“How bad does it hurt?” she asked as she gently set her hand on his thigh above where the stick had emerged.
Griffen stared at the top of her head. “Far worse than anything you have in that backpack of yours will be able to fix.” He gritted his teeth as she prodded.
Her face was grim, but as she ducked her head to check the other side of his leg where the stick entered, she pulled her lips between her teeth and went white. “Roll onto your side more for me, Griffen.” Her voice was gentle, soothing.
He leaned toward his right leg so she could see better. He could feel the blood oozing out of the wound even though they hadn’t removed the stick. He didn’t have much time. His brothers needed to dislodge the stick so he could shift before he got too weak.
“You’re losing a lot of blood.” Rebecca put pressure on the entrance around the stick, holding his pant leg firmly. “Somebody give me something to hold against the wound.” She twisted her neck around.
He could see the panic building. If he were human, as she thought, this would be a grave situation.
But he was not.
“Rebecca,” he whispered, grabbing her arm. “Step back, baby. Trace needs to remove the stick.”
Her eyes went wide. “No. God no. That’s the worst thing we could do. You’d bleed out so fast.” She shook her head, panicking. “Griffen, we need help. A few of us are going to have to run to the campsite and get help. We need a helicopter. We need—”
“Baby…” He gripped her arm tighter, using the last of his energy, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Look at me.”
She let her gaze land on his. Her eyes were frantic. Her heart beat so fast he could feel it through her arm. Logan came up on the other side, preparing to hold Griffen down.
Sharon set her hands on Rebecca’s shoulders.
Rebecca didn’t release Griffen’s gaze. “We have to go for help,” she repeated.
He shook his head. “I’m so sorry. I never wanted you to find out like this.”
“Find out what?” Her voice rose. She glanced down at her hands on his leg.
He could feel the sticky bloody oozing out. He knew it would be all over her. He didn’t have time to explain. His siblings would have to do it for him.
After.
He looked up at Trace hovering above her and nodded. “Do it. Turn her away. And then go get Miles.”
Chapter Six
Rebecca couldn’t believe what was happening. What was the matter with these people? Didn’t they have any sense?
Rule number one in stabbings or any sort of impaling—never remove the object.
She knew he would bleed out in minutes if they did.
Nevertheless, she found herself being pulled off Griffen by Sharon on one side and Zachary on the other. “No,” she shouted as the others moved in closer.
Sharon wrapped her arms around Rebecca and held her tight while Zachary moved back toward Griffen.
“Stop. Oh God. Do not pull that stick out,” she screamed, but no one paid any attention to her.
Trace grabbed the stick above and below while Zachary steadied Griffen’s leg at the knee.
When Logan gripped Griffen’s shoulders and leaned over him to hold him down, she wailed on them for real. “Holy mother of God. Stop it.” She squirmed against the hold Sharon had on her. The woman was strong.
Rebecca twisted to make eye contact with her friend. “Tell them to stop. He’ll die.”
“There’s no time. Trust us. I’ll explain in a minute.” Sharon’s voice was calm. Too calm for the severity of this situation.
Rebecca barely knew Griffen, but she had fallen hard for him in the last day. Every minute of their time together raced through her mind in rapid frames.
The way he’d pulled her into his arms last night against the outside wall of the bathroom.
The way his lips felt against hers.
The way he kissed the top of her head and held her hand.
The way he stroked her cheek before they went to sleep in the quiet darkness of the tent.
It was like they’d had a secret love affair that hadn’t gotten off the ground yet, and now he was going to die right before her eyes.
Tears fell down her face, and she screamed, just sound now, not words. Words were lost on her as she watched the scene unfold rapidly before her.
What was wrong with this family? They should know better. They were all trained in First Aid.
One second she was arguing with them to stop, and the next second Trace snapped the stick in two and yanked it out of Griffen’s leg.
Griffen’s screams joined her wailing.
And the blood.
So much blood.
Her eyes glazed over with tears, but she could easily see the free flow of blood from the enormous hole left all the way through his thigh. She heaved for a breath, her throat hoarse.