“No, no. Water’s fine. I don’t think my stomach could handle anything stronger.”
“Have you eaten?” The question was out before Jonathan could stop it.
Dr. Dante swallowed several times. “Yeah, oatmeal, but that was….” He shook his head. “Yesterday?”
Seung nodded. “Yesterday evening.”
“Some broth,” Jonathan said to Danny. Frost elbowed Jonathan. “Please.”
“I’m okay, I swear.” Dr. Dante tucked his hands between his knees.
“And a blanket.” Jonathan didn’t care who got it.
Frost elbowed him again.
“Please.”
“I’m not cold.” Dr. Dante pushed his glasses higher on his nose. “I’m just… overwhelmed. Very overwhelmed.”
“A lot has happened,” Seung said. “Anyone would be.”
Johnathan had seen trainees, who thought they could handle anything, break under less stress than Dr. Dante had gone through the last month. And after the last few days, the fever, and now, was a testament to his strength.
Seung’s wolf stepped from the shadows and another green-coated Delta crossed the room.
Dr. Dante tracked their movements with his gaze.
“How long have you seen them?” Johnathan was sure it couldn’t have been more than a day.
Dr. Dante pulled his attention from the phantom wolves. “I’m sorry… uh, oh, you mean the Fenrir?”
“Yes.”
“When I woke up. There was a silver one staring at me.”
“Has Seung explained what they are?” Johnathan said.
“We had a round of quid pro quo until I ran out of oatmeal.” He waved a hand and the sleeve of his shirt flopped. He pulled the cuff to his elbow.
Johnathan raised an eyebrow at Seung.
“He didn’t want to eat, so we traded questions for bites.”
“Nobody likes oatmeal.” In Johnathan’s opinion, it was like chewing wet sawdust.
“Oh, I like it. Just not… well, I put vanilla creamer in mine. Tastes a lot better. Plain, it’s not very—” Dr. Dante shook his head. “But I feel better, so I guess that’s what matters.”
It was for now.
Danny returned with the water, beer, soup, and blanket. He passed the drinks around, and Seung put the blanket over Dr. Dante’s shoulders despite his protests.
Johnathan drank half of his beer before Dr. Dante opened his water.
He took a couple of sips, then sat there, turning the cap over and over between his long fingers.
“You okay?” Johnathan said.
“I don’t know. All this, it’s just…” He put the cap back on the bottle. “Maybe there’s too many missing pieces. But even with what you’ve told me, with what Seung has told me….”