Page 72 of Eclipsed Heart

A few witcheshelped heal us, but even so, it’d taken us all night to bury the dead. Heather had allowed us to rest in her house, sleeping on the floor for a couple of hours until Bodey’s pack members arrived.

Now that they were here, we were heading to the Ontario pack to check on them. According to Zeke, five of them had died, and they hadn’t suffered nearly as much as Heather’s pack. Nonetheless, lost pack members hit the same, no matter the quantity.

Bodey opened my car door just as Heather jogged down the sidewalk of her robin’s-egg blue house. “Queen Callie,” she called out. “May I talk to you for a minute?”

My mate’s hand stilled on my back, and I noticed Samuel pause where he’d been about to climb into the back seat of Jack’s Navigator.

“Yes.” I remained outside the door and smiled. “What’s up?”

She cleared her throat. “I was hoping to talk to you alone.”

My head tilted. “Sure.”

Let me know if you need me,Bodey linked, his eyes glowing.

Though Heather had been amicable after our initial conversation, she’d remained a little standoffish, which Bodey hadn’t liked. But she’d lost her dad and brother last night, and I couldn’t imagine what that felt like.

I went to meet her as the guys all climbed into our vehicles, though they kept their gazes on me.

Heather stopped in her yard. Her face was strained.

Is everything all right?I linked.Do you need something else?

She nodded.I need to know how you’re planning to fix this.

My brows lifted.Well, Bodey’s pack members will stay with you for a week or so.

How are you going to fix this permanently?She bit her bottom lip.Look, I appreciate you coming and fighting with us. And not many people would’ve stayed and helped bury our dead like you did. But Bodey’s pack members can’t stay with us forever; even if they could, there are only five of them. And there are twenty other packs that live along the Oregon border. Something has to be done about Queen Kel to make us safe again.

That was the equivalent to a kick in the gut. I exhaled, trying to figure out how to give her an honest answer when the truth was that I didn’t have an answer to provide. Bodey’s pack didn’t have enough land for them to move there. And I suspected they wouldn’t want to, not after losing so many wolves and needing the time to mourn and heal. Not only that, but other packs were at risk, and moving all twenty that lived near the Oregon border wasn’t an option.

I’m not trying to be disrespectful, but we need you to step up.Heather lifted her hands.You’re the one person who can keep us safe, and you can’t be everywhere at once.

You’re right.I nodded. I wanted to yank my hair out because I couldn’t yet promise she’d be safe. She’d already lost so much.And we’re working on a solution.I had to get my memories back. There was no other way.

I hope so.Heather frowned.Otherwise, a lot more of us might die soon.She turned and headed into the woods toward where we’d buried the dead.

My feet moved back toward the vehicles, but my mind was reeling.

What happened?Bodey linked, his concern pulsing between us.

I repeated the conversation, feeling like such a damn failure. All these people were counting on me, and I was letting them all down.

Babe, we’ll figure it out,Bodey replied yet again.I promise.

When I slid into the passenger seat, he reached over and took my hand.If anyone can help these people, it’s you.

I wasn’t so sure, but I clung to his comfort.

He pulled onto the road, driving in the direction of Ontario. I leaned my head against the window, concentrating on the electricity from Bodey’s hand on my leg when my cell phone rang.

Dina’s name flashed across the screen, and my stomach tightened. She’d never called me before, and I hurriedly picked it up. “Hello?”

“Hey, are you on your way home?” Dina asked, her voice tight.

“No, we’re going to check on the other pack that was attacked.” Acid burned in my throat. “Is something wrong?”

“I need you to come back home,” she answered. “There’s someone here who wants to see you.”

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