18. Healing

Hiroshi was distracted as I accompanied Xavier to the clinic with the babies. I’d grown to like Roan’s father. He had come into the pack when Roan had needed him most, and after a long period of estrangement. Like many, Xavier had struggled with the unusual bonding, but when it had been important, he had put all of that aside to truly be there for his son and his family.

Now he considered them all to be his sons, and therefore, all the children to be his grandchildren. He lived with them so he could assist them with childcare.

Given how precious the children were, in particular, the alpha female, Jewel, and the rare Japanese tiger alpha, Noah, they had to be guarded at all times. Then there was Maddox, who technically should not exist being that he was born of two beta parents. I was happy to assist with that, especially given with how easily the pack had accepted my royal status.

We had come back from Abrocaelum and I had told Alpha Blake, Kade, Dakota, Jasper, Aldrin… the list went on. If they were important to the pack, then I told them the truth. Perhaps I should have given them more credit in the first place, because it didn’t alter their perception or treatment of me.

So, given their easy forgiveness and acceptance, it was effortless for me to step up and help them when they needed it. I genuinely liked the members of the Sweetwater pack and wanted to see them thrive. It was easy to see why they were so favored by their goddess. They were just good people.

Xavier asked if Hiroshi was okay as I took over cleaning out the pump for him. I admired Hiroshi’s commitment to feeding the babies by himself. He and Tate were now breastfeeding, something I had not known the omega males could do. Of course, magic was involved in starting production, but their bodies were capable of it.

Once it was properly clean, I placed it on the side to dry. Hiroshi had explained the importance of sterilization. Not that a simple illness would affect the shifter children. Still, it was best to be cautious with such precious babies.

“Sorry, Xavier, distracted by trying to help Roan,” I heard Hiroshi say as I tidied up the small kitchen area where he liked to pump.

“Help Roan? What’s wrong?” The alarm was startling in Xavier’s tone. He had gone from having a simple conversation to being on high alert in a second.

“No, it’s his arm. I need to figure out a way to boost my healing so I can put a focused stream of it into the nerves and muscles to really repair all the damage there. It’ll need to break up the patchwork I did roughly when he was slipping away.” Hiroshi was twisting his fingers nervously. It was clear to me this was really affecting him mentally. His omega senses must have been working overdrive, especially as such a talented healer.

“Slipping away? Moon above! How bad was it?” Xavier had Jewel on his hip as he smoothed Noah’s hair absentmindedly. His wolf likely needed the grounding touches. Wolves were much more touch oriented than some of the other shifter types. It would have been soothing to both Xavier and his grandchildren, particularly Jewel. Maddox watched them, his head moving between the adults.

“They said it was close, but this, I’ve never heard you make it sound so dire.”

“We nearly lost him,” Hiroshi said in a pained voice. “It’s why I could only patch and not have him lose the arm altogether.”

Xavier looked to be a moment from running out of the clinic to check on his son. He put Jewel back into the stroller and slumped into a seat.

The situation with Roan made me wonder if my magic and Hiroshi’s healing ability working together would work.

“Hiroshi, I might have an idea for a way to do this,” I said carefully. While I was reluctant to give him false hope, I truly wanted to repay the pack for their continued faith in me despite my deception. “We should discuss this later.”

“Really?” Hiroshi lit up with delight.

I inclined my head.

“That would be amazing! Any help you could give me would be wonderful. I really want to do this to help Roan, especially with Jewel being an alpha. I think he would feel better if he had more movement in that arm.”

Nodding again to show I understood, I said, “I will return later. Roan should be here.”

“After the clinic is closed?” he asked, looking eager to get started.

“Yes.” Unwilling to go into it further, letting the idea brew in my mind, I joined the other guards outside, but not before I heard a much calmer Xavier say his goodbyes to Hiroshi.

“I’m going to continue my walk and take the babies to see Daddy up at the main house. Crown Jewel, Noah baby, Maddox my man, say bye to Otosan.”

“You must curb your expectations,” I counseled in the clinic after it had closed. It was just me and Hiroshi there as we waited for Roan to finish up over in the mansion.

Instead of moving the offices to their home, the Alpha Pair had decided to keep their business separate from their living quarters. It was better, security wise, also. Axel had often despaired of how many people had access to the mansion. It was what had allowed the attack, which had almost cost Roan his arm the first time, well before his near fatal attack during Hiroshi’s rescue.

“I know! Honestly, I do. I just really want this to work. To give him something special.”

“You do not think a child and a fated mate were special enough? I can assure you the man I know would rather he lost the arm altogether than not have either of you.”

Hiroshi slumped in defeat. “You’re right. I know you are. It’s just I’ve always been this superstar healer and this is the first time I’ve failed.”

“Failed? I do not see failure. Roan kept his arm, his life, because you used that superstar power on him. I’ve heard the stories. What you did was remarkable. Had even Aldrin been there, I’m not sure Roan would be alive.”

The omega was quiet as he got himself together. “Thank you. I needed that reminder. Even if this doesn’t work, at least I’ll know I’ve done literally everything I could.”

