Chapter 1

Rose

I stare at Sage. "What?"

Sage patiently explains for the second...maybe the third time. "The alpha of the Orlando pack is here and wants to speak to you."

"Why?" I squeak. I'm not proud of it.

Sage, who's a healer, like me, and as gentle as any person I've ever met, puts her hand on my shoulder. "I don't really know." She glances over at her mate, who happens to be the doctor in this medical facility. Paul shakes his head, responding to some private conversation between the two of them that I can't hear before he turns to me.

"Garrett hasn't said what he wants."

I take a breath. This is bad . Really bad . If Garrett, the alpha of this pack, doesn't know why he's here, then that's really not good. "I don't really have a choice, do I?" I ask out loud, not really expecting either of them to answer. I've been in the supernatural world long enough to know how it is. You don't say no to an alpha; it's as simple as that. "Where am I supposed to go?" I ask, trying to sound much braver than I'm actually feeling.

"Max and Kyle are heading this way; they'll walk you over to Garrett's office where the meeting's being held," Paul says.

I'm not surprised. The pack doesn't let me go anywhere without at least two enforcers with me. The fact that Garrett is sending Max and Kyle is a big deal. Max is the head of all the enforcers, and Kyle's pretty high up too. My anxiety increases as I think about what in the world the alpha of the Orlando pack wants from me.

"Have you talked to him since he left?"

The question comes from Sage very cautiously. I bite my lip. I know exactly who she's talking about. It's the huge elephant in the room...the reason why the alpha from the Orlando pack being here is a big deal. She's talking about Maverick, the beta of the Orlando pack. My heart beats faster just thinking about him and not in a good way. Maverick lives up to every stereotype that goes with his name. He's obnoxious, rude, demeaning, sarcastic, aggressive...and he's also one more thing. It's sort of a big thing—he says I'm his mate, which is insane. Literally . We are polarizing opposites. I'm scared of my own shadow, quiet, cry at the drop of a hat, too tenderhearted, and have more empathy in my pinky than he has in his whole body. I bite my lip again.

I think back to the last time I saw him and grimace. It didn't go very well. I basically told him to get lost, which is actually quite surprising in and of itself. But I didn't do it just for me. Ava, my friend and another healer, was spiraling as well. Bryce, the alpha of yet another pack who says Ava's his mate was there as well. We'd had a few run-ins with Bryce and Maverick and in the insanity of everything that was going on at the time, I asked them to leave us alone. I wasn't proud of it, but in my defense, everything was chaotic and confusing. We'd been taken by vampires and held against our will...again. Samantha, our other friend and healer, was in the midst of leaving us. I blink back tears at the thought. Samantha has been my closest friend, closer than Ava because getting close to Ava is like trying to hug a cactus. Samantha and her mate Wyatt moved away to another pack, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss her with an ache in my heart. I miss Wyatt too; he was like the older brother I never had.

"Rose?"

Sage's voice brings me back to the present. Yeah, a lot has happened over the last year. But right now, I needed to go meet with the alpha of Maverick's pack. I meet Sage's anxious eyes. "I'll be fine." I say the words, but I don't really feel them.

We all hear the door to the clinic open. "Rose?"

I feel my breath catch, and I squeeze my fists together, one of my many coping mechanisms. I try to call out, "In here," but my voice refuses to work. Kyle enters the room a moment later, smiling easily. Normally, I'd smile back. I like Kyle. He's the mate of Madison, and he's a really nice guy. But today, I just can't find it in myself to smile at him.

"Ready?" he asks.

I nod, incapable of saying anything. Sage wraps me up in a hug before I can go anywhere. "It will be okay," she whispers next to my ear, even though the guys all have shifter hearing and can hear her easily. I try to give her a brave smile, but based on the expression on her face, I'm pretty sure I fail miserably. I follow Kyle out the door and down the hallway. Max greets me with a nod outside, and we begin the walk to the alpha's office. Kyle keeps up a steady stream of conversation that I don't have to respond to, and Max grunts a response every once in a while.

I clench and unclench my fists as we walk and try to force my heart rate into a steady beat and remind myself that I'm not the scared person I once was. In fact, since Samantha left a few months ago, I've grown so much. I used to be too scared to even leave the house, but now I work with Sage and Paul at the clinic most days. I've been learning so much and putting my healing powers into practice. Sage is the best teacher; she's patient and kind and yet pushes me to do what she thinks I'm capable of. I follow Kyle and Max into the building, where Kyle knocks on the door. "Come in."

I follow Kyle and Max into the room and glance around the room quickly. "Rose," Garrett says by way of greeting as he stands from behind his huge desk.

