The Beta nodded and held Sierra’s gaze, replying firmly to both of them. “Your friend is going to be fine.” Billie guided the woman onto her back so that Amy held the injured leg at the open door. Amy nodded and Billie held the trembling Sierra by her shoulders. Without warning, Amy popped the leg expertly, the bone re-breaking and lining up properly once again. Sierra howled in pain, her eyes wild. She fought Billie, panicking, but the Beta held her easily. The Medic supported the vulnerable leg as her patient tried to fight her way out.
“Sierra, calm down.” Amy tried to reassure her patient, with no success. The Wolf could cause permanent damage to her leg if she worsened the already serious injury. “Billie!” Amy warned.
“Stop!” Billie growled loudly, causing Leroy to jump. The injured Wolf froze under her commanding tone, allowing Amy to slip a splint over the broken leg. Tears began to roll silently down Sierra’s cheek, and she shut her eyes against the terrifying Beta.
“Done!” Amy announced and stepped backwards to join Leroy.
“I’m going to let you go now,” Billie told the traumatized woman, her tone firm but without the former aggression. Sierra nodded and opened her eyes slowly. The Beta released her with slow movements and scooted back several inches. Her arms freed, Sierra lay still for a few moments before sitting up gently. She couldn’t look at Billie yet and eyed Leroy and the Medic warily. They waited for her reaction, ready for anything. Sierra took a deep breath, filling her lungs with mountain air. The sturdy splint covered her leg, and it throbbed but it would begin to heal properly. She took another deep breath and leaned her head on the back of the seat.
“That hurt,” she said, her voice hitching. Leroy took a step forward hesitantly and looked pleadingly at Billie. She nodded, telling him he could safely approach. Hurrying forward, he took the Wolf’s hand in his, and she squeezed it gratefully. “I wouldn’t have hurt you,” she promised him.
“I know,” he replied, smiling. After seeing her reaction, he knew better and appreciated Billie’s caution. Her certainty touched him. “I’m glad it’s over, though.”
Billie silently stepped out of the truck and circled around the hood. Standing beside Amy, she looked relieved and more relaxed. She explained herself to the man and his charge. “An injured Wolf without her packmates in a stranger’s territory is dangerous. I didn’t know if she’d obey me or completely panic. I wasn’t taking any chances. Kathryn would skin me alive if I let anything happen to you.”
Amy looked quizzically at Billie. “Why would Kathryn care? I mean, of course she’d care if someone got hurt. You know what I mean.”
The corner of her mouth quirked in amusement at her friend’s phrasing. “Leroy’s her descendent.”
The Medic nearly burst with excitement. “Oh! Nice to meet ya, Leroy. No wonder you weren’t freaked out by all of this.”
“You too,” he replied politely, his attention still on Sierra.
“But you’re not Richard’s grandson, so you must be from her first mate.” Leroy nodded. “You are one lucky girl, Sierra!”
Her breathing began to normalize, but her voice still quaked. “Unbelievably lucky. When I saw his rifle, and he spotted me in the bushes, I thought I was dead. Instead he saved me.”
“Not many Humans around here know about us,” Amy replied gravely and repeated. “You’re very lucky. Are you ready for food?”
“Oh, yes.” Amy trotted to the Jeep to retrieve a large meal and a bundle of clothes. With Amy’s help, Sierra changed into a wraparound skirt and T-shirt, handing Leroy his coat. She dug into the food as if she hadn’t already eaten two sandwiches.
Sierra didn’t look like a scared rabbit anymore, so Billie turned to Leroy. No longer concerned about the strange Wolf attacking Amy and Leroy, she relaxed her guard. “Thank you so much. You saved her life. I didn’t know until recently that you’re Kathryn’s descendent.”
“I keep in touch with my family, but I stay out of Wolf business,” Leroy replied. “Still, I’m glad I found her instead of another hunter. How did you know to come? Grandma said Kato contacted you.”
“Do you remember the woman I brought into your shop? That’s Sadie, my mate. She and Kato can communicate mentally. He woke her up, she told me, and we came. I didn’t think we’d find her this easily.”
“But he only found us an hour before you got here. You had to have known before,” Leroy protested.
