Rejection and Redeemed

Chapter 53

CHAPTER 53

F rank was moments too late, he jumped Nidal a moment after he shot at Aubrey, biting into his shoulder, remembering not to kill him.

Nidal let out a scream of pain and terror.

Robbie ignored everyone and ran towards Jacob, his father beside him, both shifting as they reached Aubrey’s group.

Aubrey was on her knees next to Jacob, the others surrounding the fallen wolf.

“Oh Robbie, Berni, Jacob jumped in front of the bullet meant for me,” Aubrey said. “Robbie, can you help him?”

“I need to get him to the hospital, the bullet looks like it’s still in his head, as I can’t find an exit wound. He can’t shift until it’s out,” Robbie said, examining Jacob. “Finn, sweetheart, I need your shirt, I need to stop the bleeding. He’s also struggling to breathe.”

“Hey, Clairmont. Jacob’s been shot in the head and needs .. yeah thanks.” Ezzy took his phone away from his ear. “Clairmont is already on his way.”

“Fran’s gonna be pissed Jacob is injured again,” Finn said, handing his shirt to Robbie, who tore it into straps and bandaged wolf Jacob’s head.

“Jacob’s wolf is now silver — he’s a ghost wolf?” Cresswell asked in surprise.

“He is. You’ll understand that we don’t want too many people knowing,” Berni said.

“That’s understandable. Your pack has been blessed Berni, Aubrey,” Samantha said.

“You know about ghost wolves?” Robbie asked, still attending to Jacob.

“Yes, an ancestor of mine was one. They are very rare, even rarer than white wolves. They can make sense of sudden problems and see things moments before they happen, potentially stopping fights and deaths,” Samantha informed them.

“He’s done both today. Stopped me being attacked and Aubrey from being shot,” Finn said.

They heard a car speeding towards them and moved out the way as Clairmont got as close as he could.

He jumped out of the car, passing jogging bottoms to Berni and Robbie.

“You can’t walk into a hospital naked my lord,” Clairmont said.

“Thanks, Clairmont,” Robbie said, pulling them on, then gently picking Jacob up.

Joe ran to open the back door. “Can I sit with Jake?”

Robbie nodded. “You can. I’ll drive,” saying this, he laid Jacob on the back seat, as Joe quickly got in. “See you whenever.” And with that, Robbie jumped into the car and floored it, driving as fast as he could to the hospital.

“Call the hospital, emergency room,” Robbie said. The next moment they could hear a phone ringing.

“ Pullman ER, Dr Fitzwilliam. ”

“Emory, it’s Robbie. Jacob’s been shot in the head. I’ll be with you in a few minutes. The bullet is still in his head and he’s in wolf form.”

“Crap, Everything will be ready. Does Fran know?”

“Not unless someone’s told him,” Robbie replied.

“Okay, I’ll let him know.”

“Thanks, I’m about five minutes away.”

“See you in a bit.”

Emory hung up the phone and turned to a nurse. “Can you page Fran to urgently come here, we have an emergency incoming. Wolf shifter shot in the head. Dr Robbie is bringing him in.”

“On it,” The nurse said. Fran Pullman to the ER, emergency on route.

“Thanks, contact OR one and ask them to get ready for possible brain surgery,” Emory said, rushing to get a gurney.

He reached it just as Fran came running around the corner.

“What have we got?” Fran asked.

“GSW to the head, bullet still inside, patient in wolf form.” Emory paused.

“What? What is it?” Fran asked, suddenly filled with fear.

“Fran, the wolf is Jacob.”

“What? How, what?” he asked, stunned.

Emory put a hand on his arm. “That’s all I know, Robbie’s bringing him in. He should be arriving about now.”

They both grabbed the gurney and rushed it outside just as Robbie’s vehicle screeched to a halt.

Joe jumped out and gently picked Jacob up, laying him on the gurney as Fran fired questions at Robbie.

