Fiona frowned. “I know. You shouldn’t have to. But maybe, if it’s fate, you don’t actually have?—”
She froze, words dying on her lips. Her still-amber eyes widened as she started to cant to the left on her barstool.
“Fi? Fiona!” I leapt over the counter as she started to fall, several seconds passing as my sheer panic broke enough for me to realize what was happening. She was having a seizure.
I caught her before she hit the ground using my wolf’s speed, but just barely. My brain flipped through everything I’d read about how to help during seizures when Fi joined the pack and I quickly rolled her on her side.
Oh Goddess, her eyes had rolled back. Shit, this was really happening, and I was alone. Her body was stiff, jaw tight and back arched, as I whipped the cell phone out of my pocket to call backup.
Galyna answered on the first ring. Goddess bless her for never holding a grudge.
“I need you. Fiona’s having a seizure, we’re at our cottage, bring Reed.”
“I’m on my way.”
The line went dead, and I dropped the phone, not caring where it landed as Fiona convulsed in my arms. I held her head and one shoulder for balance, saying soothing nonsense on autopilot as I prayed with everything I had that she came through it safely.
I couldn’t tell you if a minute or an hour had passed before the cottage door slammed open, and then we were surrounded. Reed and Galyna, Olivia and Dakota encircled us, dropping to their knees to check on her.
Tears blurred my vision as Olivia took over, the usually meek healer barking orders with the confidence of a drill sergeant. I didn’t process a word she said. I watched, mute, as Reed lifted Fiona from the floor, carrying her across to our tattered couch, but I was frozen, unable to follow. We’d been friends for a few months now, but I’d never actually seen her have a seizure. All the late-night reading in the world couldn’t prepare me for watching her go through it for real.
I sucked in a strangled breath, tears running freely now as someone squatted in front of me.
Lyna.
“She’s going to be okay. Reed and Oli have her. You did exactly the right thing, and it should pass in a minute or two, okay?”
I bawled as I threw myself into my partner’s arms, and she didn’t hesitate to nearly choke me with the force of her return hug.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I mumbled against her hair.
She laughed, patting me briskly on the back. Galyna had never been much for emotions, no matter how long we’d been partners. Yet she didn’t push me away, just whispered some soothing nonsense of her own.
When I was calm, she pulled back, gripping me tightly by the shoulders. She made sure to stare me down so I couldn’t ignore her when she spoke. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You’re getting a shit deal from the maidens. I can’t deny that even if I have to follow orders. But you and me? We’re a unit. No matter what.”
“I know that. I’m just sorry I took it out on you. Iknowit’s not you. I just—” I swallowed hard, unable to admit the truth. I was scared my life was veering sharply away from hers, and I didn’t know how to handle that with grace. She was my family; the first family I’d had since my parents died.
Leaving her felt impossible. Scary on a cellular level. How could I tell her any of that? How could I tell her that I was pretty sure I was about to be booted from the Maiden’s Enclave because Valens was my fated mate, and despite my best efforts, I was falling head over heels for him? That I was making choices that took me away from her?
It cut sharper than the butterfly swords we both carried, and it cut deep.
“Just remember—no matter what.” Somehow, she seemed to know it all without a word passing between us.
I closed my eyes, letting her hold me up in more ways than one.
“Elodie!” Valens skidded into the room with Lucien hot on his heels, and my eyes snapped to my Brute. He was the sun and I his moon, drawn to him inexorably through the ages.
He dropped into a squat at my side, searching me over as if looking for physical wounds. “Are you okay? Is Fiona?”
I dashed away my tears as Galyna finally released me. “I’ll give you two a moment.”
“I’m not sure, honestly. I panicked, and when everyone got here, Olivia took over, thankfully. I needed a minute to compose myself, but we should go check.”
He nodded gravely, offering me a hand up. I placed mine in his, not too proud in the moment to admit my knees were jelly.
The second I was on my feet, he wrapped his arms around me, tucking my head under his chin and scenting me. His warm campfire-and-sugar scent enveloped me, and one by one, my muscles loosened, the tension sliding off me like rain off a duck’s back. It was pure magic, the way he held me.
After a minute, when I was truly back to myself, we separated and crossed the room to where Fiona lay on the tatty couch.
