My mates were on my heels.
“I’m going back to heat up my tea. Why don’t you deal with them? They might melt into piles of ashamed goo if you don’t.” She kissed my cheek and bounced down the stairs.
Brandon was the first to step forward when I turned. “Wendi, I can’t apologize enough. It was wrong of us to talk about you like that when you were right there. I allowed my fear and anger to cloud my judgement. I’m so sorry, mate. We all are.”
I almost cried, more of a release of tension than anything else. “It’s okay. We’re all learning, but I won’t be commanded around. It’s still my life—our life.”
They all nodded in agreement.
“Our first fight,” Moss said, a sad smile on his face.
Cash winked at me. “Raise your hand if part of you thought Wendi was extra hot when she was angry.”
Oh, Goddess.
They all raised their hands.
“I’m going home to make cookies,” I announced.
“Cookies?” Escher asked, catching up with me.
I nodded. “Something you should know about me. When I’m upset, I’ve decided to bake. And today was a big one. I hope all of you are hungry.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
I never saw it coming. You could have knocked me over with a feather. It was the shock of my life!
The girls at school all claimed they had no idea they were about to be proposed to, but I never believed them. I mean, come on! Who didn’t know their guy—or in my case guys—were ready to get married?
I knew mine were, and I assumed they believed that since we all were planning to get married anyway, no formal declaration was needed. So imagine my surprise when the four most considerate mates in the world read my mind and made all my dreams come true. As always. The pack planned a picnic followed by a run, typical pack stuff. We did it almost every week, so I didn’t find it odd except that when I’d mentioned maybe skipping the picnic part to finish a paper for one of my classes and just showing up for the run, all of my mates said, “No!” at the same time.
It was kind of cute, that they wanted me to come. We tended to move in a group with the exception of the rare date night with one or the other of them, and it made sense we’d all go to the party together. “But it’s just an hour or so…” I protested. I’d been postponing this assignment and it was due by midnight Sunday. This was Friday and I wanted it off my mind so I could enjoy the weekend. So I told them so.
But my adorable mates all insisted that it was a beautiful night, and when I still stalled, Moss blurted out, “The alpha is making some kind of announcement! We all need to go.”
I frowned at them, especially when the others all agreed. “Then why didn’t you say so to start with?” I asked.
“We didn’t want you to think that the most important thing was pack business,” Brandon contributed. “Of course, your company is more important, but you now how my brother is if someone misses one of his summonses. They make him feel respected.”
It was true. The alpha didn’t ask a lot. But he did like to summon the troops from time to time. “Okay, let me go wash up and I’ll be right down.”
They all looked at one another, and Escher said, “We’ll meet you there. We’re…on fire-building duty this week.”
That also made sense, but as I ran a comb through my hair and considered their comments, I couldn’t help but wonder what had them so wound up. Maybe they knew what the alpha was up to? Could be a fun surprise. Homemade ice cream? A new investment? Surprise visitors? Ah well. Letting that go, I trotted down the steps and over to the picnic site where a number of tables had been brought and covered with red-checked cloths. How different. We didn’t usually bother with tables, eating on beach chairs or the ground around the fires or sometimes sitting on logs.
But where were my mates? I wandered through the tables, seeing no sight of them until Christie waved me to a table right at the front near where a few musicians were setting up. Music! Also unusual. “Wendi, come sit down. Isn’t this fun?”
“Yeah.” I sat next to her on the bench. “But what’s the occasion?”
She shrugged and snagged a chip from the basket in front of her, dunked it in a bowl of green salsa. “You know the alpha. He likes his get-togethers. Don’t you like the idea?”
“I guess. I had that paper to do, and the guys made me promise to come but since I don’t see them, maybe I could sneak away for an hour.” I moved to stand, but my friend clamped her hand on my arm.
“No, you can’t go!”
“Christie, if you don’t want to sit alone, you could be with almost anyone.”
She smiled and batted her eyelashes at me in a weirdly flirtatious way. “But I want to sit with my best friend. And the tacos are coming out soon. It’s a taco picnic!”
“Ahhh okay.” Clearly everyone wanted me here. But why? I parted my lips to demand the truth from the girl who I knew I could convince to tell me, but there was a strum of guitars and everyone at the tables went silent.
The alpha moved to stand in front of all of us and made a short speech about what a nice evening it was then said, “And I bet you’re all wondering about this event. A taco picnic… I’d never heard of it, but I do like tacos and we have Escher, Brandon, Cashel and Moss to thank for treating us all to the best food truck in town, which is even now pulling up out front.”
Everyone clapped and whistled, a few people cheered.
“Let’s get those guys out here.” He waved and my mates paraded around the corner of the house. They all wore white shirts tucked into immaculate jeans, their hair combed neatly, they all marched right in front of the musicians.
“Wendi?” The alpha came and took my hand, led me to where my mates stood. “Take it away, gentlemen.”
