In a flash, Louve backhanded Bouvier. As if she weighed nothing, Louve picked Bouvier up by her throat. Bouvier's feet were inches from the ground. Sylvie was too stunned to scream. Louve's eyes were no longer a cool gray. They were yellow like a wolf.
Her canines touched the bottom of her ruby-red lips. Her nails were replaced with sharp claws. "How dare you!" She roared.
Sylvie could hear Bouvier's unnatural breathing from her throat being severely constricted. She tried to free herself from Louve's grip, but it was no use. She was growing weaker by the second.
Sylvie spoke then, "Louve, you are killing her."
"So be it!" She snarled. "You both should die!"
Those words frightened Sylvie. This was her first time witnessing Loux Garoux's partial transformation. She knew she couldn't leave the room, not without Bouvier.
She looked at Louve and tried once more, " As future Queen alpha, I command you to let her go."
Bouvier was unconscious now. Louve looked at Sylvie and then back at the unconscious woman she was still holding high in the air. "You can have her. " After speaking those words she roared and threw Bouvier onto Sylvie, causing them to both fall in a pile on the floor.
Sylvie was terrified she would come after her next. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer of protection. When she opened her eyes Louve was gone.
Sylvie's heart was pounding inside of her chest. Louve was out of control. Sylvie gently pushed Bouvier's body off of her. Making sure she rolled her onto her back. Madame Bouvier looked blue in the face, and there was a large gash on her forehead that was bleeding.
Sylvie could see Louve's handprint imprinted around Bouvier's throat. It was darkening by the second. She shook her. There was no response. Sylvie felt the same fear she had the night of the fire. She looked up to see Whitley standing over her and Bouvier's unconscious body.
He showed no emotions when he spoke, "Lady Canis, what has happened here?"
"I- I don't know. W-We don't have time to discuss this. She needs help. We have to get her out of here. Is there someone we should call to help, Whitley?" Sylvie was frantic.
She didn't know what to do. She felt numb as the same kept replaying over and over in her mind what had just taken place.
"No, Ma'am. I will see to this matter." Whitley knelt down and picked Bouvier up like she weighed nothing.
Sylvie stood up to follow them. She felt a twinge in her left wrist and ankle. She disregarded it. Her main concern was seeing Bouvier. She followed Whitley to Bouvier's chamber. Sylvie had never been in the room.
It was significantly smaller than her own. It was a sparse space compared to the elaborately decorated rooms she had been inside of in this manor. There was a large window with bars, a four-poster bed, an armoire, and a small breakfast table with one chair. It was very clean. Whitley gently placed her on the bed, then went to the task of tending to her wound.
He took out his white handkerchief from his lapel and gently dabbed at the corner of her forehead.
"Is she alive?" Sylvie whispered.
"Yes, my Lady. She is unconscious. The wound on her head needs stitches. I must find the Physician," he informed her. "Come here, my Lady." He requested.
Sylvie didn't realize how far away she was until he told her to come. She had been standing by the door. She walked over to the duo.
When she was standing beside a sitting Whitley. He spoke once more, "I need you to keep this handkerchief on the wound and press down. I will return once I have located the Physician. Understand?" He asked.
Sylvie didn't answer.
He called her once more. "My Lady?"
Sylvie nodded her head 'yes' then and immediately switched places with Whitley. Soon after, he exited the chamber. Sylvie felt her hands shaking as she applied pressure to Bouvier's wound. The helplessness she had felt during the ordeal was dissipating and in its place, she felt relief. She heard a groan and watched as Bouvier opened her eyes.
She was disoriented, "Where...Where am I?" She asked. Her voice was above a whisper. Sylvie didn't need a Physician to tell her it hurt for Madame Bouvier to speak.
"You're safe now. Whitley is getting the Physician. Please, You must not move. You have a very bad cut on your head." Sylvie explained.
Bouvier tried to sit up, but it hurt. She let out another groan.
"Please, rest." Sylvie insisted.
Bouvier grabbed hold of Sylvie's hand, "Please don't leave me alone." Bouvier sounded frightened.
Sylvie felt an emotion for her, she never thought she would. She felt sympathy for Bouvier. "I won't." Sylvie agreed.
"Swear it," Bouvier demanded. She was close to tears. Talking was unbearably painful for her.
Sylvie placed her right hand on Bouvier's left. "I swear it. I won't leave you alone."
Bouvier seemed to relax at Sylvie's promise. She laid her head back down on the pillows. A half-hour later, Whitley reentered the bedroom with the family Physician.
Whitley spoke, "As promised, my Lady. Dr. Keating is here to look after Miss Bouvier. Now, I shall see to it that you are escorted to your room. I am sure you want to rest before dinner with His Majesty."
Sylvie looked at the Butler. Even though he greatly intimidated her, she couldn't bear to break her promise to Bouvier, "Thank you for your concern, Whitley, but I cannot leave her side."
Although he made no outward reaction to her request, Sylvie knew Whitley was probably angry with her words. After a long pause, he spoke, "Very well. You are Lady Canis. If you wish to stay that is your choice. Doctor, please see to Mrs. Bouvier."
Sylvie moved out of the Doctor's way. He sat down beside Bouvier, who was now asleep. He gently turned her neck to examine the bruising that was already taking place. Then he examined the open wound on her forehead.
"Whitley, I will need my bag. You were right. This will require stitches."
Whitley stepped forward and handed the Doctor a black leather bag. Sylvie hadn't noticed it before. She was too much in shock. The Doctor unclamped his bag and removed a metal glass and matching sitrrer. He placed it atop the nightstand table and continued to retrieve other items out of his bag. Gauze, clean rags, a suture kit, and medical scissors.
"Whitley, I will need you to fetch me some hot water." The doctor spoke without looking over his shoulder at the Butler.
"Yes, Doctor. I shall return." Whitley exited the room, still making sure to lock the door behind him.
"I presume you are Lady Canis." The Doctor spoke as he continued to apply pressure to the gash on Madame Bouvier's forehead.
"Yes, I am ." She replied. She didn't know why she was nervous.
"Come here and drink this." He offered as he poured an amber liquid into the metal cup he had pulled out of his medic bag.
"W-what is it?" She inquired.
"It is brandy. You are shaking like a leaf. It will help calm your nerves. I will need you to help me. Do you think you can do that?" He asked her.
"Yes. I can." She was then reminded of Caleb and how she had to assist with the Wolf when he had tended to its wounds. This was no Wolf. This was a human.
"Good. I will need you to hold her hand and keep her as comfortable as possible while I perform the surgery."
Sylvie understood.
Less than ten minutes later, Whitley arrived with a porcelain jug of steaming hot water and a water basin. He sat both on the nightstand table.
"Thank you." The Doctor said. He then gently shook Bouvier. She stirred and groaned. "Ahh, yes. I am sorry for this. My Lady, you require stitching. Here, drink this." He offered.
Sylvie noticed this was not the same amber liquid he had offered her. This liquid was a dark, murky green. Bouvier looked skeptical.
"It will help you with the pain." He informed her.
She looked at Sylvie then.
Sylvie reassured her. "It will. Please, drink it. As I promised, I will not leave your side."
Bouvier seemed to relax at those words. The Doctor put the metal cup to her lips, and she drank its contents making a face. It tasted acrid to her. She coughed and gagged.
"Ahh, yes. The taste is awful, but it will pass." The Doctor reassured her.
"Can you tell me what happened to you, Madame?" The Doctor inquired.
"I was ...attacked by her... I ... Lady Canis was in danger..." She was unconscious once more.