Chapter 32: Chapter 4

DAMON

Dec and Kya step down from his truck around noon. With him are Dr. Mason, Bruno, and…Natalie?

“Dec. Glad you guys could make it.”

“I’m not exactly thrilled about bringing my mate here, but it’s her expertise you requested. You know everyone. I thought that would be best.”

I shake Bruno and the doc’s hands and thank them for coming. I stop at Natalie, having no idea why he brought her. I give her a nod as a courtesy then address the group. “Welcome to my territory. I wish you could’ve been here last night. I lost a guard, but her death is inexplicable. Would you mind checking her out first?”

Dr. Mason answers, “Yes, of course. I’m sorry for your loss, Alpha.”

I nod a thanks then lead them to the hospital. I introduce them to Marlena then she leads us to Charlotte’s body.

The doc steps up first and places one hand to her head, the other over her heart. He shakes his head then Kya takes his place.

Kya stays connected a little longer. “There’s something there, but I just can’t quite grasp it. Nat, you try.”

“Natalie?” I look to the beautiful girl with long golden hair. Her eyes are glued to Charlotte’s body. She steps up and lays her hands the same way Kya and the doc did. She gasps and quickly pulls her hands away.

She looks at her palms with a shudder then back to Kya. “What is that? I’ve felt it before.”

The doc tries again, but he still feels nothing.

Kya shrugs her shoulders. “I don’t know. I couldn’t grasp it. You felt it too?”

Natalie shakes out her body. “It feels creepy.”

I nod to Marlena and she covers the body.

“I assume you’re a healer too?” I ask Natalie point blank.

She looks to Dec then back to me. “Yes. Dr. Mason and Kya taught me how to control it.”

A growl escapes my chest of its own accord. Three healers in one pack and the bastard kept it from me.

Dec steps up to me, but he knows I’m not a pushover anymore. “She’s still a pup. I didn’t even want to bring her, but Kya said it would be a learning experience for her. Damon, you can’t let the other alphas know. You know what danger that would put her and my pack in. I just want to keep her safe.”

His reasoning is logical. Kya is his mate so it’s not like she or her father are leaving his pack anytime soon. But Natalie is fair game. I give him a nod and we both step back.

I drive the group to the edge of my territory. Cameron is on guard right now talking to Finn. He pulls Kya into a hug, causing Dec to growl. She rolls her eyes but stiffens immediately. “Do you feel that?”

Dec rumbles in his chest as does Natalie. Doc just shakes his head.

“I don’t feel anything.” Kya places her hand on her dad and his chest rumbles.

Cameron looks at us like we’re all crazy.

Natalie touches his arm and he flinches away from her. “What the hell is that?”

I step beside Natalie and hold my arm out. She magnifies the feeling making me shudder uncontrollably. She drops her hand. “That’s what I’ve been talking about.”

Cam’s eyes get mystified. Finally, I’m vindicated. Finn takes a turn at Natalie’s touch, Bruno at Kya’s.

Kya takes a step forward, but Dec stops her. “No, baby. I can’t let you go anywhere near that. It already killed one person.”

“It’s different, Alpha Redd,” Natalie comments.

I knit my brows as she takes a few steps forward. She follows the trail, but no one else moves to take a step. I already know where this leads so I follow her to the fallen trees.

She touches the trees one by one. “This feels familiar to me. It’s not like our healing ability, but I know this feeling.” She looks around then goes farther than I did. She finds a small trail.

I contact Finn and tell him to come out here. Dec and Bruno both come with him. We follow the trail to a river where Natalie loses the feeling.

~“Finn, get some guys with chainsaws. Firewood for the pack house.”~

~“You got it.”~

Back at the pack house, my mom has a late lunch prepared for us. We all eat while we discuss what we’ve found.

“What happened to Charlotte felt sinister. The woods were different. It felt like a spent energy of some kind,” Natalie explains to the doc.

“Why is it you could feel that in her but Daddy and I couldn’t?” Kya asks.

Natalie shrugs. “I don’t know. You know this is all new to me.”

“Do you think you could’ve saved her if you were here?” I ask all three of them.

They look between each other not quite knowing the answer.

