Page 66 of Healer's Call

“Hi, this is Ava,” Ava blurts out. “I’m the healer from the Northwoods Pack.”

A warm chuckle comes across the line. “I know who you are, Ava.” My eyes widen when I recognize Bryce’s voice. He’s the alpha of the Phoenix pack, and he’s also Ava’s mate. His voice changes. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

I watch my friend carefully. “No,” she answers swiftly. “Well, I mean sort of but not bad. Mav was able to stop the attack, but...”

“Ava. What is going on?” His voice is full of both power and authority.

I wince, but Ava rolls with it. “Chill out. Everybody’s fine.”

“What happened?” The words are clipped.

Ava sighs dramatically. “Alpha-ing much?”

“I am this close to jumping on a plane and flying to the Northwoods Pack to see for myself what happened, so how about you just tell me.”

“Well, seeing as how I’m not with the Northwoods Pack, that might be a bummer for you,” Ava retorts. There’s complete silence on the other end of the line. I bite my fingernail and wait to see what happens next.

“Where are you?” His words are slow and deliberate.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she quips.

“Ava!” I whisper, trying to get her to stop; but she pays me no mind.

“Ava, tell me where you are right now.”

I wince because I know that’s not going to get him anywhere. She huffs, and I shake my head. Poor guy; he’s got a lot to learn if he’s going to deal with Ava. “You should know by now that you can’t use alpha commands on me,” she says, rolling her eyes.

“Ava.”

She ignores the clear command in his voice. “I need your help trying to figure out something. Do you still have that team that can figure out like when somebody breaks in or something?” She takes a breath. “I can’t really remember what you said about them. I was only like half-listening.” I stare at her and shake my head. She sees and narrows her eyes at me.

“You want my help but you’re not going to tell me where you’re at?” His words are low and deliberate.

She sighs. Loudly. “Fine. Yes. I need your help, and no, I’m not telling you where I’m at. There was a team that came in during the night and tried to take Rose. The wolvesstopped them, but they don’t know who they were. They weren’t vampires.” She shudders a little when she says it. “And it wasn't wolves. It also wasn’t the guys that they’ve already had a run-in with. We’re at a complete loss for who they were.”

“Are you okay?” His voice is soft now.

Ava waves her hand, even though Bryce can’t see it. “I’m fine. It was Rose they were after.” I flinch at her words but try to hide it.

“I have a team that can figure out who they were in just a few hours. I’ll get them ready to ship out. We can leave in less than three hours. Where are we headed?”

Ava laughs, but it’s not filled with humor. “Nice try, Alpha. You’re not coming. Just send the team. They can—”

“I am not sending my men to help my mate and not going with, Ava. Now, I’ve already sent the command to have them pack and get ready to ship out. I need an address.”

Ava squeezes her lips together, and I see her stubbornness. I shake my head because I know this isn’t going to go anywhere. Ava’s the most stubborn person I know. Knowing she’s going to throttle me later, I say, “We’re with the Orlando Pack.”

Ava’s eyes shoot to mine, and I shudder at the fumes there. But when there’s no sound on the other end, we both look at her phone. She taps on the screen to be sure there’s still a connection. “You’re with the Orlando Pack?” Bryce’s voice is low, but neither of us miss the threat there.

I meet Ava’s eyes.He is not happy.

“Why?” His one-word question sounds like a command.

Ava takes it as just that because she squeezes her lips shut again, and I shake my head. This isn’t going to go anywhere. “Ava came with me. Alpha Cade asked me to come heal his pack. They were dying, and...” I stop a moment because it’s kind of a lot to just throw at somebody.

“They were dying?” he repeats. Then he curses loudly, startling both Ava and me. “Ava, I swear to—”

“You don’t need to swear,” she says cutting him off. “Listen, you can call Cade and sort it all out. In the meantime, if that team comes, can they—”

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