Chapter 3

Rose

I lay in bed that night, unable to sleep. As I stare up at the ceiling, I finally allow myself to think about seeing Maverick again. I grimace as I remember the last time we spoke to each other. Well, it was mostly me speaking.

I stand next to Ava in one of the rooms in the medical center, staring down Maverick and Bryce, which is no small thing. Maverick is tall and muscular, like most shifters. But there's an aggressiveness to him that makes him seem like so much more. His hair's dark, matching the stubble on his face, and his skin is deeply tan. Everything about him screams alpha, even though he's just a beta.

Bryce, on the other hand, seems much more tame. He's tall and muscular, like most wolves, but he isn't nearly as aggressive as Maverick. He might even be gentle. Maybe. I don't really have a feel for him yet; I haven't been around him long enough yet to know.

Right now, he's really keyed up. I'm assuming that's because they just returned from rescuing us from the vampires. Again . I feel like I'm going to be sick. I know it's from the adrenaline and fear from being taken by the vampires. I know from experience that the feeling will fade, but it may take hours. I need hours of quiet and calm and a chance to let myself try to come down and process everything that's happened in the last forty-eight hours. Then it's going to be back to counseling for me. I shake my head, trying to clear it. I glance over at Ava; she looks just like I feel. Her face is pale, and she has dark circles under her eyes.

She meets my eyes and then lifts her head. "We're going home," Ava says, shattering the silence that descended when the two of them came in and said that they were going to be staying with us in the healer's house, which of course is ridiculous. She crosses her arms over her chest and gives them a defiant look.

The door opens to the room, and Samantha enters with Wyatt right behind her. She walks over to stand in front of us. "You both good?" she asks softly.

I meet her eyes. "Yes." My voice is soft but steady, and she reaches out and squeezes my hand. "Thank you for what you did back there to get us out," I tell her and hug her. She's more brave than I will ever be.

"Everything will be okay," she whispers near my ear. I don't say anything because I'm fighting the ever-present tears. Then she turns to Ava. "I'm leaving with Wyatt. Will you be okay?"

I watch as Ava lifts her head in a move that's so very Ava. "We'll be fine. We're going home. By ourselves," she adds for the benefit of the two shifters standing a few feet away.

Samantha looks between us both once more. "Call me if you need me."

We both know we won't be calling her. She and Wyatt need this time together. Which brings me back to the two shifters standing across from us in this small room. I don't want to deal with either of them; I just want to go home. A bone weariness suddenly settles over me, and I feel like I can barely keep my head up. "We need time," I say with a boldness that comes from literally being exhausted and unable to handle absolutely anything else. "We can't deal with this right now. I'm not saying never; I'm saying not now."

"I'm saying never," Ava argues quietly next to me, but I ignore her.

A new presence enters the room, and I know without turning that it's the alpha. I can feel his power like a living thing. "Rose. Ava. Are you both okay?" Alpha Garrett's words are gruff.

"We're okay," I say when Ava stays quiet. "Thank you for coming to rescue us." He gives a short nod before glancing over at Maverick and Bryce. He looks back at us, and I can see the wheels turning in his head.

"We need time," I whisper to him, using the same words I said moments ago. He must see something in my face because his face tightens, and he turns to Maverick and Bryce.

"They need time to heal both physically and emotionally. Give them time." Maverick opens his mouth, but Garrett cuts him off. "I'm not asking. I will give you both five minutes to say goodbye to your mates, and then you will be escorted off the premises by my wolves." Two growls sound, and I jump. "Don't make it be by force," Garrett says in a low voice. "That won't endear you to anybody. I'll give you five." He leaves the room a moment later.

I don't look their way; I don't want to see the anger on their faces. "He does realize what a dangerous and idiotic thing it is to keep a male from his mate, right?" Maverick says with almost a snarl. I look over at them, and I see the fury on Maverick's face. It makes me shiver.

There's a resigned look on Bryce's face. He glances over at Ava, who's refusing to look at him. He gives a short shake of his head and says something to Maverick that's too low for me to hear before walking over to Ava, who still won't look at him. I step closer, trying to offer my support. Bryce glances at me and then back at Ava. "I will give you time, Mate. All the time you need." She sneers at him, at him calling her mate; but he doesn't react to it. "If you need me, I'll be here. Just say the word." He looks like he's going to say more, but then he nods at me and strides from the room. I hear low voices in the hallway and know he's talking to Garrett.

