“I’m not worried about that,” Evan replied quietly.
What he was worried about was the wound.
When he gently peeled back the makeshift bandage, the reality of the injury became immediately clear. The cut was deep, jagged, the kind that didn’t just need pressure—it needed intervention.
“He’s losing too much blood,” Evan said under his breath.
“And you’re stepping out of line,” Karen snapped, her voice low but sharp enough to carry.
Before Evan could respond, another voice entered the conversation—cool, authoritative, and carrying the weight of experience.
“That’s enough.”
Charge Nurse Patricia Hale stepped forward, her presence alone enough to shift the energy in the room. She had been doing this job for over two decades, and there was very little she hadn’t seen—or shut down.
“We are not equipped for veterinary care,” she said, her tone leaving little room for argument. “Step away.”
Evan hesitated.