I’m slow, but not that slow so by the time they all dropped to one knee, each holding up a box, I could barely see them through my tears. Each box held a very thin band in a different colored precious metal and they asked, the basic, most beautiful words, “Will you marry us?” I nodded, hiccupping back sobs, and held my hand out. They slid a yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, and coper band on. So narrow that together they formed one normal size ring.
All different.
All precious.
All my mates.
Tacos didn’t stand a chance of competing with that.
I cried and kissed them all through the carne asada and pollo.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“She’s going to be here any minute,” Moss said, refilling his coffee cup after doing the same to mine. He looked down at my plate. “Eat up, mate. You know how this takes your energy.”
I blew out a breath, patting my already full stomach but knowing he was absolutely right. It didn’t take much effort to eat more blueberry muffins. Moss really did know how to bake. Good thing they’d decided on huge ovens for the new house.
“You don’t have to stick around,” I said, but really wanted him to. I was nervous. Yeah, I’d healed Escher and Cash, but Jenny’s was a whole other kind of sick. It was going to take a lot out of me.
“Not this again, sweetheart. I’m here because I want to be—period.”
He came over and stood in front of me. My head came up to his ribs since I was still sitting on the barstool. I laid my cheek against him and wrapped my arms around his torso. “The next month is going to be amazing,” I said, changing the subject since my nerves were starting to take over.
“Yes, it is. Wedding. Moving into our house. It’s a big deal. Oh, Cash said some of the furniture is being delivered today. I’m supposed to keep my eye out for the truck. But the guard at the gate will call me when they are here.”
“What furniture?”
“I think some of the bedrooms. Who knows. For the next few weeks, it’s going to be a flurry of deliveries so we can have everything ready.” I nodded against his stomach, making him chuckle. “Maybe she won’t show up and you and I can have some time…”
The doorbell interrupted him.
>
“I’ll get it,” he said, and I whined as he disentangled himself from my hold. I looked down at my engagement rings and did a little dance in my chair.
I’d never been happier in all my life.
“Wendi,” Jenny said, walking passed Moss as he invited her in. Her husband came in behind her, but I could tell he was apprehensive. He probably didn’t want to get her hopes up. I didn’t blame him one bit.
“Hello, Jenny I’m glad you come.”
She looked at me like I was nuts. “Of course I did. I’m honored. I know you’re trying your best, no guarantees, but we appreciate anything you can do. Even if it doesn’t work.”
Vote of confidence? Check.
“Okay, let’s sit down and get started.”
“What can I expect?” she asked as we sat on the couch side by side. Moss took the chair nearest me but Jenny’s husband perched on the edge of a ladder-back seat on the opposite end of the room.
“From what I’ve been told, you might feel my presence inside you, something like my energy in your body. Sounds weird, right?”
She nodded.
“Yeah, it’s not a picnic for me either, and apparently my eyes glow blue, so don’t run for the hills when I go all Smurf-alien on you.”
She laughed and I swore I heard her husband laugh as well. I took her hands, merely for support than anything else. She was as nervous as I was.
“Here we go.”
Like the times before, I searched her body with a force I still really didn’t understand. She had more pain and damage in her body than anything I’d seen before, but, with others coming soon to be healed, I would have to get over the shock factor.
There was something wrong with her uterus, and it was causing her pain. Like a puzzle with no end in sight, I untangled the strands of sickness within her, finding strand after strand and absorbing them into myself one by one. The way to tackle this much damage.
“Wendi,” Moss said, putting his arms on my shoulders.
“Not yet. I’m almost there.” I pushed on, drawing from her everything that was wrong until I was done.
“Okay,” I said, and collapsed back against my mate, my energy completely drained. “That was quick. Just a few minutes.”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
Moss rubbed my arms up and down. “Wendi, sweetheart, you’ve been working on her for nearly two hours.”
“No way,” I said and Jenny and Clark nodded, confirming.
“Wow, okay. But I did what I could. I’m sorry I can’t promise anything, but that should help.”
“I feel changed. And…better.” Jenny smiled and patted my hands. “It will work. I’m sure of it.”
Clark took her hand, and they left, smiling at each other. I sent a prayer to the Goddess that if nothing else, she wouldn’t be having any other chronic pain.
“You did so well,” Moss said, kissing my temple. “How are you feeling?”
I assessed myself. “Hungry and thirsty, but otherwise, better than before. I think I’m getting used to it. Maybe it will get better with time.”
He nodded. “I hope so. Stay there. I’m making you food.”
He came back minutes later with a stacked roast beef and pepper jack sandwich I managed to demolish in minutes.
“I feel like a run,” I said, and we both rushed to the back, stripping as we went. We ran for hours until I couldn’t tell where we were anymore. All the trees and grass seemed to blur together. I had no idea where the energy came from after being so exhausted, but didn’t stop to question it.
Wendi, stop!
I heard Moss’ voice in my head and pushed my paws straight into the ground, bringing my animal to a stop. I shifted to two legs to face my mate.
“What is it?”
“Look, mate. You almost crossed onto Rattlecreek lands. You almost…” his voice trailed off, the words getting caught in his throat.
