21. Mai

Danni led Ryan and me down the sterile white hallway, the rhythmic beeping of machines echoing off the walls. The air smelled strongly of harsh cleaning products, barely masking the stale undertones of illness and suffering. The fluorescent lights lent everything a cold, clinical feel. We were deep in the medical wing of the Alpha House, where both Shifters and humans in Bridgetown were treated, heading to see Arabella. Shya was currently setting up a meeting with her contact, and I wanted to see how Arabella was doing before we left.

"How's Noreen doing?" I asked.

Danni paused outside a door labeled 217B.

She sighed. "Not good. This is difficult for everyone involved. I've sent Noreen home to get some sleep. She was exhausted, and we're going to need her later on when Arabella might be more cooperative. I have to warn you that Arabella has deteriorated since you saw her."

Ryan gave my hand a reassuring squeeze as Danni opened the door. The scent hit me first—the sharp sting of antiseptics poorly masking the stale odor of sweat and sickness. Then I saw her.

Arabella was strapped to a hospital bed, her wrists and ankles bound. Her skin was sallow, dark circles ringing her sunken eyes. She was rail-thin, her hospital gown hanging loosely off her frame.

As we walked in, her head lolled to the side, glassy eyes struggling to focus. Recognition sparked, and she let out an anguished wail, her body contorting against the restraints. My heart broke at the sight of her wild-eyed despair.

"Ripple," she rasped. "I need it. Please, please …"

I moved to Arabella's side, taking her clammy hand in mine. "Arabella, it's me, Mai. We met at your apartment. Do you remember?"

Her eyes finally focused on me, filled with confusion and torment. "Mai?" she croaked.

"Yes, I'm here with Ryan. We want to help." I kept my voice low, hoping some part could reach her.

"Help … me?" Her words came out slurred, almost unintelligible.

"We want to help you and your sister get through this." I squeezed her hand.

She thrashed against her bonds, face contorting. "I don't want your fucking help. I need ripple … I need it! It's the only thing that will make the pain stop." Fresh tears leaked down her hollowed cheeks.

Danni hurried to her side, speaking in low, soothing tones and checking the IV drips. After a moment, Arabella's pleas quieted to a whimper.

"The withdrawal is intense," Danni said. "We're trying to keep her sedated most of the time, but her wolf keeps fighting it."

As if on cue, Arabella's back arched, muscles straining. A grating scream tore from her lips. Ryan rushed to help hold her down as she thrashed.

"Make it stop!" she shrieked. "It burns!"

A nurse hurried into the room. He was male, Latino, and looked to be in his early 30s. He had short black hair and warm brown eyes. His name tag read "Rico" in neat block letters.

Rico moved with quick efficiency, his muscular arms helping to hold down Arabella's limbs thrashing against her restraints. His voice was soothing as he spoke gently to her in Spanish, trying to calm her distressed cries. I didn't understand his words, but his tone was calm and comforting.

With Ryan and Rico both holding Arabella, Danni stepped back, pulling out her phone.

"Camille? We need you down here. Yes … No … Okay."

At Danni's words, Arabella's cries went from frantic to desperate.

"Please, you don't understand. None of you do. Please, I just need one more hit. That will make this all go away. Please …"

My heart ached, knowing there was little I could do to ease her suffering. Rico injected Arabella with something, and almost immediately, her body relaxed, and her eyes closed.

"The Galloway Pack is sending one of their doctors," Danni said as she turned to us. "She has some experience with this. She'll be here tomorrow."

"It is just Arabella so far?" I asked. "No other reports of Shifters addicted to ripple in Bridgetown?"

"Not yet, but it won't stay that way. I've been making calls. In the five Packs that I've managed to speak to, they've had twenty-one overdoses and sixty-six Shifters who are addicted. We know it's here. It's only a matter of time before we get reports of others. We're going to have to be prepared."

I looked at Arabella. She was asleep but had a grimace on her face. "Any idea who supplied Arabella?"

"I've got enforcers making house calls on Arabella's work colleagues. We should know soon, and then we'll start to trace the route back to get to the dealer. They'll give up their contacts—both their bosses and who they've been supplying. I've no doubt about that. Michael and Camille will make sure of it."

"That'll get the intelligence on how ripple is getting into the Bridgetown Pack, but if you're going to shut this down, you'll need to go to the source. They must be powerful to have gotten ripple into so many Packs. If you get me the information, I can put Mason and Sam on it. Their agency has experience with running informants and infiltrating the top ranks of shady operations," said Ryan.

Danni nodded. "I'll run it by Michael and Camille, but I don't see it being a problem. We're going to need all the help we can get on this. In the meantime, we're trying to get more rooms ready as we're going to detox anyone who has taken this stuff."

"What then?" I asked. "How are you going to stop them getting out of here and trying to find more ripple as soon as they've detoxed?"

Danni looked at me. "Honestly? I've no idea. I don't know; we haven't seen a Shifter addicted to drugs before. We're going to have to take this one step at a time and hope the southern doctor has more information."

Just then, Arabella arched up with a scream. I turned to help her as Camille swept into the room. Her presence instantly calmed Arabella's cries. Camille grasped Arabella's face between both hands, staring deep into her eyes.

"Shhh now, child. You are safe here."

A wave of energy pulsed around the room. Relief swept over Arabella's features as Camille's Alpha power flowed into her. The lines of pain eased, her facial muscles relaxing one by one, her breathing evened out, her whimpers quieting. I'd heard of Alphas having the ability to temporarily take pain away from their Pack members, but had never seen it in action. Was this something that Ryan and I would be able to do for our Pack?

It wasn't the only power that Alphas had that other Shifters did not. Alphas could also do a partial Shift, only turning their hands into claws or their heads into wolf heads. I'd only seen it done once, and it was freaky as fuck, but all Alphas were supposed to have that ability, drawing on their Pack bonds to give them the control needed. How the hell would I even learn how to do these things?

Danni nodded at me, and Ryan and I followed her out to give Camille and Arabella some privacy, Camille's soothing voice following us into the hall.

I knew then, without a doubt, that ripple had to be stopped. It was here now, in Bridgetown. According to Sofia, it was in Three Rivers. It would destroy Packs, destroy our communities. The dealers peddling this poison had to be eradicated, no matter what it took.

"We have to stop this drug any way we can," I said.

Beside me, Ryan nodded.