Chapter 77 - Beta Testing

Galen saw the danger in Caleb’s eyes.

“You don’t know that, Caleb,” Galen countered quickly.

Caleb growled at him.

“Caleb, Caleb, listen. He might have realized it before he stabbed me, yes, but that doesn’t mean he meant real harm. He was probably just scared. I’m a pretty scary guy when I want to be.”

Caleb knew what Galen was doing. He was trying to keep the situation from escalating. Galen was right, but Caleb didn’t have to like it.

“Why are you willing to tell us this?” Caleb asked after taking a few calming breaths.

Peter looked up, seeing the suspicion in Caleb’s eyes.

“Honestly, I don’t really like Granger. He’s a jerk when no one is looking and an outstanding actor when the right people are,” Peter shrugged,” besides, I like Bell.”

He smiled at Galen.

“She’s a good friend, and this one made her smile in a way I have never seen before.”

Galen blushed and looked away, trying to hide his smile.

“I don’t really care about the whole ‘grudge’ between our packs,” Peter said, turning back to Caleb. “I do my job, and I do it right. I try not to get involved in politics or drama in or out of the pack. But this much I can do.”

Caleb gave a nod of respect.

“Now, I have a more important question,” Peter said, changing the subject. “What the hell is this thing?”

With one final cut, a small grunt of pain from Galen, the metal disk was released from Galen’s flesh. Caleb leaned forward to get a better look at the device. He recognized it as one of the quick patches being developed back home as he looked closer.

Caleb sighed, giving Galen an irritated look.

“You do understand that beta testing does not mean test on the Beta, right?”

“Har har,” Galen replied sarcastically. “I didn’t do anything wrong; you test things all the time. I’m doing my duty to the pack to further advance our medical technologies.”

“This is meant for healing?” Peter asked, turning the device in his gloved hands inspecting it with interest.

“It’s supposed to create a seal on an open wound, and then a small cartridge inside delivers a dose of general antibiotics and a boost to our natural healing process.”

“Interesting,” Peter said, setting it down on the table with his tools.

“Right? We won’t need a medic right on the battlefield with these. It gives us a safe window,” Galen said excitedly.

“Only if–“ Caleb began.

“Where is the other one?” Peter asked.

Galen furrowed his brows in confusion.

“What other one?” Galen asked.

Caleb laughed.

Peter looked back at Caleb, who crossed his arms with a broad grin and made a motion to suggest that Peter should continue speaking with Galen.

“The other device,” Peter said, turning back to Galen. “Did you already remove the one on your back?”

“Yea, Galen, did you remove the one on your back?” Caleb asked, still smiling.

“Why would I have one on my back?” Galen asked.

Peter’s eyes widened. Caleb laughed.

“What?!” Galen shouted, annoyed that he didn’t understand what they were saying.

“Sit up,” Peter demanded.

Galen sat forward, hissing slightly at the movement. Peter stood up and moved around to Galen’s back.

“Damn it!” Peter shouted. “Off! Take it off now.”

Peter yanked at Galen’s shirt.

“Ok, ok!” Galen said, hurrying to pull his arms out of the shirt.

Once he had his arms pulled out, Peter tugged it away from Galen’s body, throwing it down on the ground. Galen glanced down to see a bloodstain on the back.

“Idiot,” Caleb sighed from the spot he hadn’t moved from. “How bad is it?”

“Definitely infected,” Peter said as he pressed on Galen’s lower back.

“Ah!” Galen shouted as a sting of pain pulsed through his lower back, “what are you doing!”

“Hey! Dumbass!” Caleb called Galen’s attention angrily. “Next time you test one of the devices from R&D, read ALL of the instructions. For example, the one that listed the actual type and size of the wound that could be treated by the patchwork system.”

Galen’s eyes widened.

Peter continued his exam, poking and prodding at the inflamed wound. Letting out curses and some commentary on Galen’s poor choices. Caleb joined in at those moments. After another ten minutes, Galen was lying on his side while the IV fluids flowed into his arm. Peter threw away his gloves and washed his hands before giving his official diagnosis and treatment plan.