“Kato knows things,” Amy helped. “He probably went looking for you after he talked to Sadie.”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “Grandpa Isingoma was like that, according to Grandma’s stories. I’ll keep my simple life.”
“Isingoma was your grandfather?” Sierra said through bites, listening intently as she ate. “Kato is your uncle, and Kathryn is your grandmother. That makes Kathryn Isingoma’s former mate? Wow.” He nodded uncomfortably, not understanding the fuss.
Billie didn’t want to remain exposed on the open road and interrupted. “Let’s get Sierra back to Boise. Leroy, we owe you one. Is there anything I can do for you?”
He shook his head and pointed at the Wolf in his front seat. “Take care of her. That’s enough.”
Billie smiled genuinely and promised. “Of course. And I’ll bring you something for your freezer next time I go hunting.”
Sierra thanked Leroy graciously, promising to visit him again if she could. She accepted Billie’s help walking to the Jeep and stretched out in the back seat. With Billie at the wheel, they headed towards Boise.
We have her. She’s okay, and we’re headed home. Billie mentally updated her mate.
Good! I’ll tell Kathryn and Kato.
See you soon, love.
“Your mate is a Sensitive?” Sierra sensed the mental exchange, and remembered Billie’s earlier explanation. She jumped to the most logical assumption.
“Not exactly,” Billie replied hesitantly.
Amy turned in her seat and started speaking animatedly, her hands flying as she explained. “Sadie’s a Mage, but don’t freak out. She’s not like the Mages we’ve all dealt with before. She’s awesome!”
Sierra freaked out. “What? You’re taking me to a Mage?”
Billie glared red-hot daggers at Amy. “We’re not taking you to a Mage. We’re taking you to Boise to recuperate. Sadie is my mate, and she won’t do anything to you.” Sierra looked out the window and started planning her escape. Billie continued, sensing the injured Wolf’s impulse to flee. “Look, I know how this sounds. None of us are collared. Sadie’s not like that.”
Sierra couldn’t smell a lie from either Wolf in the front seat, which calmed her only a little. As soon as possible, she’d contact her Alpha and get away from this insane pack and their Mage. Until then she’d discover everything she could and keep as much distance from the Mage as possible. “How did you end up with a Mage as a mate?”
* * *
I followed Billie’s return to the Treasure Valley with Amy and the strange Wolf. Deliberately I refrained from contacting her through mindspeech. Our unique bond allowed me to sense her location and mood as well as some of her thoughts without reaching out to her mentally. Mindspeech intensified that connection and allowed us to share thoughts directly, communicating as readily as if speaking aloud.
Her endless presence in my mind infused me with her unwavering strength and determination. She approached every conflict head on, searching for solutions to the difficulties my presence caused in the pack. No matter how bad it got, she stayed on her feet and held me close to her side. She kept me steady through all of the upheaval and chaos of the recent weeks.
For longer than anyone could remember, Mages and Wolves had distrusted and hated each other. The night I discovered I was a Mage, they explained the history between the races. Mages collared Wolves, twisting their minds with our mental powers and enslaving them to fulfill our own agenda. To defend themselves, Wolves killed any Mage in their territory rather than lose another loved one to a fate worse than death.
I
’d saved Billie’s life that night, so the Alpha spared mine. Jason promised to let me live in Pack territory unmolested by Wolves so long as I followed his rules and didn’t threaten the pack. Wolves instinctively perceived all of my abilities as a threat, and many of my packmates still distrusted me because of my Mage ancestry. However, a growing number of them accepted my place in their lives and as Billie’s mate. I’d given them reason to trust me, and a few did.
A couple weeks earlier, a group of ambitious Mages arrived with a plan to collar every Wolf around me. Using my powers, I stopped them and protected the pack. In order to succeed, the Mages needed to believe I had the same agenda, so I joined them. Unfortunately I played the game a little too well with the Mages and convinced my packmates as well. Jason ordered my death, so Billie and I ran. We stopped the Mages in time to face a hunting party determined to kill us. Miraculously we convinced Jason I posed no threat to the pack, and he allowed us to come home. We’d only returned the night before, exhausted from the ordeal but thrilled to be back.