“I’ll tell you everything in a bit, cuz, I promise, but we need to see to Jacob. Can you cope helping? I don’t want too many people seeing his silver wolf,” Robbie asked.

Emory took off his white coat and covered Jacob, just leaving his head showing.

Fran nodded. “I can,” he replied, rushing the gurney inside with Emory, Joe, and Robbie helping.

“OR one is ready,” Emory announced.

“Then straight there. Fran, grab the portable x-ray machine and bring it to the OR,” Robbie ordered.

Fran ran off. He couldn’t understand how Jacob had been shot. Why had he been shot? He was scared, more so now than when Jacob had been poisoned. He grabbed the portable machine and ran as fast as he could to the OR. He paused long enough to tell Joe to wait in the waiting room and ran through to the OR.

“Here,” he said, setting it up. “Out of the way, Emory, and I’ll take the x-ray.” He clicked a button and a picture of Jacob’s head was showing on the screen.

Robbie rushed in, dressed in scrubs, a mask, and gloves. He looked at the x-ray. “Looks like it didn’t penetrate the skull. Let’s get this out and hopefully, Jacob will shift.”

“How did he get shot?” Fran asked.

“Cresswell brought that Nidal character with him. He tried to attack Finn, then killed Andrew and tried to shoot Mum. Jacob jumped in front of the bullet. Apparently, Jacob can see things moments before they happen,” Robbie told him, getting Jacob’s wolf ready for surgery.

“I’ll have more questions about that later,” Fran said.

“Good, now go and let Emory and I do our thing.”

“But —” Fran started to protest.

“Fran, I’m about to operate on your mate. Leave the room. Go and sit with Joe,” Robbie ordered and then looked up. “I promise to save your mate, Cuz, but you can’t be in here.”

Fran stroked Jacob’s leg and nodded. “Thanks.” He left the OR, his wolf howling in protest. He walked down the corridor, his eyes filling with tears. Couldn’t Jacob catch a break, to be poisoned and then shot? Fran stopped walking and, leaning against the wall, slid down and sat, knees bent, elbows on his knees and head in his hands as tears leaked from his eyes.

He felt someone next to him.

“Fran, what’s wrong?”

Fran looked up and saw James kneeling next to him.

“My mate’s in the OR, he’s been shot in the head.”

“Is Emory operating?” James asked softly.

“Him and Robbie.”

“Then you know your mate is in the best possible hands. Why don’t you go and sit with your family? Chances are the waiting room will be full of them around now.”

“I’m still on shift,” Fran pointed out.

“No one will expect you to carry on with your mate having brain surgery. Go and be with your family. I’ll inform everyone for you.” James stood up and held his hand out to Fran, helping him up. “I hope when your mate is better, you’ll introduce me.”

Fran nodded, took the offered hand and stood up. “I will indeed. Thanks, James.”

James patted his shoulder and strolled off.

Fran wiped his face, and taking a deep breath, walked towards the waiting room. He would be having words with his cousin, asking if he was okay to help and then sending him away. He paused and turned around to walk back to the OR, but stopped. Yeah, he was a professional, but could he or his wolf cope watching Jacob go through a head operation? Cursing himself, he turned back and headed for the waiting room.

He wasn’t surprised when he walked in and saw most of his family.

Frank jumped up and pulled Fran into a hug.

Fran wrapped his arms around his father for a moment, before pulling back. “How was Jacob shot? Robbie gave me a quick version, but what happened?”

Frank told Fran some, with Finn and Joe adding to the story.

“Where’s Nidal now?” Fran asked.

“In the prison ward, Enforcers standing guard,” Berni told him.

Fran spun round and started to leave the room.

Ezzy caught his arm. “You can’t kill him, Franny.”

“I’ll have you know, I know a lot of ways to kill him, thanks very much,” Fran snapped out.

“You do, Franny,” Berni said calmly. “But we need him alive for the moment. I’ll let you kill him once he’s told us everything he knows.”

Fran blew out a breath. “Fine. I’ll wait.”

