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It’s somewhere after midnight and I’m holding Patsy’s feverish hand as she moans with the excruciating pain in her head.

“Sing us all your pretty dream song, girl?” she requests, face twisting with agony.

Kimmy is crying on her mattress as Cat mops her brow with a cool cloth. She’s having trouble getting Kimmy’s fever down. Roger isn’t doing very well at all. Everything we’ve given him, he’s vomited straight back up.

And the worst part of all of this is how everyone has to look on with sadness or try to sleep amid the weeping and moaning in between sounds of retching from those who are still feeling ill. Thankfully, the anti-nausea meds have helped some.

I know Grey wants everyone in one place, but I hate that everyone is witnessing the agony of the sick.

For Patsy, I begin to sing. And tears stream down my face as I do, but after I get through the first line, my voice cracks as I sing of dreaming love would never die.

There are too many faces pointed at me with fear or pain in them. But this is when my mate moves into the doorway from outside and the look on his face as well as the faint smile and relaxation finally on Patsy’s face gives me strength to keep going, singing through to the line about dreaming he’d come to live years together with me.

As always, I end abruptly before the last line.

Patsy squeezes my hand, a little more strength in her grip than a few minutes ago.

“It’ll be okay,” she tells me and closes her eyes. “I’m gonna rest a while now,” she adds.

“Okay, Patsy.” I touch her cheek before getting to my feet.

***

Not even an hour later, Roger grimaces before he takes his last breath and his heart beats the final time. This happens while I’m holding his hand, mopping his forehead with a cool cloth.

We were too late. This is what that poison does. This is what having a cruel, egomaniac leader does to a village. Dying people young and old, people who can’t have babies, people forced to drink, cook, and bathe with polluted water, people living in fear – unable to even connect with parts of themselves for fear of punishment.

Living like this makes people do what they don’t want to do, makes them into people they’re not.

Me, shooting and poisoning strangers. Malachi being hauled up into the sky because he becomes part of the negativity infecting a pack. Women, sold for their bodies, forced…

I weep uncontrollably, looking at the look of pain on Roger’s face. He didn’t have to die. He didn’t deserve it, certainly not in pain like this.

I’m still bawling when Grey is suddenly moving my hand so Roger’s drops. I stare at it as Grey lifts me and carries me outside, sitting down on a chair, rocking me, purring for me.

Fresh air would be nice, but the air here isn’t fresh. It’s foul. It’s tainted. Like all of us.

“He t-taught me to read and write,” I whimper. “He taught all of us until a few years ago when he started going blind. He…he… was so kind. He would bake cupcakes for us once a month and h-he could draw anything. He drew every one of us a picture of ourselves when we graduated with that hand … that that just went lifeless in my grip.”

“I’m so fucking sorry, baby,” he whispers, rocking me.

Roger is gone. Kimmy is in terrible condition. Patsy’s not doing great and Jillian, another elderly lady in the pack isn’t much better than Roger was a few hours ago. It’s doubtful she’ll make it through the night. Patsy’s now looking like she’ll sleep, but Jillian has been crying out in agony, keeping a lot of people from getting sleep. Nobody’s complaining. Kimmy had been crying a lot, too, but finally settled about a half an hour ago, which meant the other four children who may not have consumed as much as Kimmy have been able to fall asleep.

Kimmy was born missing her right arm. She’s frequently sick. She’s developmentally slower than other kids her age. And as much as he’s done to ruin us, I’m still having problems wrapping my mind around the fact Wyatt ordered her and so many others to be poisoned to death.

It’s a slow, painful death taking this poison he had me serve to some of the alphas in Arcana Falls. I’m so grateful that they only had one dose. And that I gave them less than I was told to administer to them. Glad most of all that they were strong alphas so could recover.

I speak, “I’m so, so angry at my brother that I think if he walked in here tonight, I’d take my fingernails to his face and claw his eyes out. I’m not sure anyone could stop me from strangling him to death, even if I had to die while doing it. That’s how much I hate him, that’s how much I want him to pay for doing this to everyone.”

“I know, Blossom,” Grey says.

His expression is tight. His eyes are flaring with emotion. I know he feels me right now. Feels my pain and sorrow. I feel both his anger and my own. I hate this. I hate it all so much.

Gus and Linc carefully move Roger out of the building, and I watch them carry him toward the back.

“He would want to be buried, not burnt,” I rasp. “He’d want his body to feed the creatures underground.”

“They aren’t burning anybody,” Grey says, rising and setting me on my feet. “They’ll get buried. You should get some sleep, Blossom.”

“No,” I deny. “I don’t think I can.”

