Louisa's POV
"Is he going to make it?" Lucian asked me.
"I don't know. He has lost too much blood. I guess I got his artery. I don't know what I'm going to do... We need a doctor... Alpha Zackery has got a physician..."
"That Shaman doctor?" Lucian frowned.
"Yes... Please get him here..." I said.
I was too panicked to do anything. Blood just kept popping up from Darren's back and I couldn't stop it.
Lucian was gone for a minute and then he was back with Alpha Zackery and his physician.
The man checked Darren's wound and said, "OK. I need to transfer him to that bed over there. I also need a lot of sterilized towels and some more space. The she-wolf can stay and help. Everyone else has to leave."
"I'm not going anywhere," Lucas said.
"OK. So Alpha Lucas can stay as well," the doctor said.
After Darren was transferred to Lucas' bed, some maids brought in towels and linens.
The doctor looked at Lucas and said, "Listen, I'm going to sew him up, but I can't give him anesthetic, because it might lead to shock or cardiac arrest."
"Talk to me in human language, doc," Lucas said.
I noticed that he looked extremely nervous. I had only seen a similar look on Finn's face when I was paralyzed by the snake poison.
"His heart might stop beating if I give him some medicine to stop the pain while I use a needle to sew up his wound."
"And that can save his life?"
"Yes. Once the bleed stops, he's saved." The doctor took out a needle and thread from his medical box.
"OK, do it," Lucas said.
The doctor passed me with some ropes and said, "I need you to tie up his arms and legs on the four corners of the bed. And you..." He turned to Lucas, "I need you to hold his head like this, so when he wakes up because of the pain, he doesn't bite his own tongue."
"Sure," Lucas said as I was busy tying up Darren's arms and legs. "How many stitches are you going to do on him?"
The doctor looked at his wound and said, "Maybe 10 on the artery and 40 on the skin. Give or take."
Lucas lowered his head and said, "Don't die on me, warlock. I need you to stay with me."
"OK. Here we go." The doctor passed the light to me and said, "Hold it like this, so there's no shadow in the wound. If I sweat, or there's blood, I need you not to panic and wipe it off my face. Can you do that?"
"I won't panic, doctor." I held the light steady in my hands and said.
"Let's start," the doctor said.
As the needle got into Darren's flesh, his body twitched.
Some blood squirted out and got on the doctor's forehead.
I took a piece of linen and wiped it off. I had never seen anyone doing surgery before. He looked so calm and steady. The way he commenced every single stitch was so confident, elegant, and precise.
"Thank you." He said quietly, without taking his eyes off the needle.
As he pulled the bloodstained needle and thread up and knotted it, I bit my lips, so I didn't cry out.
I knew I couldn't afford to panic. I was the reason Darren was suffering like this. So I had to collect myself.
Darren woke up from unconsciousness and started to gasp in pain.
Lucas held his head in his arms and said, "I'm here, boy. The good doc's going to save your life. Stay with me, can you do it?"
The doctor looked at Lucas and said, "He can't move like this. I might tear his artery."
Lucas lowered his head to look at Darren and said, "You've heard what the doc said, right? I need you to stay put. It will be gone soon."
Tears kept falling from Darren's eyes and he nodded.
The doctor started to sew his wound again. Every time his needle got into Darren's skin, he groaned in a muffled voice.
I wept silently as I watched him going through tremendous pain.
Just as I thought Darren couldn't take it anymore, Lucas put his hand into Darren's mouth.
Darren clenched his teeth because of the pain and I saw sweat falling down Lucas' forehead.
"You're doing good, Darren. I'm here." He said in a steady voice despite the pain. Then, he lowered his head to place his lips on his hair.
I could see the visible veins on his forehead and I knew he was in pain as well.
After the artery was sewn, the doctor took a break.
Darren whispered in tears and said, "Master... I can't take it anymore..."
Lucas used his blooded hand to wipe off the tears from his face.
"We're almost there, Darren. Almost there..." Lucas said in the softest voice I had ever heard. "Let's do this. When you've recovered, I'll set you free. The fucking imprint will be gone and you can do whatever you want to do and go wherever you want to go. I'm a man of my word and you know that."
"Master..." Darren looked up at Lucas in tears and said, "I follow you not because of the imprint... I follow you despite it..."
"You fucking impossible son of a..." Lucas whispered as he buried his head in his arms.
After the operation, I walked out of Lucas' tent with the doctor.
He looked at me and said, "You've done a great job, she-wolf. I've never seen a braver girl like you during an operation like this. I saw your potion box. Have you been through some medical training before?"
"No. The box belongs to Uma. She was the Shaman doctor in the Crimson Pack. I was just helping her around in her tent, treating wounded soldiers." I said.
"You've got yourself a pair of very steady hands. Have you thought of becoming a doctor or something?" he asked.
"A real doctor? A Shaman doctor, you mean?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said. "My name is Jafar Sadiq. I'm His Excellency's personal physician and I'm also the head of the Royal Medical Academy in King's Land. You're welcome to join our academy any time you like."