“Alright, in the back, we definitely have some infected tissue. It won’t be hard to clear up. A round of antibiotics through the IV to start with. I will need to come back in a couple of hours and do a little bit of resection. So, I will need you to stay overnight.”

“Seriously?” Galen asked. “Is that really necessary?”

“Well, if you had stayed for an actual exam and treatment yesterday, I would say no, none of this is really necessary. But…” Peter replied with all the sarcasm.

“Yea, ok. Got it,” Galen rolled his eyes.

“As far as the front, it’s pretty much fine. However, I want to keep an eye on it through the evening. Just in case the damage from the device causes a secondary infection.”

“Thank you,” Caleb said as Peter picked up his chart and moved towards the door.

“No worries, just doing my job.”

“Hey Peter,” Galen called to Peter.

“Yea?”

“Could you,” Galen began, a blush spreading over him, “maybe, let Bell know that I’m here?”

Peter rolled his eyes before walking out of the room.

“Was that a no?” Galen asked quietly, staring at the door.

Galen turned back to Caleb, expecting to get another eye roll. But, instead, he found his alpha deep in thought. A look of concern on his face.

‘Hmm, broken beta, evil enemy, or melancholy mate? I will take a melancholy mate for five hundred!’ Galen chuckled to himself.

“Worried about her?” Galen asked quietly.

Caleb lifted his eyes to Galen. He smirked.

“Sometimes, I forget how well you know me.”

“Better than yourself.” Galen smiled back.

“I’m sorry,” Caleb said.

“For what?”

“This,” Caleb gestured to Galen in the hospital bed. “Your injury, your fight with that moron. It’s my fault.”

“Uh, no,” Galen started, “this is all mine. You get no credit for this chance encounter, my friend.”

“If he didn’t consider me his enemy, he never would have done this to you,” Caleb replied.

“I don’t agree,” Galen stated firmly.

“Galen–“ Caleb started, quickly interrupted by Galen.

“No, Caleb, you don’t understand,” Galen said seriously. “Granger isn’t like most wolves. His jealousy is real, and he hates you, absolutely. But there is more to it. He’s dangerous, Caleb.”

“What do you mean?” Caleb asked, standing up straight.

“I don’t know exactly,” Galen replied

Galen thought back to the look on Granger’s face when he was stabbed by him. The excitement, the laughter. The bloody smile.

‘I win.’

The memory sent a chill through him.

“What aren’t you telling me, Galen?” Caleb growled.

Galen looked at his friend. He saw the need to protect in his eyes. If he told him the truth about the moment he was stabbed, it would end badly for more than just Granger.

“Do you trust me?” Galen asked.

“Of course,” Caleb replied without hesitation.

“Trust that anything I am holding back is for the good of the many.”

Caleb let out a low growl and looked away.

“Don’t pout.”

“I’m not.”

“Mmhmm,” Galen laughed.

Caleb huffed.

“Come on, let's talk about something else,” Galen said, “why did you arrive so early? I didn’t expect you until tonight, at least.”

Caleb shifted uncomfortably.

“Let’s talk about something else,” he said, looking away from Galen.

‘So, you missed her.’ Galen smiled to himself.

“The bug reports finally came in.”

Galen was stunned by the sudden topic change. It had been almost three weeks since he had started the bug investigation. He had all but completely forgotten about the situation during his time here in Winter.

“And?” Galen asked, inching forward.

“The results were… surprising,” Caleb said.

“How?”

“The results we got showed suspicious data packets sent in the form of mobile gaming information.”

“Gaming?” Galen asked, his mind chasing through his memories, “Alice! I remember she was always playing games when she had her phone. So, it was her?”

“It appeared that way.” Caleb nodded.

“Were we able to figure out what she was sending? And who was receiving it?” Galen asked.

“We still don’t know exactly what she sent,” Caleb said, “but we were able to figure out who was receiving it.”

“Oh? Who?” Galen asked excitedly.

“Another representative,” Caleb stated, “one who received the data and then immediately turned around and sent it back out in a different hidden format.”

“What? How? Who?!”

“Well,” Caleb smiled, “do you remember those pictures that our techs were getting tired of seeing?”

Galen furrowed his brows, then gasped when he understood.

“That moron’s dick pics were holding secret files?!”