Nobody has been allowed to leave but the non-sick were allowed to have their beds brought into the mess hall. It would’ve been too tight for everyone, but then Grey and Jase walked the men from that back corner down to the beta training barracks.

Eloise told me about it after I saw her having a quiet conversation by the door with Grey and Jase just before those men got moved.

I didn’t ask questions, was busy helping the ill, but I could feel Grey’s anger in my chest as well as see it plainly on his face and Eloise later whispered to me that she doesn’t know what’ll happen to them but that the rest of the men were in the beta training cabins and that she gave Jase and Grey the gist of who is who among the men.

“Jared brought his Airstream,” Grey says. “Says we can have his bed. He’s gonna sleep on an airbed in his pickup.”

“I don’t want to take Jared’s bed,” I say. “everyone else is sleeping on mattresses on the floor in there, I’m–”

“No arguments wife,” Grey asserts. “You aren’t sleeping on the floor in there and we’re also not sleeping in that fuckin’ trailer you lived in.”

I look down. “I’ll do another round with some ice water. They need more fever medicine in another hour. I’ll try and sleep after that.”

“Your shift is over for the next six hours, woman. Mitch is there. He and someone else can do those things. You need to sleep,” he says grouchily.

I don’t argue. “Let me just wash up,” I say and move back inside, over to the sink area and use hand sanitizer on my hands before I dip a paper towel into the bowl of soapy water and wipe down my face and hands before I wet another square in the next bowl of clean water to rinse off with. We have that limited amount of water that was brought today so we’re rationing for tonight. I overheard Grey talking to Dr. Blakely who said he ordered a water tanker to be delivered and parked here tomorrow, and he’s already taken water and soil samples and is having them sent to a lab tomorrow.

“I’ll see you in a few hours,” I say to Cat Savage who is holding her clipboard out and going over something on it with Dr. Blakely. “Grey’s making me rest a bit.”

“Me too,” she says. “We’ll all rest a bit. Nobody needs medication for a while.”

“I’ll keep watch, look after things. I’m not tired,” Dr. Blakely says.

“Thank you for everything,” I tell them both.

Dr. Blakely gives me a look of sympathy, but says nothing, instead focusing on reading the clipboard while Cat gives me a tired half-smile, squeezing my hand with affection.

“I’m in your debt. Truly. Anything you need. Ever,” I tell her.

She shakes her head. “You’re not in my debt. I think many of these people here all feel like they’re in yours though, sweetie. You’re a wonderful addition to our pack. Truly.”

I’m about to choke up again and I think she sees it. Her eyes bounce past me to Grey who puts his hands on my shoulders and squeezes before turning me around to lead me out of the building.

***

The Arcana Falls men are taking turns keeping watch. And another six betas are due to arrive in the next hour or two to lend extra help. Erica’s sister Danica is coming first thing in the morning to help out as well. She, too, is a healer and she’s got some magic supplies for Grey as well as a healing elixir she wants Cat to administer to everyone here.

“I’ll join you in a couple minutes,” Grey tells me after I’m inside the camper.

It’s compact with a small living area when you first walk in, a small kitchen space and dining booth in the middle, then there’s a small bathroom and the bedroom space on the other side. It has a double bed and small wardrobe. The suitcase I packed at Grey’s is sitting on the end of the bed.

I now realize how bone-tired I am.

Grey is outside talking to people for a few minutes, and the sound of his low, rumbling voice is what I’m focusing on now that I’m alone. Until I hear Jase cussing about his sister being stuck with my brother, talking about finding them and putting Wyatt to death even though it’ll make his sister a widow. Grey’s and Jase’s voices move away, and I strain to hear, but can’t.

This leaves me nothing to focus on as I lie here. And I wish I had something to focus on because I don’t want to let more of my emotions out. Falling apart again won’t help. It won’t bring anyone back. Suddenly, I hear noise. A vehicle and then multiple car doors opening and closing. Familiar scents hit my nose.

I rush outside and see women coming out of Brody’s SUV as well as a red pickup truck that’s parked beside it, driven in by one of the betas who went out for supplies earlier.

I run and collide with Addy, and we hug, bursting into tears.

She’s dressed in high heels, a body-hugging red dress with one broken strap, and there’s at least an inch of makeup on her face, covering up her freckles. Her auburn hair falls in ringlets to her shoulders. All the girls are dressed similarly.

And the reason why they’re dressed like this makes my gut churn, but more than anything I’m relieved they’re all here, that Brody found them.

“You’re okay?” I ask.

“You’re okay?” she asks at the exact same time and then we hug and cry some more.

Grey is beside us.

“Addy, this is Greyson Blackwood, he’s my-”

“Fated mate,” she whispers. “Hi,” she says, and her eyes quickly dart away.

