The ride to the hospital was in silence, his brothers knowing there weren’t any reassuring words that would soothe his beast.
Pulling up to the front Wyatt jumped out and left his brothers behind as he ran inside. He ran to the reception desk and asked about Jinger.
“I’m sorry are you family,” the elderly women behind the counter asked.
“I’m her boyfriend,” Wyatt responded.
“I know the rest of her family is in the ICU waiting room on the third floor. If you’d like to go up there, they might be able to help you. I’m afraid I can’t give out any information to non-family members.” She at least had the grace to look sympathetic to his plight.
Bypassing the elevator, Wyatt hit the stairs and ran up them. When he made it to the waiting room he saw an older man standing with his hands tucked into his pockets looking out the window.
Taking a chance, he asked, “Mr. McCann?”
The man turned and Wyatt immediately saw his Jinger’s eyes staring back at him.
“Yes? Can I help you?” The man turned with a confused expression. He looked tired and sad.
“I’m Wyatt Rochon. I’m Jinger’s boyfriend,” he said holding his hand out to her father. He wanted to know how she was and he figured throwing out she was seeing him was the quickest way to information.
“Boyfriend?” Her father was confused, but still shook Wyatt’s hand.
“Yes, sir, we haven’t been seeing each other long. How is she? Is she okay,” he asked letting go of the handshake.
“It was your truck she was driving? They said they were going to find the owner,” he mumbled.
“Sir, please is she okay? How bad was she hurt? Can I see her?” Wyatt asked desperately.
Just then an older woman with dark red hair came through the doors that led to the patient rooms. She looked like she’d been crying.
“Oh Kevin,” she said walking into the Jinger’s dad’s arms. He wrapped them around her, “Shh, Sarah, she’s a fighter,”
Hearing those words, Wyatt knew it wasn’t good. He felt for a chair and collapsed into it, dropping his head into his hands.
Seeing Wyatt, she turned towards him, “Do you know Jinger?”
Before he could answer her dad stepped up, “Apparently this is Jinger’s boyfriend Wyatt Rochon. It was his truck she was driving.”
“Rochon? As in Rochon Lumber,” her mother asked.
Looking up to her he said, “Yes, ma’am. How is she? Can I see her? Please, tell me she’s okay,” he begged.
Seeing the terror in his face must have convinced her he was at his breaking point.
“She’s in a coma Wyatt. She had internal bleeding from the crash. The doctors had to remove her spleen. She had head trauma from when the truck rolled. Being outside exposed in the weather didn’t help either, she got hypothermia. They are monitoring her to see if they need to operate to relieve the pressure on her brain,” she said quietly.
Wyatt’s brothers came into the room then. Luckily they were better at introductions than Wyatt. Cage talked quietly to them getting the information Wyatt had just heard. He still might lose her. What if she didn’t wake up? What if she woke up and didn’t remember him?
Wyatt was looking at the floor when he saw Cage’s feet in front of him. Tipping up to look at his big brother, he didn’t care that Cage could see the tears welling in his eyes.
“I know buddy, believe me, I know,” he said giving Wyatt a squeeze on his shoulder. “Her parents, Kevin and Sarah are going to go tell the staff you can see her. Then you can go in. Do you want me to come with you,” Cage asked.
“Yeah, man, I don’t think I can go alone,” he admitted.
Jinger’s parents returned and nodded that Wyatt could go back.
Chapter 14
The walk down the corridor seemed to take forever. Wyatt wanted to run, screaming her name but it wasn’t the time or place and he knew he needed to keep his human side under control if he had any hope of controlling his bear.
They came up to her room which was barely a room. It was surrounded by glass so the nurses could see directly into the patient. There on the bed, looking smaller than he remembered, was his mate. There were machines hooked up to her, oxygen, IV’s, blood pressure cuff, and wires sticking from bandages on her head. Those were attached to some other machine.
Wyatt saw those things but wasn’t really looking at them. He was scanning her face. Black eye, cut cheek and lip. His heart ached seeing her damaged.
“Go in, sit with her. Talk to her, it will help,” Cage encouraged giving Wyatt a shove into the room. It only took two steps for Wyatt to reach the lone chair by her bed. Before sitting, he leaned over and placed the lightest kiss he could on an area of her forehead not covered in bandages.