The rogue had been in and out of a coma for two weeks. The infection had nearly killed her and they had to resuscitate her twice. They had her on strong antibiotics and were changing her bandages daily, but for whatever reason she was taking longer then most wolves to heal.
The device had been a simple collar that only shocked when vocal cords were used, so it was basically just for keeping her from talking and I'm sure she had let her wolf have control for a while just so she could escape the pain.
Anytime she had came conscious the infirmary would contact me and I would race over as quickly as I could and each time her hospital room would be destroyed and she would pull all the lines and tubes from her and attack staff members. Every-time she would pass back out before I could get there. After the last time she shattered the glass sliding door with an iv pole and I ordered staff to keep her restrained to the bed.
Sometimes I'd visit even though she was just unconscious and I would sit in her room watching her sleep. Her neck stayed bandaged up, but I could still see her face. The nurses had bathed her from all the dirt and blood and her hair was now clean, but her smoky scent stayed.
Her small chest heaved up and down and she was breathing hard through her nose like she was having an adrenaline rush. Sometimes she would whine and her arms would twitch. Don't get me wrong I still had full intentions on interrogating the kid, but I wasn't made of stone.
Seeing a child like that was uncomfortable for me. Zeb especially didn't enjoy coming to check on her. He had made several suggestions about smothering her in her sleep and that it would be showing her mercy. So that it wouldn't hurt anymore.
I always quickly reminded him that we do not kill children. Even if they were already close to death. I stood up from the blue plastic seat I was in and looked back down on the small girl before walking away and sliding the door back open to leave.
I walked down the hallway and when I heard the sound of clicking hills behind me I stopped.
"Alpha August?"
I stopped and turned around to face Dr. Hopkins. She was Johnson's mate and I had always considered her a close friend. She also knew my parents when they were alive and she was my mothers best friend.
Her white coat made her brown hair look darker. It was tied up tightly into a bun and her glasses were pushed up into it. She smiled at me showing her white teeth and the small wrinkles she was starting to get.
"Dr. Hopkins it's good to see you. I was just checking on the rogue."
She nodded in understanding and motioned for me to follow her. We walked down the opposite direction I had been headed and we passed the girls room again. I glanced at her still sleeping body through the glass window and then followed Dr. Hopkins behind a black door.
Her office was a decent size and had two leather chairs set in front of a big wooden desk. Behind it was a big black rolling chair and she went and sat down in it.
"Her infection is almost clear, she would probably wake up if we start lowering the doses of the pain medication."
I sat down in one of the chairs and crossed my leg over the other. I crossed my hands over my stomach and tried to think of what to say.
"So, you want the pain to wake her up?" I asked trying to sound like the idea didn't bothered me.
She put her hands up and waved them.
"No, she would still be on something to help with it. She would heal faster if she ate some food though, she's just been getting fluids."
I nodded my head in understanding.
"Okay, but she still needs to stay restrained".
She smiled at me and let out a breath.
"Oh, I agree with you. She's extremely violent and if I can be honest with you about when she set the sprinkler system off. It was amazing, out of no where these green flames circled her when we tried to corner her. It was like a defense mechanism or something."
I grimaced thinking about the day I got that call. All kinds of documents and hospital equipment was ruined and would be costly to replace. Just something else I had to deal with.
"And you don't have any ideas on how she's able to do that?" I asked.
She stayed with the same smile as she looked off like she was in a daydream. She was always a little quirky, but intelligent. She shook her head breaking herself from whatever thought had distracted her.
"Uh, honestly I've never even heard of a wolf being able to do... whatever that is. It is fascinating though isn't it?"
I rolled my eyes getting annoyed.
"It's dangerous and could potentially be a threat towards us. She won't be a child for very long."
I couldn't help, but think about myself as a child and how my childhood was cut short from what happened. Everyone had to grow up one day though.
Dr. Hopkins nodded her head and I could see my tone changed her curious mood.
