Page 50 of Healer's Call

Her words surprise me, but I force myself not to react so she doesn’t change her mind. I pocket my phone. “Let's go.”

When we get to Cade and Amber’s apartment, we knock but nobody answers. I hear crying, so I open the door and step inside. “Amber, it’s Rose.”

“Back here,” she calls out above the noise of Paige crying. I walk quickly to the furthest room where Paige sleeps. “I don’t know what to do,” Amber says in a panic when we get there.

I immediately walk over to her side and kneel next to a screaming Paige. “Hey Baby Girl,” I say in the most soothing voice I can. “Everything’s okay, Paigie. Auntie Rose is here to help you.” She quiets only a little, and I prepare to figure out what’s going on. “I’m just going to tickle your belly, Paigie Girl.” I lift her shirt and let my fingers run over her torso for a moment. She seems to relax for an instant, and then I watch as a spasm rocks her body and she screams again. “I know it hurts,” I tell her. “I’m going to fix it.” I don’t wait for Amber to acknowledge what I’m doing. I let my power rise to the surface and put my hands on her little tummy. I've healed this so many times, Iknow what to look for. But I’ve never done it in such a little one. I’m very careful as I begin the healing process. Once I’m sure she can handle it, I send more power into her tiny body. The healing is over within minutes. I send several more healing waves through her before I let my power dissipate and pull back. When I blink and orient myself to my surroundings, I notice Paige is just whimpering now. Amber’s worried eyes meet mine.

“She’s healed,” I say softly. Amber gasps and pulls her close. I put my hand on her shoulder. “She just needs rest now.”

Amber kisses Paige’s head and turns to me. “Thank you.” Her words are a whisper, but I feel the depths of her gratitude all the way to my soul.

I give her a smile and kiss sweet little Paige on the forehead. “Rest now, Paigie.” I squeeze Amber’s shoulder and then back myself out of the room. Ava follows me out silently.

I pause next to the shifter on duty. “Is Cade gone?”

He nods. “He and several other pack members are gone on pack business.”

“Thanks.” That answers the question of where Cade is because I know he’d be here if he could if he knew his girl was sick. That thought is confirmed a moment later when my phone rings, and I see it’s him. “Hello.”

“Rose, it’s Cade. Amber told me that you healed Paige. Thank you.” His voice is more emotional than I’ve ever heard. “I was trying to get back when she told me she woke up sick and in pain. Thank you for healing her. I owe you double now.”

“You don’t owe me anything,” I tell him softly. “I’m glad I was able to help her. She’s so precious.”

“Yes, she is.” His voice is soft. “I gotta go but thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

He hangs up and Ava glances at me. “Cade?” she asks.

“Yeah. He was saying thank you.”

“What’s on your agenda for today?” she asks.

“I have a few shifters I need to check on. I get a list on my phone every morning from Amber of who needs to be healed or checked on.”

“Mind if I accompany you?” she asks.

I try to keep the surprise off my face because usually she just wants to stay in her room. “Of course.”

The rest of the day passes in a blur, and so do the next few. Each day is the same thing—healing pack members and checking on past patients. Cade and the others returned after a few days. I haven’t heard anything new from the meeting Mike and I had with those men, but Cade and his enforcers have been working around the clock behind closed doors. I've almost asked a few times how it was going, but I haven’t wanted to bother anyone.

Maverick has been exceptionally busy. I've barely seen him since that night he came to my room. And then there’s last night. Last night, I was having a hard time sleeping, so I left my room to head downstairs to walk around a little bit and see if that would tire me out. Normally, I never leave my room at night. But I’d laid in bed for several hours totally unable to sleep. Knowing security was on duty, I finally convinced myself to walk around for a while in the hallway upstairs. I stopped at the end of the hallway and looked out the window, just trying to give myself some peace so I could sleep. I saw a car pull in and park and wondered absently who was coming in at almost three in the morning. When the car door opened, and Mav stepped out, I stared at him. I knew it was him because of the overhead lights in the parking area. I could see him clearly. He reached into the backseat of his car and grabbed a bag he slung over his shoulder and then walked toward the entrance. I lost sight of him but continued to stare out the window.Where had he been this late at night?A worse thought hit me.Who was he with?

I went back to my bedroom even more keyed up. I finally fell asleep and got a few hours of rest. But my mind won’t let go of what I saw. “What’s with you today?” Ava asks when we leave the room of a shifter I just healed.

I yawn. “Sorry, I couldn’t sleep last night.”

“Bad dreams?” she asks quietly.

“No, not this time. I just couldn’t sleep.” I shrug it off, unwilling to talk about what I saw. I don’t tell her I’ve already decided to check tonight to see if it happens again.

Chapter 25

Rose

Four days later, Ava comes into my room. “All right. What is wrong with you? And I’m not taking your flimsy excuse that you’re just tired.”

I drop into a chair. We just came from healing a shifter, and I’m exhausted. “I told you I’m not sleeping at night.” That part is true; I’m absolutely not.