner called her babygirl... oh. Oh. He called me babygirl. Ew.

Conner kisses my forehead, "yeah, I know, sweetheart."

"How much blood did I lose?" I ask. I try to sit up, but a heavy blanket is laid across me as I shiver from my adrenaline crashing.

I hear someone mention strapping me down. Conner growls at them and I giggle at the sound. "Puppy," I announce. "I wanted a puppy."

I hear snickering from the driver's seat, and a "hush, that's insulting!" from a feminine voice. I look up at Conner, worried that I made a mistake. He's smiling down at me softly and I relax.

"There are three of you," I tell him.

The smile fades from his three expressions. "You should rest, honeygirl. Close your eyes."

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