“Good to meet you, Addy,” Grey says softly.

“Thanks, um… you, too,” she whispers, staring at her feet.

Misty is bawling so I grab her and hug her hard.

“It’s all gonna be okay,” I tell her.

I’m so, so angry. Misty’s body language tells me things about what she’s been through. She’s sixteen. I’d been protecting her for the past two years, reminding Wyatt how young she is even though she looks older. I feel like I failed her.

I add, “I’m so, so sorry for what you’ve been through.”

She nods, sniffling.

I hug Caroline next, and we don’t exchange words, but we don’t really need to. She’s got anger written all over her face and also trauma. She’s angry that she’s been put through this, she’s angry that the pack is going through this. Caroline has been angry for a long time, and I can relate.

I get hugs from all the other girls, except Jenny, because Jenny doesn’t wait her turn, instead she runs for her mom when Eloise rushes out.

Jenny dissolves into her mother’s arms and I can feel Grey’s ire and see the fury on Jase and Brody’s faces.

I turn to Addy and say, “I have some bad news. Aunt Shea…”

“I know,” she whispers. “I knew she wasn’t long for this world when I left, and I felt it the next day. She came to me in a dream. She’s in a better place.”

But I wish she could be in the better place I live in now. That she could see where that is, how wonderful.

We hug again, both of us hanging on tight to one another.

“Blossom,” Grey whispers. “Been a really long night. These girls all want to get washed up and catch some sleep. Yeah? Tomorrow’s not far off. We’ll all sit down and talk things out. Make some plans. Yeah?”

“All right,” I whisper and let go of Addy.

“Girls,” Grey addresses the group, “If you wanna tell these guys where your beds are, they’ll bring them into the mess hall there. We’re keeping everyone together tonight. Okay?”

I love how gently he’s speaking to them. None of them are looking him in the eye, but he’s being so soft-spoken right now and I know that’s what they need.

Grey adds, “Except you, Addy. You and Brody are in your trailer.”

Addy’s eyes hit my face, and I watch as the pain slashes across her features.

Grey keeps talking, “All of you can go in the mess hall and use the bathroom if you need but don’t wash up in there. We’ve got power to that building only with a generator, but use the water at the washing station, not from the taps. Eloise will show you. If you’ve got loved ones here, they’re likely in there sleeping. Many of the folks asleep are the sick, so quiet as you can be, please. Catch up with your loved ones tomorrow, yeah?”

Nobody answers him. Nobody is looking at him. They’re all in the mode we go into when Wyatt addresses us. Eyes pointed down, heads tilted to the side presenting our necks.

“Yes sir, thank you,” Addy says and moves, without looking up, into the mess hall. The other girls follow.

I look at Brody and he’s standing back, arms crossed over his chest, leaned against the front bumper of his SUV, but he’s not relaxed. It’s a mirage. I can tell he’s coiled tight while he’s watching Addy, tracking her like she’s about to disappear into a puff of smoke. And he’s also got a vibe that lets me know that if she did disappear, he’d probably move heaven and earth to find her again.

“Thank you, Brody,” I call out. “Thanks for rescuing them.”

He gives me a chin jerk before his eyes move straight back to the doorway and Gus walks inside after the girls, which makes Brody move fast, growling as he pushes off the SUV and prowls in behind him with his teeth bared.

I startle at that.

“He needs her away from other alphas,” Grey says. “Don’t worry. He’ll look after her. Let’s get some sleep.” He puts his hand to the back of my neck, giving a gentle squeeze and leading me back to the Airstream.

“I don’t want to put you out of your bed,” I say to Jared who is now nearby, putting a blown-up air bed into the bed of his pickup truck.

He shakes his head. “It’s all good. Please, catch some z’s. You need ‘em more than I do.”

“Are you sure?”

“He’s sure, Blossom.”

I bite my lip.

“Only sleep two or three hours a night, Stacy. I’ll be fine catching a few winks in the back of the truck out here.”

“Thank you,” I say. “Thank you for everything.”

“My pleasure.”

“C’mon,” Grey says and leads me back into the camper.

***

Once we get inside, in bed, he wraps his arms around me and starts purring for me. Hard. I look into his eyes and his are stone-cold, so I bury my face under his chin and hold on tight. To feel the comforting purr when he looks so angry doesn’t sit right. But he’s purring because he wants me to sleep.

I put my palms to his face and press a kiss to his mouth. His arms around me tighten, but he still says nothing.

He’s furious. I don’t know if he’s going to sleep or if he’s just here to hold me until I do. But the purring is pure magic, so it doesn’t take long for my eyes to close.