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“They’ve all been afflicted,” Pat said. “Some are worse than others. We’ve lost some.”
“Who?”
“Some of the newer betas in the Devane pack. Laura tried to nurse them as best she could. Thankfully, whatever this is doesn’t seem to cross to humans. It’s the only thing that’s kept us going. But every shifter in Wild Lake is sick, Tempest.”
“Well, I’m going to get more Dragonblood,” I said, rising.
“I told you,” she said. “We tried that. We used our entire stockpile.”
During the war, my father had procured a vial of Dragonblood to hold in case of emergencies.
“It’s gone?” I said. “All of it?”
Pat nodded. “Your mother had three drops of it. It never made a dent. If anything, she got worse after.”
“It’s old,” I said. “Xander gave us that blood over ten years ago. If they’re willing, I’ll see if I can get one of the Brandharts to come in person. We can get it directly from the source.”
“Tempest,” Pat said. “You’re not hearing me. It doesn’t matter how old the Dragonblood is. It doesn’t go bad. I’m telling you whatever this thing is, it’s immune to it. So we’re dealing with a magic even older than that. We’re dealing with something fae. Jarred said Lissa might be persuaded to help. If she could be a friend…”
“She wasn’t a friend,” I said. “No fae are friends.”
Pat let out a great sigh. “Then we’re out of ideas.”
“There has to be hope,” I said.
“I said ideas. Not hope.”
“I’ll get Dr. Olivet,” I said. “If anyone can figure out what this is, it’s her.”
Dr. Suzanne Olivet was the most experienced shifter doctor we knew. She had delivered Jarred and me.
“If she’ll come,” Pat said. “I spoke to her on the phone. She thinks whatever we’re dealing with could be carried by humans, even if they’re not getting sick. She hasn’t wanted to risk bringing it back with her and infecting the Canadian packs.”
“Well, I won’t give her a choice,” I shouted.
“Tempest,” she said. “I’m glad you’re here. For me. But you’re in danger now too. Your father made me promise not to send for you. He’s convinced this is a death sentence.”
“He’s wrong,” I said, rising. “I won’t allow it to be. I’m going to go find help. I’ll drag Suzanne Olivet here if I have to. She owes our family. I’m planning to collect.”
I stormed out of the kitchen, new rage heating my blood. I ignored Pat’s pleas as I made my way out the back door.
Fear fueled me. Primal anger. Before I knew what I was doing, I shifted. I raced through the woods and followed the trails to the lake.
God. The lake.
It was here I’d brought X when he was wounded and bleeding all those years ago. Here I’d first let him kiss me.
X.
Anson.
Lies. All lies. All of it. My fault.
I sank my paws into the sand. The sliver of the moon began to rise. The day was gone. I stepped out onto the flat rock jutting over the water’s edge. Here, the wolves of Wild Lake had made their pacts with the moon. To live. To lead. To make peace.
X had defiled that. Anson.
Even as hate poured through my veins, desire did too. My family was dying of something, but X was my disease.
