“Of course,” Raphael offered without pause. “I’ll do anything I can.”
“Accept my proposal and I can give you medical supplies,” Natalie Morgan said from somewhere behind them.
Gabriel turned around and glared at the human. “Still determined to include the wolves in your ‘proposal’?”
“If I don’t, they’ll keep attacking,” she returned just as vehemently. “They came here for women, and they’re obviously willing to kill to get them. Is that really what you want?”
“I want the medical supplies,” Zion snarled, shoving Gabriel aside. “I agree to your proposal. Give me women and give me medical supplies. I don’t give a shit if you spy on my village. I have nothing to hide.”
She said something under her breath and a pile of crates appeared on the grass beside her. “There is some pretty sophisticated equipment in there. Do any of your cats have medical training?”
“Malik was a field medic,” Zion told her.
“None of the villages have a doctor?” she asked disbelievingly.
“My mate is a physician’s assistant,” Gabriel said. “But she’s up at Eagle Village.”
“I’ll go get her.” And Natalie faded from view.
“I think the fighting is over.”
Despite Patrick’s assurance, Heather couldn’t stop pacing. “What is wrong with the wolves?” she cried angrily as she walked from the bedroom doorway to the fireplace and back again. “Why do they keep doing this?”
“We both know the answer to that,” Patrick said calmly. He sat in the chair nearest the fireplace, but his warm gaze followed her. “They’re trying to survive just like the rest of us, but they have a horrible way of going about it.”
She stopped walking and faced him, hands on her hips. “You think we should accept Natalie’s offer?”
“I think we should consider it. Seriously consider it.”
“Wow.” She lowered her arms and moved to the chair facing him. “That surprises me. I thought you would fight this sort of thing tooth and nail.”
“I don’t trust her,” he stressed. “I would take every word she said with a grain of salt, but that uncertainty would be well worth it if she can get the wolves under control.”
Heather shook her head, unable to muster any faith in their mysterious visitor or the wolves. “They’ll agree to whatever she requires of them. And then twenty minutes after she departs for Earth, they’ll be right back to attacking the other villages.”
“If Elias was still village alpha, I’d agree with you. Alex is ruthless, but each of his attacks has had a specific purpose. He doesn’t kill just for the thrill of killing.”
“I don’t know. I’d still?—”
Natalie Morgan suddenly appeared in the center of the living room. There was no warning, no flash of light. Her image simply faded into view and then the image became matter. “Sorry to barge in on you like this, but they need you right now in the feline village.”
Heather looked at Patrick. “Can you fly me down there?”
“No need,” Natalie insisted, motioning Heather toward her. “Teleporting is faster. Come here.”
“I’ll fly down there in the skimmer so we can bring you back,” Patrick told Heather. “Go.”
Heather grabbed her coat, pulled on her boots, then hesitantly approached Natalie. It was hard to place her life in the hands of someone she didn’t trust.
Natalie wrapped her hand around Heather’s wrist and said, “Return me to the feline village, and double the transport grid. There are two of us now.”
The floor beneath Heather’s feet disintegrated and she screamed. The cabin faded to black and when the light returned, she stood in a clearing in front of three unfamiliar buildings.
“The clinic is in the middle,” Natalie told her. “Hustle.”
Heather jogged toward the building, more than ready to feel useful again. The clinic was small and wounded cats were near, sat or reclined on every conceivable surface. She squeezed through the crowd, heading for Malik. She’d only met the guardian once, but it was common knowledge that the former medic was the closest thing the feline shifters had to a doctor.
Raphael knelt beside a wounded cat, no doubt using his psychic gifts to heal the injuries.
