Page 100 of Healing Fate

“Will you be safe?”

“Yes, or as safe as possible at least. Don’t worry. I’ll be home before you know it.”

I knew from talking to the other mates that there was no way he could know that for certain, but I appreciated the positivity while everything inside of me screamed not to let him go.

I’d had a front row seat to what Bravo team actually did and was well aware of the danger my mate could be walking into.

Pushing those fears aside, I hugged him tightly and then let him escort me into the house. He grabbed his bag he had taken to keeping at my place and then disappeared into Vada’s room. I could hear him talking to her from where I sat on my bed trying not to freak out or cry. I needed to be strong for him.

“Hey sweet girl, I’ve got to leave for a bit, and I need you to watch after Mommy for me while I’m away. I promise you that nothing will keep me from coming back to you both. I know you can’t hear me, and I don’t want to wake you, but know I love you so much. See you soon.”

Tears breached my eyelids and slowly slid down my cheeks.

This sweet man was mine. I felt my sharp canines start to form at the thought. It was long overdue to make that permanent. But now was not the time.

I swiped the tears away as he came back into the bedroom.

“It’s up to you if you want to hold office hours tomorrow. I really don’t know how long I’ll be gone, but if I can’t call and check in, one of the mates should contact you with an update. Sometimes they only get info out to one so they can spread the word.”

“It’s going to be fine,” I told him, trying to summon up all the positivity I could muster. “We’re going to be fine.”

He pulled me into his embrace and kissed me.

“I hate leaving you.”

“You told them twenty minutes. You have to go,” I reminded him knowing this was the life I was signing on for and I had to be supportive no matter how much it was tearing me apart inside to watch him go.

“Yeah, I know.”

He cradled my face with his hands and just stared at me like he was trying to memorize it and then he kissed me once more before grabbing his bag and turning to walk away.

“See you soon,” he yelled back.

I sank back against my pillow and allowed myself time to cry. Then I dried it up and grew a backbone. This was my life, my perfectly imperfect life, and I was all in. If this is what that entailed, then so be it. I’d survived so much worse, and I’d survive this.

Micah

Chapter 24

Leaving Lucy hadn’t been easy. In fact, it just might have been the hardest thing I’d ever had to do. I could see the tears streaking her cheeks. I knew she was worried. Hell, she of all people knew exactly the kind of work Bravo team did. I didn’t know how to reassure her that it was going to be okay.

She’d put up a good face, but it still wasn’t easy to leave her or Vada behind.

Because of that, I was grumpy and resented being called into duty when I reached the airfield and boarded the plane. They never told us where we were going or when we’d return. To me that was far worse than being on call for a medical emergency.

With everyone accounted for, the plane took off and only then did Silas pass out folders letting us know the details of the mission.

I scanned through the report and frowned.

“We’re on a medical mission to help some vicuna in the Andes?”

“That would be correct,” Silas confirmed.

“Why didn’t you mention this before? Lucy could have helped a lot with this one.”

“She has little Vada to watch out for,” Silas pointed out.

“My parents would have watched her, or we could have brought her along to help too.”