Page 20 of Bunny Be Mine
“I’m so glad I don’t live there anymore. It wasn’t so bad when we were younger and my parents were still alive. But it seemed like in the last few years everything shifted. For the worst.” I hated that Arley struggled when he should have been safe.
“Exactly. It was always kind of there in the shadows, I think. But something shifted while I was out here for school. When I returned home for break and saw how different Marcus and the others had become, I knew I could never live there again.” I shivered at the thought. Thank goodness I found Arley when I did and we moved. I’d be in a constant battle of panic if Arley had stayed behind. “I’m glad I was able to talk you into moving out here with me.”
“It didn’t take much. I mean, I miss my little house but honestly, I wasn’t feeling safe out there any longer.” Arley shivered and I clenched my arms. “Not with Marcus making a play at taking over the pack leadership. Any shifter who wasn’t a bear or wolf, or some other dominant hunter, was in his line of vision for take down. They were just a bunch of bullies.”
I sighed as I rolled to my back, taking Arley with me. He grunted and giggled at the sudden movement. “I just wish we had answers to why the shifters in the pack are getting sick suddenly. My parents were never sick; you know shifters hardly are. But now there is this virus hitting the whole pack. My dad just told me it’s hitting the kids now.”
“That is worrisome.” Arley leaned his head on my shoulder, his body doing a cute shimmy as he continued to get comfortable on my hard chest. “Do you think maybe someone is behind it? I know some witches can do sickness spells. Maybe we should ask the campus pack or medical center if they have ideas on what could cause this amongst the shifters.”
“That’s not a bad idea. I was having my own second thoughts on it, but that could just be my imagination.” I pulled Arley closer up my chest, his lips ripe for the taking. I was finally feeling hopeful that I might help my dad. “I’ll talk to the campus pack later this week. Patrick can introduce me to the council here and maybe we can come up with some answers.” With a plan in place, I seized Arley’s lips and rolled us before we had to leave for morning classes.
***
“Hi, Patrick.” I sat outside the campus café with one of my classmates and leaders in the campus pack. My leg bounced under the table as my wolf paced. I knew what I had to do, but the idea of having issues and not being able to help made me antsy. “I’m glad you were able to meet up with me today.”
“You know I’m addicted to coffee.” Patrick laughed, tilting his coffee cup in thanks. “Offer to buy me my favorite latte and I’ll make room in my schedule. Besides, we’re friends and you said you had a question for the pack.”
“I was hoping maybe you or the elders of your pack can help me and my birth pack.” I picked up my mocha and savored the assault of flavor that hit my mouth. I let it soothe my frayed nerves for a moment before I steeled myself for what needed to be done.
“I can’t make any promises but I can hear you out and see.” Patrick drank his latte, listening intently. “What exactly is the problem?”
“My birth pack is experiencing an issue currently.” I placed my mocha on the table and pushed away my empty plate. “There seems to be a wolf virus affecting the members.”
“Shifters hardly get sick.”
“Exactly. That’s why we are worried. It started with the eldest of the pack and now is hitting the youngest members.” I leaned in, resting on my elbows. “None of the local doctors or healers know what the issue is.”
“And you are hoping maybe my pack has some experience with a virus like this. Or inspiration on what it could be?” Patrick pulled out his cell. “Let me call two of my friends and have them meet us. They are experts in wolf viruses—both medically and magically.”
“Magically?” Just as I worried.
“If it’s mysterious, then there may be a magical element involved. Either causing it directly or masking the truth from anyone researching it.” Patrick nodded. “We have some witches from the greatest covens attending the university. I can speak with them and perhaps a couple can take a small trip to your hometown and scope out the area for traces of energy left behind by a spell. If they find anything, they may be able to unweave it.”
“And what if it’s an actual virus? Do the doctors here know much about that?” If I can get their assistance, my dad can get better.
“I just texted my friends and they will be here in ten minutes.” Patrick put his phone on the table. “But I can also send one or two of our best doctors to Painesville and have them work with your local doctor and healer to pinpoint the illness.”
“That would be amazing. Thank you.”
Ten minutes later, Patrick’s friends joined us at the café. Skye was a witch I knew from my chemistry class last semester, and Damian was a dragon that worked in the campus medical center. The energy of both felt warm and welcoming and my hope expanded even more.
“Thank you for joining us.” Patrick stood and hugged the newcomers. “My friend Fen has an issue in his birth pack and he’s hoping we can shed some light on. A medical mystery afflicting the pack.”
“And something is telling you there may be a magical interference as well?” Skye sat down with iced coffee in hand. I remembered that she hardly ever didn’t have one with her.
“My intuition is blaring,” Patrick confirmed. “I was thinking perhaps we can have a couple pack and given members go visit and see if we can be of any assistance.”
“We can definitely plan a trip.” Rayne looked at Damian and then back to Patrick. “If there’s magic involved, I’ll be able to sense it and work to unravel the web. And either way, Damian should be able to work with the members of the pack and relieve symptoms and research the ailments.”
“With my background in magic, I may be able to figure out the medical cause even if a spell is interfering.” Damian typed something into his phone. “I just requested some time off work. We’ll go home, pack for about a week, and leave tonight. Just text me the information.”
“That’s it.” I shook my head, unable to believe this was going so quickly and easily. “You are just dropping everything and going to help?” It was hard to believe, but I wasn’t going to dissuade them either. Not when my parents and my home pack could benefit. I just had no idea how to repay them.
“Well, Patrick is requesting our assistance and we are loyal to his leadership in the pack.” Skye handed me her phone. “Add your contact information and anyone who we should connect with once we arrive in your hometown. If they can send us any records to look over, things they have tried or dismissed as a cause already, we can read up on it while on the way. I think we might take Jeremy and Kim with us as well. They also have experience in situations like this and together, we can get to the root cause and help rectify it.”
“I really appreciate this.” I stood and offered a hand to Damian and Skye. I could never show my gratitude enough; a handshake seemed inadequate. “My father is one of the members stricken by this and I’ve been worried. Knowing there may be answers soon settles my anxiety a bit.”
Chapter Eleven