I give him a quick wave, regretting it instantly; but he seems to be fine with it. I never know what I'm supposed to do with the powerful man; he's incredibly intimidating. "Hey Rose," somebody says, startling me and making me jump. I turn to see Liam, the pack's beta, stride confidently into the room. "Sorry to startle you," he says with a large grin, basically meaning he's not sorry at all. Liam is mated to Talya and is nice; he often reminds me of Wyatt, though I don't know him all that well.

I glance around the room and fail to see an unfamiliar face. "He's not here yet," Garrett says by way of explanation. "Max, Liam, and I will go meet him and then bring him here. Feel free to sit while you wait." He gestures at one of the chairs. "Max. Liam." He nods his head towards the door, and the three of them disappear.

I sink into the nearest chair because I don't think my shaky legs will hold me up much longer. Kyle, thankfully, leaves me to my thoughts. I bounce my knee up and down and think through the ramifications of seeing the alpha of Maverick's pack and probably seeing Maverick himself. My stomach clenches, and my bouncing knee doubles in speed. I'm not sure what I'll say when I see him. Will he be angry at me for telling him to leave? Will he have already moved on? Will he scowl or give me that obnoxious smirk and say something degrading to the males of the Northwoods pack and stir up trouble, which is his usual MO? I'm not left to think about the possibilities for long because the door opens, and Garrett strides into the massive office, followed by Max, Liam, and a guy I've never seen before. Even if I hadn't been told he was an alpha, I would have known. Alphas fill the room with an energy that's different from other shifters. I glance behind him, waiting for Maverick to stride in, but the doorway remains empty. The man meets my gaze, and I feel like he sees into my soul. He nods a moment later and turns his gaze to Garrett.

"Cade, this is Rose," Garrett says, motioning to me. "Rose, Cade."

I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do, or what the protocol here is. The alpha takes the decision out of my hand when he steps forward and puts out his hand. "Hi, Rose. It's nice to finally meet you." His voice is powerful but kind. I slowly put out my hand, and his swallows mine. I don't say anything because I can't. He releases my hand and takes a seat, looking completely at ease. Liam does the same and motions for me to sit as well. Max and Kyle take up positions at the door, I notice. I glance over at Cade, but he doesn't seem bothered by the move. I wonder if he's brought any enforcers as backup, and I'm still wondering where Maverick is when Garrett speaks.

"What can we do for you?" His voice is firm and authoritative and makes me shift uncomfortably in my chair. I don't feel like I should be here for a meeting like this.

"I'll get right to the point. I don't want to waste your time. Thank you for allowing me entrance onto your lands." Then he drops a bombshell. "My wolves are dying." There's absolute silence in the office.

"How?" Garrett asks.

Cade leans forward. "It's some kind of sickness; we don't know what. It starts with muscle pain; then uncontrollable muscle spasms. Next is a sort of restlessness; then a high fever. Then they go into a sort of coma, but it's not relaxing. They seem to be in incredible pain. They lose the ability to breathe before dying of asphyxiation." Nobody says a word, and I stare in horror at the alpha.

"I don't understand." It's Liam who talks first. "Why can't they shift and heal themselves?"

Cade pins him with a look. "They're unable to shift. I don't know why. That's why I'm here. We need a healer." To his credit, Cade doesn't look at me; he continues to face Garrett.

After a moment of silence, Garrett says, "Sage and Paul are on their way." Cade doesn't seem surprised by this. I'm still staring at the alpha, trying to process the awful things he said. My heart hurts for these wolves I don't even know. What a terrible, awful way to die. I feel my eyes well up, and I wipe at them quickly before anybody notices.

"Is it happening to the kids?" I ask in a whisper, unable to stay quiet.

Cade turns his gaze on me, and I almost wither at his dark look. "Yes." That's all he says, but I feel his grief as a tangible thing. My hands start to tingle, filling with a power that is useless to me right now. Thankfully, Paul and Sage come into the office, momentarily distracting me as Cade stands to his feet.

"Hi Cade," Sage says warmly. "How are Amber and Paige?"

The alpha's entire face softens. "They're good. How's your little one?"

"She's good," Sage says with a matching smile.

I'd forgotten until just now that Sage and Paul helped deliver Cade's and his mate Amber's baby. Sage told me about it, but I didn't make the connection until just now. "Good to see you, Cade," Paul says with a warm smile and a handshake that Cade returns.

"Have a seat," Garrett says before explaining to them what's happening in Cade's pack. Sage's expression matches what I'm sure is on my face.

"That's awful," she says. "And you need a healer?" she asks, knowing exactly why Cade is here. Our pack is the only pack with healers--that we know of anyway.

I don't miss the worried glance Paul sends his mate's way. It's over in an instant, and his face goes neutral once again. But I saw it. "Yes, we need a healer. I worry of course for my pack, but also for my mate and child." I can hear the pain in his words. Everybody seems to hold their breath at his words.

It's Sage that's brave enough to ask. "Are they sick?"