“Didn’t want to worry you, obviously. Don’t ask silly questions, Alpha.” Her voice was weaker, and her chest rose and fell much more slowly. Somehow, her skin seemed even paler.
Tyler lifted his other hand and cupped Lisa’s wrinkled cheek. The look on his face was filled with love. He looked at her the way Tanya’s dad had looked at her many times over the years. She realized that Tyler saw Lisa as more than a pack mate. He saw her as a daughter. Lisa was his, and his heart was breaking. Tanya could see it in his eyes and the broken look on his face. He seemed helpless, and Tanya knew that was a feeling that no alpha liked to feel. Tyler started to speak, but his voice broke. He paused and closed his eyes, seeming to compose himself. Tanya bit back a sob as she watched a tear roll down the large alpha’s face.
“It’s not time yet, Healer,” he whispered.
Tanya knew Lisa wasn’t their kind of healer—a gypsy healer—but Tyler often called Lisa a healer as a sign of respect. The woman’s skills as a nurse had helped many of their injured wolves over the years.
“You are a strong alpha, but it’s not your will that holds me to this earth or takes me from it.” Lisa gave him a loving smile. “My maker calls us home in His time, just as your maker calls you to Her when it is your time.”
“I don’t much like your maker right now.” Tyler growled.
“We’ve talked about this, Ty,” Lisa said affectionately. “I cannot live the life of a Canis lupus. It is not my path. I was created to do exactly what God wanted me to do, and I believe I have accomplished that.”
“But we still need you,” he argued. “I still need you.”
Tanya covered her mouth as she tried to keep herself from completely breaking down. This was not how this trip was supposed to go. She wasn’t supposed to meet her mate and run from him. She wasn’t supposed to visit her friend, only to lose her. What the hell was happening? How had everything spiraled out of control?
“I’ll always be with you.” She leaned her face into his palm. “I have loved you as a sister loves a brother, and then as a mother loves her own. For I have been both to you. Even if you are technically older than me.” She huffed out a small chuckle but seemed too weak to give more than that. “Tell this one that she has to keep her promise, or you’ll turn her over your knee and bust her bottom like a spoiled child.”
Tyler’s brow rose, and he cut his eyes to Tanya.
“I met my mate. He’s an ass. It’s a whole thing.” She waved a dismissive hand. “Not important.”
“It’s very important,” Lisa barked at her and then coughed.
“Save your strength, you mule,” Tanya bit back.
Tyler met Tanya’s eyes. “I promise, Lisa. I will make sure she gives the stupid male a chance. We men all tend to be a little dense when it comes to females. Surely, she can find some grace in her heart.”
“I’m sitting right here.” Tanya rolled her eyes and then looked back at Lisa. The woman’s eyes were closed, and Tanya panicked. “Lisa.” She shook her, probably a little more roughly than was necessary.
Lisa’s eyes opened. “Calm down. Just resting my eyes. I’m tired.”
Tyler pushed her gray hair back from her face. “You rest if you need to. We’re not going anywhere.”
Tanya heard shuffling behind her. She turned and saw pack members filing into the room. One by one, they kneeled, giving this woman, who had dedicated so much of her time to them, the respect they would show a pack member. Then they bowed their heads and placed hands over their hearts—the respect they would only give their alpha. Tanya had to choke back a sob. This human woman meant so much to all of these wolves. They were hurting just as much as Tanya was.
Tanya held Lisa’s hand as she watched the old woman’s chest rise and fall. She found herself trying not to blink. Tanya felt that if she took her eyes off of Lisa for even a split second, her friend would slip away. She swallowed hard and let her eyes roam over the contours of her friend’s face. How was it that only hours ago they were sitting in Lisa’s kitchen laughing and joking? Now Tanya knew this was it. Soon, she would never hear the woman’s voice again. The voice that had given her advice and guidance so many times over her life would be no more. She took deep breaths as tears slid down her face, and she prayed to the Great Luna for a miracle.
The phone on Jeremiah's desk rang. He snatched it up and held it to his ear.
"What?" he growled.
“Alpha.” Huck’s voice came through the phone in a deep rumble. The two males he’d sent to Montana had driven the twelve hours at a ridiculous speed and had called Jeremiah once they’d arrived in the wee hours of the morning. It was only a few hours since then and they were calling again. That was good news.
Jeremiah sat forward and rested his elbows on the desk. “What have you got for me?”
"We know where the lone wolf has been living, Alpha. There’s a bar that caters to the supernaturals in this area, and we managed to run into some of the Montana pack. Some of the wolves were a tad pissed about Dillon bailing on them. There's a wolf here called Colin who is apparently Dillon’s best friend. With a little bit of pressure”—Huck’s voice deepened to a growl—“we got some info out of him. He said Dillon traveled the country for a while after his parents were killed by human hunters. Eventually, he settled in a place called Coldspring, Texas. He stayed there for some time."
Some time my ass. Try over a damn decade. "Hmm, what made him leave Coldspring? And why the hell did he come here?"
"Colin told us he called Dillon a few days ago to report his old pack needed his help. They've found two dead wolves. Looks like the human hunters are still active up there."
"Sucks for them," Jeremiah answered dryly. "And what did Dillon say to his friend? Why wouldn’t he go back to his former pack to help them out?”
Huck cleared his throat. "Here's the kicker, Boss. Colin told us that Dillon refused to come back to Montana and help. Dillon said he had found his mate, and he was headed to Colorado. I'm guessing she must be one of our pack."
Jeremiah went still. The mating marks on Dillon’s neck flashed in his mind. "Here?" That was something Dillon hadn’t bothered to mention. Though, to be fair, he had asked Jeremiah to give him some time to share more about his true mate. But why not just tell Jeremiah that he thought his mate was among the Colorado pack? He thought back again to their meeting and reminded himself that he hadn’t scented any deceit on the male or in his words.
