Ares’ hand tightens on mine, offering assurance that I’m not alone or trying to loan me some of his strength via diffusion, I’m not sure. A shiver runs down my spine and I feel Osiris approach more than see him, so when he rubs against my leg a moment later, I don’t jump.
“Humans aren’t very trusted around here,” Ares explains. “Not like they never come to town, but we prefer to keep to ourselves. I told you though, it’s different if you’re our mate. Prides look out for one another, and being our mate offers you the same protection.”
I swallow. “He did bring me here, but not in the way you’re thinking.”
Better to get this out of the way now before they start expecting me to perform any miracles. I give them the bullet point version of events and by the time I’m finished, they both just look defeated.
Zora gives Ozzy an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry, Osiris. But we’re relieved that you made it home; even if it wasn’t in one piece.”
Cole interjects from where he ended up leaning against the porch railing by my side. “Au contraire, he came back improved, if you ask me. Found our mate and is quieter than ever.”
Ozzy growls and I grin, appreciating the effort in taking the conversation away from the depressing turn it had fallen into.
“We’re heading into the bigger towns today,” Ares informs them, “but were hoping to see her before we left? Let her see Osiris was alright.”
Both women share a look before agreeing, opening their home to us and through the cluttered mess inside. It’s homey, just full of scattered toys and clothes. We make our way through the living room and down a hallway lined with several doors. Zora gently knocks before opening it, making sure she’s awake so we don’t intrude.
It’s a crowded fit, all of us gathering in Sarah’s room, but not impossible. She’s sitting up in bed reading, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d think she just wasn’t feeling too well. That is, until she turns her grey-blue eyes on me, the color dull and muted.
“Osiris!” she gasps, breaking into an elated grin and setting her book aside. He pads over and puts only his front paws on the bed to stretch up to her, nuzzling her arm before she wraps her arms around his head. “I was scared you weren’t coming back.” They break apart and she looks from him to me and my heart sinks to my stomach with her next, hopeful statement. “You really convinced a human to come all this way from the city?”
Cole sits on the bed at her feet. “We told you, Sarah; we’re not giving up. But don’t get too excited, because we knew this was a long shot going in,” he warns and absolute dread fills my veins.
I’m surprised I don’t break the bones in Ares’ hand with as fiercely as I’m gripping it right now. Mentally I scream, but on the outside I keep my expression neutral. I may not have any experience with children, but I certainly know better to steal hope from someone that desperately needs it to cling to.
Why the hell did I ask to come with them? Of course she would think I’m some goddamn doctor. I just make everything ten times harder by being involved, don’t I? I don’t belong out here, bring nothing to the table. Such a goddamn burden; no wonder my father tried to pawn me off on someone else.
“This is Rin,” Ares informs her, pulling me out of my internal spiral when it’s clear that my words are frozen in my throat. “Our mate. And we have you to thank for that, Sarah.”
She blinks up at him, canting her head to the side in confusion and scrunching up her face. “I didn’t do anything.”
He clucks his tongue. “Of course you did. If it wasn’t for you, do you really think any of us would have ever stepped foot inside a city? We would have gone our entire lives without ever finding her.”
Eyes far too wise for their age settle on me as realization dawns on her. “You’re not a doctor.” She doesn’t seem upset, just resigned.
I bite my cheek before answering. “No, I’m afraid not.”
She shrugs, carrying on as if it isn’t a big deal. “For the best. All of the doctors we’ve seen don’t know what’s wrong with me anyway, so I wasn’t convinced a city doctor would either. But I’m happy the trip wasn’t a waste.”
I try not to get teary-eyed, but fuck, this kid is breaking my heart. “Maybe I can offer some insight still,” I throw out there, shifting on my feet and despising how useless I’m feeling right about now.
Freya fills me in on her symptoms, but there’s barely any rhyme or reason to them. Fevers one day, lethargy, fine other days, just to lose all appetite and be bedridden for a week. Even when she eats she’s constantly losing weight, and the fevers come out of nowhere and stay for days.
I frown. “When did all of this start?”
Zora and Freya look at each other, yet say nothing aloud, so I assume it’s a pack link at play. After a minute, Zora answers. “Six, seven months ago?”
“No, I mean what were you guysdoing? Like, did you go camping the week before she got sick, eat something unusual? Anything out of the normal routine?”
They just shake their heads, looking frustrated and defeated. “The usual. Zora went to and from work while I stayed home with the cubs; running them to school and back, errands, etcetera.” Freya bites her bottom lip, looking towards their daughter and it makes my heart hurt.
Sarah cuts in. “We also went for my new bike. I only got to ride it for about a week before I started to not feel good.”
“Where’d you buy it from? The same town you usually go to for shopping and things?”
Freya looks skeptical. “One town over. But we’ve already asked around that one as well and no one else has gotten sick. Saw a couple of doctors too and they swore they haven’t had anyone come in with symptoms like hers and would call us if that changed.”
I can’t shake the nagging feeling in the back of my mind, but I don’t know if it’d be incredibly rude to ask or not. Still, I can’t help but think it.
