Chapter 23: Healing Wounds
(Hector's POV)
I paused as I began to tend to Samantha's hand. The injury looked worse than when I'd first noticed it, with angry red skin suggesting infection had begun to set in.
"This needs proper cleaning," I told her firmly, reaching for the antiseptic in my first aid kit.
Samantha's jaw tightened visibly. "It's just a scratch."
"A scratch that could become infected if not treated properly," I corrected, my tone gentler than my words. I dampened a cotton pad with antiseptic and held her wrist steady. "This will sting."
As I pressed the antiseptic against her wound, Samantha bit her lip hard enough to leave marks. Her eyes inadvertently met mine, and I saw raw vulnerability there—something she rarely displayed.
"You can cry out if it hurts," I s
