Page 95 of The Healer

“This place is stunning. Are we rolling this out to all homes?”

Noah nodded. “In the process. Quite a few of our males are learning new trades. We bought a secondhand grader, and Reed is on a course to learn how to repair it when it breaks down. So, I saw you weren’t alone.” He sniffed. “Bear?”

Rhys jerked back and faced Noah, his jaw falling slack. “Ilona’s human.” He glanced at the bedroom door, his mind whirring.

“Wait, are you saying you mated a human and not a bear shifter?” Noah chuckled as if Rhys was teasing him. “I smell bear and not yours. She’s a Sitka or a sun bear.”

Rhys staggered and leaned against the counter. “Despite Amos being a Sitka, what you’re implying isn’t possible. She only has a quarter shifter blood in her.”

“I’ll call Sans and ask him to visit as soon as he can.” Noah whipped out his phone and dialed.

Black spots circled Rhys’s vision, and a wave of weakness slew his knees. He had hoped, but still, the chance had been borderline impossible.

“He’s on his way.” Noah nudged his head at Lona who opened the bedroom now in her jeans and a T-shirt.

Rhys stared at her bare feet, loving her tiny toes. When Noah coughed, he whipped his head up and smiled. “This is Noah, Noah this is my Ilona.”

“Hi.” She waved. “Thanks for this.” After gesturing to the cabin, she shoved her hands into her pockets and tugged the waistband of her jeans down, flashing a fair bit of skin.

“Coffee?” Rhys threw his arm across Noah’s shoulder and steered him away.

“I’m still waiting for the coffee he promised me.” She hefted herself onto the counter and swung her feet. “We could be here a while.”

“Right, you minx, how do you operate this?” The lights flickered across the coffee machine’s screen—too advanced for Rhys.

“Easy.” She leaped off, flipped the top, scooped in the coffee beans, added water until it said eight cups, then tapped a button. The grinder hummed for a few seconds before the gurgle of water and the aroma of ground coffee filled the air.

“Show off.” He pressed a kiss to her temple while Noah dragged a bar stool from under the island.

Joining him, Rhys snuck glances at Noah, wondering what he thought of Lona. Having assumed the role of hostess, she searched for mugs, sugar, creamer, then placed the platter of salmon in front of them, but not before stealing a sliver. He loved her here, with him.

“We’re going couch shopping, Noah.” While bouncing on her toes with drying hair curling around her face, she beamed. “Tomorrow, I’ll call Heartstone. Shit.” With a squeal, she darted out of the house.

Rhys slid off the barstool to follow.

The bang of the car door and the slapping of her bare feet on the porch preceded her return. “Just have to text Gran and Evie.” Her gaze turned molten when she trailed it over Rhys. “I wonder why I forgot.”

“Sans is on his way.”

She gasped as her fingers flew over the phone’s keys. “I’m not ready. What if I think of something to ask him later?”

“So, take his number.” Noah shrugged while eating his fourth sliver of salmon.

She smiled. “Like duh.”

“Well, hello.” Jase thumped the door frame and sauntered in, patting Rhys on the shoulder as he strolled past. “Nice to meet you, Ilona.” He leaned his elbows on the counter and picked at the salmon.

Sighing, Rhys found a plate and added salmon to it before none were left for his…mate. Lunar, he would need to tell her soon. He had to first make sure she wasn’t transitioning. “Has Callie behaved? Do I need to have another word with her?”

Ilona stilled while pouring the coffee, but he flashed her a warm smile when she met his gaze.

“Sawyer’s been on her ass without getting himself killed. He’ll be glad you’re back. She doesn’t listen to him.”

Rhys snorted. “I was lucky she listened to me. Seems to me all Devereaux women are stubborn.”

“Hey.” Lona slid his coffee to him, already with sugar and cream the way he liked it.

“Worth it, though.” He smirked, wishing he could bury himself in her again. It had to be the full moon. Although, his past festivals hadn’t led him to this level of desperation. “And Aiden?”

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