When I turn back, I nearly jump out of my skin. Maverick is standing directly in front of me. I look up at him and realize for the first time how huge he is. I've never been this close to him. I swallow and take a step back, and my breath catches in my throat. He goes still. After a moment, he slowly takes a step back. He glances towards the hallway, then back at me. Then without a word, he leaves the room. I take a shuddering breath before turning to Ava. "Let's go home." She gives me a short nod.

That was that. I haven't seen either of them since that night. That was a few months ago. Part of me is surprised they haven't been back, especially Bryce. But the other part of me is not. I have no doubt that Maverick wants absolutely nothing to do with me, and why should he? I'm weak, messed up, a healer that was once a vampire...almost a vampire? Half a vampire? I don't really know the science of it. But I know that they tried to drain me. I would have died like so many others if my healing power inside me hadn't been able to fight against it. That's what Sage told me after the wolves rescued Ava and me. That was over a year ago. I can't believe it's been that long. I roll over and try to find sleep; morning is going to come too quickly. I wonder if Maverick will hate me even more now for sending him away and then not seeing him all these weeks. I pull my covers closer and try to find peace in sleep.

Morning comes far too quickly, but adrenaline gets me up and out of bed and on the move. I don't really know what to pack, so I grab a little of everything. I snag my coat and pick up my bags. "Ready, Ava?" I call out as I head out to the living room. "We have to get going or we're going to be late. Ava," I call again.

I hear a thud and look up to see Ava drop a bag in front of me. She scowls at me, but I don't say anything. She's coming with me, and she's ready on time. I can't ask for anything more than that. We walk outside and two shifters help us with our bags and drive us over to the clinic. It's busy when we get there. Paul and Sage are inside packing, while Max and Blaine are busy loading the plane. Raechel sees us and waves. She's not exactly a morning person, like Ava, so I wave back but keep my distance. The shifters on patrol load our bags for us and help Max for a few minutes.

"That's it," Max says. "You ready?" he asks Ava and me. I nod.

Garrett comes out of the healer clinic next. "Everybody ready?"

Max wraps an arm around Raechel and pulls her close. "Ready," he answers for all of us.

Garrett eyes both Ava and me. "Max and Blaine are going with to make sure everything is safe. I trust Cade; he's a good alpha and his pack is good. But they'll make sure you're taken care of before they return home."

"Uh, I may not be a wolf, but I can make sure they're safe too," a cranky Raechel adds.

Garrett bites back a smile. "And Raechel is there to protect you as well. If you need anything, call any time."

"Thank you," I say softly.

And then we load up. Moments later, after Ava shows me how to buckle the ridiculous buckle, I sit back against my seat. "Haven't you ever flown before?" Ava asks from her seat next to me.

"Nope."

If she's surprised, she doesn't show it. "Have you?" I ask.

"Yes. Lots of times." Her voice is soft, and I don't question her. Ava and I have an understanding. I don't ask her questions about her past, and she doesn't ask about mine; it's better that way.

I squeeze my handrest as the plane begins to move. Ava looks over at me and rolls her eyes but doesn't say anything. Takeoff is not something I would like to repeat anytime soon, but it gets better once we're in the air. I stare out the window, in awe of the entire experience while everybody else ignores the windows. That awe lasts about the first hour. The next three hours after that drag. The longer it goes, the more worked up and nervous I get. I can't believe that not only am I leaving the pack for the first time since my arrival, I'm flying to another pack...and seeing the man that says that I'm his mate. He doesn't want me to be his mate, but he thinks I am. I feel bad for him, honestly. Maybe he won't let it be a big deal; maybe he's already moved on. Somehow, I doubt it. I mean I've seen how the wolves in the Northwoods pack are about their mates, but maybe they're just really good guys. I can't picture Maverick being like that at all.

The flight finally comes to an end. I stare out my window. And then when I step outside, I blink against the bright light and immediately shed my winter coat. Raechel steps up next to me. "Don't think you're going to need that while you're here," she says, nodding at my coat.

"Welcome to Orlando," Ava mutters on my other side. I don't know what to look at first—the palm trees, the fountains, the flowers, the green grass. Everything is so bright and colorful and sunny.

"It's so different here."

Ava shoots me a glance. "Have you seriously never traveled?"

"You don't really travel much when you're in the system," I say under my breath. She doesn't say anything, and I regret saying what I did. I don't want pity; it's just a fact. I never traveled because I was in the foster system, bouncing around from one family to another.

"I've never been here either," Raechel says. "Man, it's hot. Max, we should find a pool," she shouts, turning to find her mate.

I shake my head and look around once again. I don't know what I was expecting, but this isn't it. I close my eyes and lift my face, soaking in the warmth of the sun. Maybe this trip won't be so bad after all.