Dominant Species Ch. 22-24

"I don't know yet, Max, I had to run home for supplies." The dead had been moved out to the loading dock, so they worked together to move fourteen bodies to the cart before he went inside. He asked Max to leave the tractor and cart here after this run, as dawn would be here soon. He strode into the clinic and his heart sank, it was even more crowded than when he left. The more serious cases were in the back treatment areas, those who could still move around had been kept in the front office and reception area.

He talked quickly to the ladies who were helping out, then looked around for his assistant. "Tammy?"

"Sorry Doc," one of the ladies said, "She took a bad turn after you left, and she's now in treatment one. I don't think she has long left, her lungs are going." She started to cry. "We're leaving now, we have to get home. Can you watch them overnight?"

"Absolutely. Thank you for helping, I know how difficult this must be for you." He waited until they stepped out into the twilight of the early morning.

Immediately he went into the room, stepping over the patients that were scattered over the beds, tables and floor. His rough count was a hundred people in the clinic, and only a handful had a chance at recovery. He found her on the desk next to the examining table. They had left a folded towel under her head and she was on her side so the blood wouldn't choke her. The towel was stained with blood and saliva. He checked her lungs, they were filling with fluid and her breathing was labored.

If he had an intensive care unit, oxygen therapy and drugs, she would have a chance but he had nothing.

"You have to make the choice you can live with." His wolf pressed into his mind again. "He's our Alpha, but these people are like a Pack to us. She is our friend; she would want a chance."

He pushed out over the bond to Rachel. "Love, I need you to keep calm no matter what you feel or hear. Just know that I love you." He put up the mental block to his mate before she could reply. Taking off his backpack and prosthetic leg, he stripped and put his clothes in the bag. He then put his canine leg between the desk and his pack. Shifting quickly into his wolf, he backed up until he could fit his leg down into the prosthetic; when it was seated, he used his teeth to seal the Velcro strips that held it tight. He raised up and set his front legs on the desk, looking down at his close friend and prayed to Luna that he was doing the right thing.

He knew this next part would hurt. He couldn't fight the command of his Alpha. He closed his eyes and went deep into his mind, finding the links that joined him to his Pack he took a deep breath, then cut them. Searing pain went through his brain as the Pack bonds were cut. He whined, his head on his paws, while he waited for the pain to ebb. It took a few seconds before he was able to open his eyes again, and a few more until it stopped spinning enough for him to move again.

He looked back down at Tammy and licked her face. He moved his nose down to her upper arm, opened his mouth, and bit down. She didn't move, and he licked the bite clean, knowing the saliva would help keep the blood loss down. A human could be turned by the smallest bite, as the infection was carried in the saliva and you only needed to break the skin.

Jumping down, he made another decision. Moving around the room, he started biting each patient in turn, then he moved out to the other areas. Once all the unconscious patients were bitten, he shifted. It was time to talk to the rest.