I let out a sigh of annoyance at myself and tried to change the subject.
"What about her wolf? She's too young to be able to shift."
You got your wolf at age twelve and sometimes even later then that if you are a late bloomer. I had actually always held a small bit of pride at the fact that I had gotten mine and shifted the day before my twelfth birthday.
"Well actually Alpha, you can get your wolf as young as five. It's rare and most of the time it's the result of extreme trauma."
The images of my parents being slaughtered ran through my mind and I sat up more in my seat. I leaned my elbows on my knees and let my arms drop as I hardened my eyes at the Doctor.
"What do you mean trauma?" I asked sounding as if I didn't even believe what she claimed.
She took in a deep breath and crossed her hands together over her desk and gave me a serious look.
"August, what happened to you was awful. It was traumatic I agree, but we are talking torture here. Serious physical and mental pain that is repetitive to the point that your wolf will be forced to protect itself, meaning early shifting."
My gut felt uncomfortable thinking about the multiple things that could've happened to the child to cause that. I tried to shove all the awful possibilities that ran through my head away and ran my hands through my hair.
"So how early do you think she.."
I didn't even want to finish saying it. I didn't want to think about her small body and how vulnerable she was. It was sickening thinking about someone hurting a kid.
"It's impossible to tell, but by the way she acts when she's awake it seems like she's not aware of the fact she's human. She stays on all fours and growls and barks like she's an animal. Whenever she was forced to shift I don't think she ever shifted back until now."
I scratched the back of my head and tried to wrap my head around this situation. I knew people would lose time giving their wolf control for long periods of time, but never heard of someone never shifting back. She could've been in her wolf form for years for all I knew.
"Okay, lower the dosage on her meds and call me when you even think she's going to wake up."
She nodded her head and gave me a smile and I stood from my chair and left the office. I walked back down the hall and stopped to look into her room again. She was still breathing heavy and even from outside of the room I could hear her rapid heartbeat.
I eventually looked away and walked down the hall until I came to the main lobby of the hospital. Waiting at the doors was Johnson and he opened the door for me to walk through and followed behind me.
"How is the little terror doing?" He asked with an amused tone.
He had been extremely happy about the fact that he found me in that hole and hasn't let me forgotten about it either.
"They're lowering the pain medication so she'll wake up soon."
We continued walking down the road until we started passing by cabins that were on the edge of the pack houses.
"So what is your plan exactly? I mean you can obviously scare a little girl, but I don't think fear is your smartest move."
I chuckled and shook my head without looking back at my older friend. Johnson was basically my advisor who keeps me in check and making sure I'm making the right choices that was beneficial towards the pack. Sometimes though he was just a know it all.
"Fear always works." I said plainly.
Johnson took a few more steps past me and cut me off. He stood in front of me giving me a serious look.
"I mean it August. Look she's already scared as it is she's in an unfamiliar place away from people she knows. She might not even have a pack and has been on her own for who knows how long. If you approach this differently and show that you don't want to hurt her she might cooperate."
I rolled my eyes and stepped to the side and continued walking past him. I heard him walk right in step behind me and I could feel the disappointment radiate off him in disapproval.
"She's just a child and she is not responsible for what happened."
I stopped in my tracks and balled my hands into fists. I turned around and faced Johnson and used my Alpha voice when talking.
"No, but she is my only lead to finding him and I will do what is necessary! Or have you forgotten your promise to me already?"
Johnson looked to the ground, but it was only because of my influence and I knew he wanted to argue more. I turned away from him and tried to not lose my temper again. I didn't like using my position to make people submit, especially someone I saw as a second father.
I started walking back down the path, but Johnson of course had to get the last word in and mind linked me when I was further away.
"She didn't put that collar on herself.. Alpha."
I continued walking away from him without another word until I was in the field and shifted into my wolf. I took off towards the line of trees to try and clear my head.