Chapter 22 : Attentive Care

Karenina

"Helga, what is it?" She saw that her maid was suddenly silent and stunned, as if in deep contemplation.

Helga snapped out of her reverie and busied herself with removing the bandages that were still wrapped around her body.

"No - it is all right, Luna," she said with a slight stutter. She realized that the future Luna was standing in front of her. Alpha Xavier had pointed her out by the obvious Alpha scent emanating from the girl's body.

Karen smiled at her, trying to ease the slightly tense atmosphere. "I had a hunch there was a bad smell! Xavier's stepbrother always didn't like the smell of my blood."

Although Helga didn't know which Alpha Xavier stepbrother she was referring to, she tried to comfort her by saying that the smell didn't bother her. She wanted to distract herself from this rather unpleasant situation and quickly checked the wounds on her back.

"I have no business trying to understand what the Alpha does," she thought, wanting to concentrate on her task. She asked her to bend over so she could carefully remove the last of the bandages and clean the wounds on her back.

While trying to concentrate on her task, Helga tried not to let her mind wander. She felt a little tense as her clothed chest came into contact with her naked chest. But she was a professional and had to do her job well.

The wounds on Karen's back looked shallow and seemed to be healing well. However, the blood that stained the wounds needed to be cleaned to prevent infection. She cleaned the wounds carefully, trying not to hurt Karen any more.

As she did so, Helga noticed that her face was still flushed. She began to worry that Karen might have a fever as a reaction to her wounds. She decided to check Karen's temperature by placing the palm of her hand on her forehead.

"Are you not feeling well, Luna? Your face is flushed," she asked with a clear look of concern in her eyes.

She tried to brush it off. "Oh, no, I'm fine," she said, trying to hide her confusion and discomfort. She didn't want to reveal that her clothed chest touching her bare one made her feel embarrassed, or that it reminded her of Maya and how attracted she was to her. She just wanted the embarrassment to go away and hoped that Helga would not judge her based on these circumstances.

Helga lowered her hand carefully, a doubtful look in her eyes, and decided not to call a healer. After moistening a washcloth with cold water, she placed it gently on the girl's white skin, carefully wiping away the dried blood. The other hand rested gently on her uninjured shoulder, balancing empathy with care. It took a long time to clean the area around the wound, and Helga tried to be gentle, afraid that moving too hard would make it worse.

Along with her careful movements, blood slowly began to flow from the wound on her chest. Helga continued to work, unconsciously distracted by the feelings of shame that began to emanate from her. For Helga, this was a job that had to be done with professionalism and care. As a Pack member, she was accustomed to this kind of work, which could involve seeing naked women in medical emergencies. However, Karen found this situation extremely uncomfortable, especially with half of her body exposed to strangers, and she could only hope that it would be over soon.

Helga finally asked her to bend over so that she could clean the dried blood from her back. She quickly complied, relieved that Helga's attention was now fully focused on treating her wounds. Although their breasts still touched, Karen felt more comfortable now that Helga was focused on the task that required her full attention.

"Okay, it's done, Luna," Helga said finally. "I'll put some ointment on your back first and wrap it up before I do the same to your shoulders."

She nodded in agreement and watched as Helga dipped her fingers into a jar of a strange light green paste. She gently rubbed the cool substance over the wounds on Karen's back. Even though it wasn't particularly painful, she had a feeling that her shoulder was going to have a different opinion. The pain was intense, and she could only hope that Vicodin or over-the-counter painkillers would be enough to ease it.

Helga then ordered her to raise her arms so she could reapply the bandage to her still injured chest. She obeyed, even though her movements caused a sharp pain in her shoulder. She couldn't help the small moan that escaped her lips, but Helga immediately offered soothing words, not unlike the sound of the wolf's growl rumbling in her chest. The voice reminded her of Xavier.

The softness of her voice made Karen feel calmer, even though she was still uncomfortable with the pain that had not completely gone away. She tried not to let herself get too caught up in thoughts of Xavier, now was the time for her to focus on her own recovery.

Finally, Helga finished her task carefully and meticulously. Karen felt relieved as she reflected on her work. Afterwards she lay down on her pillow with a feeling of relief.

"Here, Luna. This can help ease the pain and put you to sleep," Helga said kindly, handing her a white packet containing a white powder. She took it gratefully and mixed it with a glass of water. It might not taste good, but she was willing to try anything to ease the pain.

"Thank you, Helga," she said humbly.

Helga nodded politely. "Alpha Xavier wants you to rest today, but he will see you tonight if you are ready for company."

She was getting used to Xavier's presence around her, so she wasn't too surprised when Xavier expressed his intention to meet again. Especially in a complicated situation like the recent one, she was looking forward to their next meeting with more than just curiosity.

As Helga prepared to leave, gathering her belongings into a wooden tray and dirty bandages, Karen dreaded being left alone again.

"Are you leaving, Helga?" she asked in a small tone, not wanting to feel lonely.

Helga nodded and replied, "I'll put all this back, Luna," gesturing to the items on her tray. "But I'll come back if you need me."

She was embarrassed to ask, but the need for company was overwhelming after what she had experienced yesterday. She turned her face away, feeling reluctant as she continued, "Can you... stay here? At least until I fall asleep?" The loneliness began to set in.

Helga looked at her wordlessly, not sure why the girl would ask such a thing. Was she afraid of being attacked again? Without asking why, Helga put down the things she was carrying and carefully sat down on one of the small chairs in the corner of the room.

"I'll stay here until you get a good night's sleep, Luna," she said sincerely.

She smiled weakly, grateful for Helga's presence to take care of her. After a while, the effects of the medicine that Helga had given her began to take effect, causing her eyes to become even heavier.

"Hey, Helga," she greeted in a low voice, wanting to hear the other voices in the room. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes, Luna, of course. What did you want to ask me?"

"How long have you known Xavier?" she asked with a real sense of curiosity.

"Since I was a little girl. I'm an Omega, brought up in the servants' quarters and trained for work in the Westwood Packhouse. My family has worked here for generations," Helga said with obvious pride in her eyes.

"And is he a good Alpha?" she felt the need to confirm Xavier's character, having experienced her first encounter with the Alpha and having observed the harshness and anger that Xavier had, especially towards his own brother, Rylan.

"Oh, yes, Luna. There's no doubt about it," Helga assured her, the conviction in her voice brightening her heart.

She was running out of things to talk about. Helga tended to be quiet, unlike her best friend Selene, who was more talkative. She hoped her friends would soon come to the territory of the Xavier pack to fill the emptiness.

Soon she fell asleep peacefully, the medicine Helga had given her slowly working its way into her system and sending her into a deep sleep. A pair of golden eyes was the last thing on her mind as sleep claimed her. Even in her sleep, she couldn't be sure if the one in the dream was Xavier or not.