I nod and continue eating. “Doc. Would you be willing to stay? If something happens again, a natural healer could possibly make a difference.”

He shakes his head. “I couldn’t feel it. I think I would be of no use to you.”

I understand, but I’m still left with the problem of what the hell is going on at my pack. All is quiet as I think everything over.

“I can stay,” Natalie timidly volunteers.

Dec lets out a grunt as he closes his eyes. He looks to me. “She’s just a pup.” He looks back at her. “What about Bruno?”

“I may be a pup, but I’m the only one that felt whatever that was. I can do this, Dec. They need our help. Finn is here, he’ll keep me safe.” She turns to Bruno. “You understand me taking a brief absence, right?”

“It’s fine with me, Alpha. They need a solution to this issue,” Bruno responds as I knew he would.

Natalie notices my confusion at the turn of conversation. “I work at the diner that he and his mate run.”

Well, that’s news to me, the old beta running a diner now. I don’t know what her family dynamic is, but I doubt they would let her stay. I voice my concern, but for some strange reason, I desperately want her to stay.

“I don’t have a family,” she whispers with her head down.

The doc drops his fork. “Honeybee.” His voice is soft, almost hurt.

She looks up to him and her eyes get watery. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant that I don’t have a family connection. The only one I’m tied to is Dec. I wish I had a family, but that’s just not a possibility.”

“Sure it is,” Kya answers. “Daddy. You can make her part of our family officially, then she’ll be tied to all of us. I don’t know why you haven’t done it yet. Natalie is the sister I’ve always wanted.”

I’m so lost. “Wait, what?”

Dec gives me a smirk. “Kya has her family tie back. We figured out how to do it. All of my adopted pups have family links now too.”

I look at him like he has two heads.

“It’s similar to joining a pack. Instead of the alpha cutting the heart line, the parent cuts their family line.

“Show me. I gotta see this.”

The doc looks to Natalie. She’s worrying her lip, practically begging to be part of his family. He smiles then takes the knife from the table. He cuts the line on his thumb and holds his hand out to her.

Natalie licks her finger then swipes it across the cut. The wound heals and she cries as her family connection is put into place. “I feel you too, Kya.”

Kya beams at her new sister. “You should feel Chase too.”

Natalie closes her eyes and nods. “I do. I feel him.”

“Whoa, time out. It links the whole family?” I’m barely staying in my seat. This is incredible.

“Not the whole family. We’re not tied to Lan. I think it has to do with blood connections, but we’re not completely sure,” Kya answers and I can no longer stay in my seat. I pace the kitchen a few times thinking of the few families in my pack that have adopted pups.

I stop to face Dec. “Anything else you’re hiding from me?”

He gives me a look that says I’m an idiot. “This should be shared with other alphas.”

“I’m going to explain it at the New Year’s alpha meeting.” I give him a nod then look to Natalie who’s being embraced by her new dad and sister. Dec follows my line of sight. “I would say no, but it’s up to her dad now.”

Doc pulls back and looks Natalie over. “I want you back before school starts.” That’s like three weeks away. School is only out for holiday break.

“And you need to continue your training,” Dec adds with a slight growl to his words. But I agree, training is important, especially for healers after seeing doc in action.

~“Mom. Will you join us in the kitchen, please?”~

Mom pokes her head around the dining room corner. My mother still looks young for her age. Her black curly hair is pinned back, and the only giveaway to her age are the smile lines around her eyes—she’s always smiling. “What’s up, Mijo?”

I roll my eyes. So much for big bad alpha. “This is my mother, Camila Ramirez. Mom, this is Natalie. She will be staying with us for the next few weeks. Can you prepare a room for her, please?”

My mother kisses her cheek then rushes off to get a room for her. “My parents run the pack house. We have a few pups, but they’re sledding with my father right now. Does that arrangement work for you?”

Natalie nods. “Yes, thank you. But…” She looks to Dec then back to me. “I won’t know what’s going on unless I’m with you or Finn. What if there’s an emergency?”

“I’ll contact whoever you’re with; you’ll have someone with you at all times. Thank you for doing this.” I look at everyone. “Dec, I promise to look out for her. Thank you all for your help.”