I rose to my feet warily as Roan entered the room. The alpha was always so busy I had never been given an opportunity to get to know him better. Often I was too busy helping Axel and Deke with the security of the pack and elves.

“Hey!” Hiroshi went over to his mate to kiss him and say hello. “Your dad said he let the cat out of the bag about trying another healing. I just have a good feeling about this one!”

His enthusiasm was catching, yet I saw Roan rub his face wearily with his working hand. “I’ll give it a try.” He looked his mate in the eyes. “This has to be the last time, Hiro. We need to let this go. I’m fine without it.”

My heart ached in sympathy for the shifter. It must have been difficult to become used to the lack of sensation in his arm, without having to contend with the regular healings I knew Hiroshi was subjecting him to. He probably did not want to get his hopes up.

“Okay,” Hiroshi began to explain, “so Teárlach is going to hold on to my shoulder and try a spell that he thinks will focus his magic into me. He’s going to be an... I forget how he said it.” Hiro looked at me for the right word.

“Amplifier,” I supplied.

“Yeah, like in those books you read!” Hiro’s smile for his mate was so soft and sweet that I felt like I was intruding on a personal moment.

“Okay, so T is going to amplify your healing?” Roan asked.

“Yes, so I can target the area with a surge of power. It needs to break down what is blocking the area. Then I can use what’s left to heal the damage that hasn’t repaired itself.”

It helped me direct my power, knowing exactly how Hiroshi was going to do the healing.

“So you think it’s the initial healing that was the issue?” Roan’s brow puckered with a frown.

The light in Hiroshi’s eyes dimmed with sadness. “Yes. Simply, I threw as much power at you as I could afford, maybe more, just trying to pull you back from the brink. I think the too rapid healing left scar tissue affecting nerves. It didn’t help that it had already been badly injured before.”

Roan took his mate into a hug, gripping him with his working arm. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. You saved my life. Everything else wasn’t important.”

“I know. I guess it’s just that I’m used to being the best. That sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? All over the world I have this rep and I feel like I’m not living up to it with your healing.” They shared another private moment that made me wish I’d waited outside until I was needed.

“You are so important to me. I just want to get this right to show you that.”

The pair were adorable together, but they had a family to get home to and I wanted to find Axel. “I am ready when you are, Hiroshi.”

Nodding, Hiroshi stepped back. “Take off your shirt, please,” he said to Roan.

He did as his mate asked, and sat on the examination table, putting him at a more comfortable height for Hiroshi to rest his hands on his skin. The omega was quite a bit shorter than both me and Roan.

The skin on Roan’s shoulder was badly scarred from that day. In many circles, a wound such as his would have been life ending. Now it was a morbid trophy of a battle won. Hiroshi had really pulled off a miracle to keep Roan alive after such an injury.

With no cue, Hiroshi began his healing. The glow wrapped around Roan, comforting with a faint prickle to it as it sought out injury. I loved to watch the healers work. We elves could heal our own, but nothing to this degree.

I watched for a moment as Hiroshi’s innate magic sought out the scar tissue and began to break it down.

Then I began the words for healing in my native tongue and laid both hands on Hiroshi, directing the power through him. The glow from my magic was a faint pink color. Hardly a surprising color since it meant compassion, nurturing. That’s what I felt. Compassion for Hiroshi’s mission to heal his mate and for Roan’s pain. Nurturing as I wanted to help Hiroshi’s magic grow so it could fulfill its purpose.

My magic had only grown to show the color pink when I had mastered a modicum of inner peace. Hours of meditating and training had helped me master my magic, giving me the faint pink color.

It joined with Hiroshi’s gold, making it brighter until my eyes hurt with how radiant it was.

Unconnected to Roan, I was unsure how the healing was going, so I continued to push magic through the omega.

I saw Roan’s fingers twitch.

“Keep going!” he urged.

Feeling tired but buoyed by our success, I chanted louder, my magic deepening in color as my passion intensified. I was helping! No longer was I just a prince or a general in the army, I was using my goddess given magic to help.

Deep pink and gold merged into a stunning bronze as Roan’s fingers truly flexed in a way that proved this was working. He gripped the edge of the bed easily, all signs of pain gone.

Still, the magic continued. I felt a little dizzy, yet I could not stop, caught up in my joy at our success.

“Hiroshi, T, let it go. It’s done! Look!” Roan raised both of his hands in the air, dislodging Hiroshi’s grip on him and breaking the circle of magic.

“T, let him go!”

I did not hear him. The magic compelled me to keep pouring into Hiroshi.

“Get out!” Roan shoved my hold off Hiroshi.

The remaining power snapped back into us with a painful crack, though Hiroshi appeared unaware.

I understood why when I caught the sweet smell in the air. My face paled.

“Okay, I’ll let everyone know!” With one last look at the pair, I turned and fled the room, leaving the clinic entirely.

The healing had worked! Not just on Roan. It had sent Hiroshi into heat.

After I let Xavier know not to expect them home any time soon, I had to tell everyone. This was important. I felt it in my bones.