Page 60 of Healer’s Betrayal

“Are you sick?” I ask Raechel directly. Her eyes widen in surprise, and I run a hand over the back of my neck. “I was just checking,” I mumble.

She seems to dissect me a moment before coming to some sort of conclusion. “Not sick,” she says. “Well, not with anything contagious anyway.” She rubs her stomach, and it finally sinks in.

“Congratulations,” I say to the two of them.

“Thanks,” Raechel says for the both of them. She frowns. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay with her?”

I resist the urge to growl at her and force myself to remember she’s just trying to check on our mate. “Yes.” That’s all I say because that’s all I can get out without biting her head off.

“Let’s go,” Max says, urging her forward.

Ransom steps back into the room after leaving for a few minutes. “Anything?” I ask.

“Nothing that catches my attention. Let’s go while we can.” He lifts two bags. “I found these in the apartment; they looked packed and ready.” I nod and kneel next to Kayla. I take in the up and down movement of her chest, reassuring myself that she’s still breathing. Then as carefully as I can, I put one arm under her knees and one around her back and lift her to my chest. The feel of her against me is both rewarding and upsetting. On the one hand, it feels incredible to have her in my arms, to be reassured that she’s safe now. On the other hand, I’m horrified at how light she is and how bad her face looks up close. Her uncle really did a number on her. I keep my simmering rage tamped down; my sole focus is on getting Kayla to safety. I turn to Noah. “We’re going to get out of here. Stay close when we get upstairs.” He nods, eyes wide.

Ransom stops in front of us. “I’ll go up first.”

I let him get about halfway up the stairs before I look at Noah. “Go ahead; I’ll be right behind you.” He stops at the first step. “You’re safe, Noah. Ransom and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Or Kayla?” he asks. His voice is so soft; I wouldn’t have heard him without my shifter hearing.

I know empty words mean nothing to someone who’s been through something awful, so I keep my answer short. “I’ll keep her safe.” Anything more than that, I’ll just have to show him. He follows Ransom up the stairs, and I keep my wolf close to the surface to ferret out any threat. We leave the creepy basement behind and make our way down the hallway and outside. Bryce and Ava are already in their car. He rolls down the window when we pass.

“You need to make a call about the doctor from the Northwoods Pack.” I know it’s because he’s worried for his mate, but the fact that he’s giving me orders rubs me the wrong way. I nod, not trusting myself not to say something I may or may not regret.

“You’re free to head back to your pack,” I tell him. He hears the not-so-subtle hint. “I appreciate your help.” The words are hard to get out, but it’s the truth. “Thank you for helping my mate,” I tell his mate, leaning low to be able to see into the car. She has her head against the seat, and I can’t help the words that come out of my mouth. “Why do you healers heal when it takes so much out of you?” There’s anger in my words, but I’m not directing them at her. I hate that this is what will happen every time my mate heals someone. I absently wonder if I can convince her to never heal again. Somehow, I don’t think she’ll agree to that.

“We can’t not,” she says. “It’s pretty much like telling you shifters not to protect your mates.” My low growl matches the one that comes from the alpha sitting next her. “Exactly,” she says waving her hand at the two of us. “You proved my point.”

I take in her words as Bryce meets my gaze. “We’re going to leave today. If you need us, you have my number. Listen, I know I told you about Alicia; but I need to remind you. She’s a force to tangle with. She's both vampire and wolf, making her incredibly strong but also incredibly fast. If she gets Kayla, it’s already too late. I don’t know why she left Kayla today, but I don’t trust anything any of the vampires do. Watch her carefully.” I resist the urge to snarl at him and force a nod instead. “She used to be in my pack, but she’s no longer the same person.” There’s a deep sadness to his words. “My team is doing what they can to track her now.”

I nod. “Thank you, both of you.” He drives away, and I walk over to where Ransom is waiting with Noah. But before I get there, Max walks our way.

“Paul’s on his way.” His words are gruff.

“Paul?” I question, not bothering to hide my irritation. I don’t want to deal with anybody else. I just want to get my mate and her brother to a safe place.

“Pack doctor.”

“The guy on the phone?” I question. He nods. “When?”

“Two, three hours. We’ll stay while they’re here for added security, and then I’m taking my mate back to our pack.”

He doesn’t look happy about this development. “You don’t need to stay,” I tell him.

“I do when my alpha tells me to,” he argues in the gruffest of voices.

“That’s why I don’t have an alpha.” He levels a look at me. “That’s why I’m not in a pack. I need to get her to my place.”

“We’ll follow you,” he says behind me.

I make it over to Ransom, and he opens the back door of the truck I’m renting. I climb in, keeping Kayla against my chest. Noah’s already in the backseat. He looks at Kayla in my arms with a solemn face. “Is she going to wake up?”

My heart gives an uncomfortable squeeze. “Yes.” I leave no room in my tone for doubt. I don’t tell him that I’m bonded to her, and that bond will keep her alive. I don’t tell him that she may never forgive me for what I’ve done or might possibly hate me for the rest of her now long life. I keep all that to myself.

“Ready?” Ransom asks from the front seat.

“Yeah,” I grunt out.