We didn’t even get a good night’s sleep before the next crisis began. I’d woken before dawn to Kato’s urgent voice in my mind. Among all the Wolves, I could only speak mind to mind with Billie and Kato. Though Kato and I communicated easily, we didn’t share the same deep connection that I shared with Billie. The Elder Wolf had sounded anxious and hurried while explaining the foreign Wolf’s peril. He ran as fast as he could through the forest, surprisingly close by. Somehow he’d traveled all the way home from the Sawtooths in only a couple days. He asked me to send a rescue party immediately.
When Billie approached the foreign Wolf, I’d sensed her concern for Amy and Leroy’s safety. If the threat had come from an aggressive intruder, she’d simply have knocked the trespasser into the next county without batting an eye. Instead she’d faced a scared and injured Wolf, someone in need of help. Her initial defensive attitude ebbed quickly, as did her concern for the injured Wolf’s welfare. Her unease shifted to my safety. Since Wolves could sense our mindspeech, I decided to postpone asking for details.
Billie entered the city, driving towards our home with the Medic and the strange Wolf. Agitated and tense, she finally contacted me. I could hear the angst in her mental voice as she confirmed my suspicions. We’re almost home. She knows you’re a Mage.
Amy. I moaned, sensing her annoyance at the talkative Medic. Something else about her mood eluded me, but if an outsider knew about me we had bigger concerns. My hopes of avoiding an issue with other Wolves disappeared. You’re bringing her here? Is that a good idea?
We can’t hide from this or pretend you’re not here. Bringing her home is our best option. Amy will stay with us until she’s sure Sierra’s leg is healing properly. It’s badly broken. Her attention strayed to her physical surroundings. Our mindspeech is making her nervous. I’ll see you in a few minutes.
“They’re bringing her here. Amy told her I’m a Mage. I don’t know if I’m up for this.” I told Kathryn with wide eyes. Spending a companionable morning with the Elder Wolf in my home after the brief exile had lifted my spirits. We’d waited for the rescue party’s return while Kathryn filled me in on some of her recent volunteer activities. The old civil rights activist loved dance in all forms. She’d recently begun to organize a performance to raise money for one of her favorite causes. Kathryn had supported me from the beginning, one of the only Wolves who didn’t judge me based on my race. I treasured the old Wolf’s friendship and wisdom.
Billie’s update crushed my hopes of having a peaceful day and short vacation between crises. Kathryn patted my knee comfortingly. I admired her ability to make the best of any situation and remain composed during the most difficult circumstances. She had a way of breathing calm into those around her with her very presence, and with a strange Wolf on the way, I needed it. “I have no doubt she will have questions about you and her own safety in your presence. Nevertheless, she is injured and in need of our care. We should prepare food and a place for her to sleep.”
The Elder Wolf redirected my priorities, and I welcomed her reminder to see to the injured Wolf’s needs. “You’re right. We don’t have a bedroom on the main floor, and I doubt she’s up to climbing the stairs with a broken leg. The couch?”
“Billie and I will carry a bed from one of the guest bedrooms to the living room. She will find a mattress more comfortable during her recovery.”
“I can help you with it. Billie’s more injured than she’s admitting,” I offered quickly. With something to do, I didn’t fret as much about the approaching guest.
We’d almost reached the bottom of the stairs with a queen-sized mattress when Amy and Billie walked in supporting a young-looking woman between them. Her pale skin contrasted sharply with the tangled dark hair that framed her face. Too weak to stand on her own, she planted one good leg under herself and let the others hold most of her weight. Pain and exhaustion overshadowed everything else about her. She looked like she needed half an elk to eat followed by a long undisturbed nap.
“Give us two minutes, and we’ll have a place for you to lie down. Sorry it’s in the living room, but all of the bedrooms are upstairs. We thought you’d be more comfortable here.” I told the injured Wolf as I wrestled one side of the mattress onto the box spring already in place. Kathryn, appearing twice my age, handled her side easily while I struggled with the cumbersome weight. More than a century older than she looked, the Elder’s strength and agility hadn’t waned much with time.
