Page 116 of Locke

Bones let out a long breath. “I was a doctor in Elysian. Shamans, priests, and elders who have used trial and error, have trained me over the years.”

Emm blinked, and I chuckled, sauntering into the room and wrapping my arm around her waist. I took in her smell and let my scent take over, covering her while my purr tried to calm her.

While Bones pissed me off from time to time; took things too far, he did things for the betterment of the pack. Bones and I were close in age, despite how different we looked. We were hovering close to mid-fifties, but alphas age slower.

Time wasn’t on Bones’ side, however. In the time he spent researching the human body, how medical practices worked here on Earth, his body was deteriorating and fast. He wasn’t taking care of himself, too busy trying to take care of everyone else.

“Princess, I trust him with my life.”

Bones hanging head lifted quickly, and his eyes widened in surprise. “You do?”

I huffed and pressed my mate’s body next to me. “I do, even if I get pissed at some of the shit you pull. You do it for the pack. Just make sure you run it by me first.” I let out a growl in warning and he nodded his head quickly.

“Do you know about my sister’s condition, then?” Emm questions. “Has she been taken care of? She needs special—”

Bones held up his hand and shook his head. “I’ve done plenty of research, and watched a ton of YouTube videos.”

Emm’s face paled.

Bones let out a bark of laughter. “Kidding, but yes. I have taken care of your sister, but since you are no longer the next of kin and she has a mate, I cannot disclose her care to you.”

Emm growled and jumped off the table. “What do you mean? I’m her sister!”

Bones backed up and held up his hands. “It’s patient, privacy stuff. I’ve read up on that, too.”

Emm narrowed her eyes and wagged her finger at him. “Of all the things you gotta read, you read that shit?”

Bones shrugged his shoulders. “I told you, I’m thorough,” he winked.

“As long as she’s taken care of. Is she taken care of?”

Bones nodded. “Of course she is. I would tell you if she wasn’t.”

Emm jutted her chin out and nodded. “That goes with any other female in this pack. If there is any trouble—”

“—You will know about it,” Bones promised.

We then got on the subject of the pack and the rest of their health. We spoke of the pack members, who were saved mainly thanks to Bones, and the fae with their herbs, grown in the secluded section of the forest which they'd made home.

The rabid were healing, some slower than others. The slowest ones were the ones growing near rabid, and I hated to hear some of the members I was closer to, were the ones who were getting closer to becoming rabid.

We stayed in the small exam room for a while longer. Bones gave a briefing on how she needed to be eating more meat and how her body would l still undergo changes. Her depression and guilt were brought up as well. With the bond, I could detect if it was becoming too much for her and if we needed to take any other steps to ensure her comfort.

I didn’t need my luna to be blood- and torture-dependent like me.

I could feel her guilt inside the bond, but she knew, as well as I did, that her grandmother’s destiny was for her to die. Her sacrifice made the pack, and Emm understood that. I just wish they had more closure, but when a loved one dies, is there ever really closure?

I led Emm to the bar downstairs. She still hasn’t seen her sister, and I doubted she would for a while. Anaki had accrued a lot of time off and he had put in for it to get to know his mate. Dragons were notorious for hoarding, and mates were no different.

Wolves, we wanted to be around the pack, and even Emm was itching to get out of the cabin after a week of sulking.

The secluded cabin was a great oasis for us. We could stay there during her heats or any time we wanted to get away. For now, we would be staying in the packhouse. They were makingprogress on the third floor, just as Bear had promised, and they would be close to finishing it in two weeks.

Damn bear shifters were fucking fast. Emm asked for a few modifications, and one of them was to make the master bedroom smaller. She wanted it cozy, like the cabin. Instead of a bed, she wanted big mattresses, pillows, blankets and furs. My mouth nearly dropped to the floor at what she wanted.

It was all of the things I wanted to provide her. All of the things that the Law of Ares would have proclaimed that I bring for the perfect nest. I couldn’t before because of bad timing and Idris—that fucker. But my mate, she wanted it to be a giant nest. Just for her and me, and any pups we wanted in the future.

I’ve never known my wolf to leap and bark, but Fenrir was fucking prancing like a pup all over my head.