I scanned the area and could almost see the line between the neutral area and their lands. I was so lost in the run, in the happiness of life, I almost ran straight into their land.
Shit. I had to pay better attention.
“I didn’t…”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. We all get lost in running. Come on, please. Let’s go home.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Saturdays were healing days now. I only took people from early morning until about two in the afternoon. Those were my terms, and everyone worked around them. Beyond that I ran out of energy and was afraid I’d do more harm than good.
No one uttered a peep in argument.
Mirella was impressed with my discipline and self-determination. But I knew it wouldn’t last long. After all, people couldn’t schedule things like emergencies and accidents around my schedule. For the rest of my life there would be knocks on the door in the middle of the night, and I would be interrupted more than I cared for.
My gift was a blessing and a curse, both.
Moss likened it to being a doctor, and my mates vowed they would be happy to help whoever and however they could.
“Why is she back again?” Escher asked me in my ear. It was nearing the time I stopped taking people and, truth be told, I was beyond exhausted. Yes, with each healing, I seemed to handle the after effects better and better, but still, it took a lot from me.
He was talking about a girl who had come early in the morning and was now at our door again. My first impression of her was she must’ve been homeless. Her torn clothes and knotted hair were the least of her problems. She had a severe mental condition and, although I did the best I could, some things even my powers couldn’t untangle.
“Reisha?” I asked as she barged her way in, knocking Cash out of the way.
“It’s not fixed. I’m not fixed. Try again.” She spoke in staccato sentences and clipped tones.
“Sometimes it takes more than one session,” I lied, hating the way it poured off my tongue. I truly didn’t think she would understand it if I told her some things were beyond my spectrum of healing.
There were no strands to detangle with Reisha. Her entire system was one huge knot. I suspected abuse and neglect, but she’d probably shut that part of her life out.
I was a healer, not a psychiatrist, and no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t help her.
My wolf even detected the beast inside her was near feral.
So many layers of hurt and pain.
“Well, here is more than one session.” She slapped her thighs. “I’m here for the second session.”
“Look, Reisha, I’m tired. Maybe you could come back another time.”
She slumped her shoulders. “But my mom is out there, too. She needs to be healed. Can’t shift back. She’s stuck as a wolf.”
“Well, let me go see what I can do for her.” That seemed to perk her up. Escher offered to come with me, but I brushed him off. We were on pack lands and, other than being a little off, Reisha was harmless. And if anyone understood being stuck in one form, it was me. If I could help her mother, I would.
“Where is she?” I asked, looking around, but seeing no wolf.
“Oh, right there at the edge of the forest. She hides. Doesn’t like to be around people. Come on. She wants to see you.”
She grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the forest. I had a twinge of fear but pushed it down, determined to help her mother.
My wolf reared up inside me, snarling and snapping at me, demanding I go back, but I tampered her down.
“Where?” I asked as we got to the cusp of the forest. I picked up a scent and figured it was Reisha’s mother. It smelled unkempt and musty like she did.
“Right here,” I heard and gasped as I felt a pinch at the side of my neck. One set of hands grabbed my feet while a putrid palm clamped over my mouth, muffling my shouts.
Branches and leaves whipped at my face as I was rushed through the forest. The edges of my vision darkened, and my limbs went numb. I could hear and more or less see everything around me,, but my body refused
to move, refused to fight back.
I was paralyzed again.
But this time, there was no one to help me walk.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Someone had filled my mouth with cotton.
That person was a dead man. Maybe. I wriggled in place, my eyes still shut and assessed what I knew was a situation.
And not anything close to a good situation.
My hands were tied behind my back, not with rope but those zip-tie things. I’d watched a few videos online about how to free yourself from them, but my mind was fuzzy, and I couldn’t quite remember how. My ankles were also bound and the cloth in my mouth tasted like mold and rot.
“You said two-hundred dollars. I may be crazy, but I’m not stupid. This is only half.” I recognized the twang of Reisha’s voice as it echoed in wherever I was. I paid attention to my senses, trying to ascertain where I was without opening my eyes.
The dampness all around me clung to my skin like I’d been rained on. Mustiness, along with dirt and the metallic scent of blood burned my nose. I heard dripping, like water onto rock, and the taste of tangy air made my tongue feel weird.
I remembered the prick in the side of my neck.
“You get what you get, you fucking bitch. Now skedaddle out of here before I report you to the council.” The male voice I didn’t recognize, but someone had walked near me. Their footsteps were clumsy and off-kilter. “You can open your eyes, Healer. We all know you’re awake.”
I blinked several times, trying to get used to the darkness.
Well, my senses hadn’t betrayed me. I was in a cave. No windows, no sign of light other than the dim oil lamp one of the men held. He, with no finesse whatsoever, removed the gag from my mouth and I gagged.
“Who are you? Where am I?” I asked in a slur. My tongue was stuck to the top of my mouth and even when I dislodged it, it remained numb, like it was too big.
“We’ll be the one asking questions, Wendi. Not you.”
I rolled my eyes and was gifted with a backhand across the face in response.
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