“How’s Jake? Do you know?” Joe asked, wringing his hands.

“Sorry, Joe,” Fran said, walking over and pulling him into a hug, before pulling back. He looked at those gathered. “The x-ray showed it didn’t penetrate his skull. I left Robbie and Emory getting ready to get the bullet out. They will do everything they can to help him and to keep him alive. He may have some new issues to deal with while he recovers, but we need to be positive that he will recover.” He paused. “His new ability sounds amazing but dangerous. If he gets hurt a third time, I’m going to punch him in the face.”

“That’s the spirit, Fran, think happy thoughts,” Finn said, grinning at him.

Ezzy snorted out a laugh.

“Fran, meet my parents, Annfield and Morty Buchann,” Joe introduced.

“Sorry, excuse my bad manners. It’s lovely to meet you both,” Fran said to them.

“Think nothing of it. Of course, you’ll be worried about Jacob, as we are. Thank you for telling us about his condition. Now this might not be the right time to say this, but you are simply stunning. I’m so happy for you and Jacob,” Annfield said.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Fran. Joe has told us all about you,” Morty added.

“Oh dear.”

“It was all good, I promise,” Joe told him.

Fran looked at Berni. “Sorry Uncle, I’m a bad nephew. How’s Aunt Aubrey?”

“Completely fine. She’s visiting Andrew’s parents, with the Cresswells and Christine, otherwise, she would be here,” Berni said.

“Let’s all sit down, we could be here for a while. Does anyone want a drink?” Fran asked.

“Franny, come and sit down,” Frank said. “We’re all fine.”

“I’m not sure I can sit down,” Fran said pacing. “There’s only Emory and Robbie in the OR, they were trying to prevent anyone else from seeing his silver wolf. I should go back in case they need another pair of hands.”

“If they need your help, I can guarantee they’ll contact you,” Frank said, taking Fran’s hand and leading him to a seat.

Joe sank onto a chair to the other side of Frank, leaning into his side.

Frank dropped a kiss on both of their heads, slipping an arm around Joe.

“Not the way you expected to spend your afternoon, Annfield, Morty,” Frank commented.

Morty shrugged. “We take things as they come. Jacob is like a second son to us. We would have been here when Jacob was poisoned but Joe didn’t think it was a good idea.”

“Jacob said you gave him a safe space and helped him as much as you could. Thank you for that,” Fran said.

“We did what we could. We offered him a place he could truly be himself,” Annfield said. “Jacob needs to finish college.”

“He will,” Berni said. “His, Joe’s, and Finn’s educational records are being sent to our college here so they can all finish their education.”

“Jacob wants to be a vet,” Fran said. “He’ll make a good vet.”

They continued chatting and by the time nearly two hours had passed, Fran was getting concerned. He was thinking about going and seeing what was happening when Robbie and Emory walked into the waiting room.

Fran jumped up. “How is he?”

“Jacob came through the surgery well. We removed the bullet. It took a while as the bullet shattered on impact. Thankfully, it caused no major problems. He’ll have a headache and a possible concussion, but that should be it. He shifted once we got the last bullet fragment out, and yes, you can go and see him. He’s not awake yet, and has a bandage around his head.”

“Thank you,” Fran said, hugging first Robbie, then Emory. He turned to Joe. “Want to come with me?”

Joe nodded. “Please.”

“Come on then.” And with that, Fran and Joe left the room.

“Jacob was lucky. Even a millimetre left or right or deeper and he’d be dead now,” Emory told them.

“As it is, he was lucky there wasn’t any serious damage,” Robbie said. He paused and looked at his father. “You know, Jacob would make a good pack second.”

Berni nodded. “He’ll be the perfect second for you.”

“I’ll hold off telling him for a while though. I just thought I’d throw it out there.”

“Jacob never wanted to be an Alpha, to lead a pack, but he would make you a perfect second. Has an Alpha wolf ever been a pack second before?” Morty asked.

“Probably not, but then we don’t care about things like that in this pack,” Robbie replied.