Billie eyed me oddly as she held the injured Wolf’s weight. Through our bond, I could feel the pain of her own injuries, but she showed none of it outwardly. Her clothes covered the worst of her injuries, and her stubborn pride obscured the rest. “We could have done that if you’d waited five minutes.”
With a shove and a grunt, the mattress fell in place. I took a deep breath and stretched my back, frowning at the effort. “I may not have Wolf strength, but I can carry a mattress. I really should work on my upper body strength, though. Hi, I’m Sadie.” The wide-eyed Wolf had already figured that out and followed my every move fearfully. She seemed conflicted between trusting Billie and pulling away. Instinctively she sought protection from the strong Beta, but Billie’s relationship with a Mage confused her instincts.
I could sense some of a person’s emotions without delving into their minds, and Sierra projected hers loudly. Only the broken leg and exhaustion kept her from bolting to get away from me. Terrified of being collared, she watched me like a cornered animal alert for any opportunity to stay alive.
A panicked Wolf would attack if provoked, and she could put up a fight even with a broken leg. My mate knew a Wolf’s impulses better than I did, and she worried about my safety around the visitor. Billie’s protective nature emerged quicker with me than anyone else, and in her present mood I didn’t know what she’d do if Sierra attacked me. I wouldn’t put Billie in the position of having to protect me from Sierra if I could help it. A little distance would keep a bad situation from exploding.
Unperturbed by the tense atmosphere, Kathryn fetched bedding and tossed a pillow at me to dress. In minutes we had a comfortable place for the guest. The Wolves helped Sierra into bed while I retreated to the kitchen to find leftovers. Covering my nervousness with conversation, I spoke from the other room at a normal volume. They could hear me from anywhere in the house. “How’s Leroy?”
I’d met Kathryn’s grandson once and liked the good-natured man. Billie raised her voice so I could hear without the advantage of Wolf ears. “He looks like he’s doing well. He was out deer hunting when he found her. I can’t believe how lucky that was.”
“I doubt it was luck. Kato had his hand in this one. He didn’t find Sierra accidentally, so Leroy may not have been coincidence either,” I replied, returning to the living room carrying a plate heaped with an assortment of sandwich meats and roasted chicken. The first night I’d discovered the existence of Wolves, I’d also learned of their need for protein-rich food when injured. Han
ding the plate to Billie instead of directly to Sierra, I addressed the strange Wolf. “He knew when you went off the road and went to find you.”
“How do you know any of that? How do you know my name?” She spoke to me for the first time, digging into the meal with gusto. Her attention didn’t stray from me for even a second, though she quit watching me with her eyes. I could almost feel her rapt ears pointed at me, and the focused wary attention gave me Goosebumps.
No one had spoken her name aloud, and her suspicion didn’t surprise me. “Billie told me your name before you arrived. Mindspeech is perfectly safe. Kato woke me up this morning and told me to send help. I told Billie, she called Amy and Kathryn, and off they went.”
“Billie told you my name before I arrived,” She parroted between bites, taking it all in.
“She repeats things when they don’t make sense to her.” Amy sounded like a teenager from the early 1900s most of the time, and her bubbly personality usually infected me. Tension weighed on her, and the comment sounded more malicious than she intended.
“She’s exhausted,” I defended, wondering what had crawled under Amy’s skin.
The Medic finished a fresh assessment of Sierra’s leg and began cleaning the wound on her shoulder, pulling supplies out of a large medical jump bag. “She should be glad we’re taking care of her. Not looking at Sadie like she’s gonna jump out of the bushes and say boo!”
Billie gave Amy yet another warning look, her inner agitation starting to show outwardly. “Give her a break, Amy. She doesn’t know Sadie.”
“That’s ’cus we didn’t properly introduce her,” Amy decided with a cheeky grin. “Sierra, this is Sadie our Mage packmate and Billie’s mate. Sierra’s from the Montana Pack. There. She’s introduced.”
Kathryn only smiled consolingly at the startled young Wolf. “My name is Kathryn, dear. Welcome to Boise. We will make your stay here as agreeable as possible considering the circumstances.”
“Thank you.” Sierra answered the Elder automatically.
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