The Healer

Chapter 36

Tori POV

After the meeting was over, I apologized to Dr. MacDonald for my behavior, but there was something about Alpha Black that I wasn’t comfortable with. Without going into too much detail about my abilities, I explained I saw something in the healing bond that Mystic was very wary of. He wanted to talk more about it, but I was not feeling too well diving through that man’s clouds. I also thought it would be best to discuss with my Alpha what I saw and felt. Being the Alpha of one of the most powerful and largest packs on this side of the country, the information might be of use.

Eric and Tammy helped me to the car, and we drove back to the pack in silence. After what the doctor witnessed, he suggested I go home and rest. We pulled up the driveway to the packhouse and Eric parked the car. Shutting off the engine, all three of us just sat there quietly thinking about what had just happened. I was angrier about his treatment of Eric than anything.

“I’m sorry Eric.”

“For what?” He looked at me through the rear-view mirror.

“He had no right to treat you that way. Being a Gamma is very important to a pack and you should be proud of your place.” He gave me a warm smile.

“Thank you, Tori, I am quite proud of my place. My mate, and my pack.” I gave him a cheeky grin in return. Tammy squeezed his arm and gave me a warm smile.

“He was just a grade A a**hole! I should’ve thrown a bolt of lightning at him.” Eric and Tammy both turned slowly to gape at me.

“Can you really do that?” Tammy asked as Eric looked worried for a moment.

“Of course, I can. Can’t everyone?” I winked at Eric and opened the back door to step out. Looking around the garden, I saw the warriors training and beyond that, I could see the teenagers going through their paces as beginners.

We headed for the front door when we heard a shrill of a scream and a loud roar coming from the back of the house. We all looked at each other and hastened our steps through the house and out the back.

We ran down the small hill towards the large grassy arena where the elite warriors trained. There was a large crowd forming in the middle. I heard someone shouting orders and a few women were crying off to the side. I walked through the groups of people and pushed aside the warriors watching in horror. There, surrounded by Captain Rivers and Alpha Rick, was a warrior lying in a pool of blood and Victor was restraining another a few feet away. The restrained warrior was on his knees staring blankly at the wounded wolf.

“What the hell happened?” I shouted as I quickly made my way to the wounded warrior.

“Tori! Thank God! His artery has been severed and he’s lost so much blood!” Victor shouted to me as he grabbed two others to hold the wolf he was guarding. I glanced at the restrained warrior and noticed a slight smirk on his face before it disappeared.

I knelt next to the young man and looked into his eyes. He was fading fast, and I saw the light dimming. An expression of fear and pleading crossed his face and he tried to talk, but only more blood ran from his neck. “Shhh. Don’t speak. Just lie still. Focus on a happy memory.” He blinked at me as I took both his hands in mine. Closing my eyes, Mystic and I flew through his healing bond and searched for the black cloud. This poor guy had so many black clouds, so many more than a young man should. I looked around and noticed that all the clouds were starting to lose their shape and blend together. The healing realm of his mind was breaking down and losing strength. I tried several times to keep the bond together and finally found one last strand strong enough for me to hold. Even this strand was withering and losing its hold.

“Get that wolf out of here, now!” I screamed to Victor while looking at the grinning man kneeling on the side. “He’s tainting the healing bond with negative energy!” Victor nodded his head at the two guards holding him and hauled him off.

I focused once more on the weak bond. Mystic and I pushed all our energy into the young man.

‘Mystic! Why isn’t it working?’ I yelled in panic.

‘This one is strong. You need more life energy!’

He grunted and gurgled as he desperately held onto life. I was barely holding onto him. I couldn’t do this alone, I needed help.

“Tammy! Where are you?” She came up beside me and knelt. Without a word, she took hold of my hands and focused all her thoughts and energy on me. I was siphoning her life force to use, but it wasn’t enough. “Alpha, Victor! I need you!” They came to stand before us.

“We need you two to hold our hands and release your life energy into us. She’s having trouble holding on.” Without question, they knelt next to me and grabbed our hands. I could feel the force of life rush through me and into the bond causing me to gasp deeply and become light-headed. I had to remain strong for him. I could feel more strands reactivating and binding with the others. They were glowing orange and white and becoming thicker and thicker. I could feel my anxiety lessen as I knew in my heart that he was recovering and heading in the right direction. I sensed another presence and spotted the young man’s wolf proudly walking towards me.

‘I am ready to take over now’ The large light gray wolf bowed his head to me, and I smiled and bowed in return.

‘Take care of him. I can sense his strength and loyalty to the pack.’

‘He is meant for great things. We will be back before you know it’ The wolf turned and ran towards his human’s soul. I turned back to the clouds and saw they were all stabilizing and forming again. Still too many black clouds, but that is not my business. When he needs help in the future, I will be here for him. As I stepped back to the healing bond and Mystic released the hold on him and we opened our eyes to see many pairs of eyes staring back at us.

“Tori, you’ll need to explain what just happened.” Tammy was smiling at me, knowing that they saw everything and definitely will have many questions. I nodded, but that could wait.

I glanced down at the warrior and saw him looking back with grateful eyes. He smiled lightly as I squeezed his hands.

“You’ll be just fine. A couple of days’ rest and you’ll be back here before you know it. You have a very strong wolf. What is your name?”

“Ryder Wells ma’am” He tried to sit up, but I held him down.

“Stay still Ryder. Let the medical team check you out. Your wolf is in control now, give him time to do his magic.” I chuckled at his eagerness to get up and return to training. A moment later, the medical personnel arrived and loaded him on a stretcher to take back to the clinic to evaluate and clean the wound.

“Thank you, Tori, I’m in debt to you.”

“Just stay strong and keep training. I have a feeling you are where you belong.” I gave him a smile as he looked back in question. Once they were on their way, I faced the crowd hesitantly.

“Okay everyone, he will be just fine. They will fix him up at the clinic and he’ll be back soon enough.” I shouted to the people before me as they gaped back in awe. It was starting to get a little uncomfortable and sensing this, Victor sent them off.

“Everyone back to training. Show’s over.” He stepped up to me and grabbed my arm. “Let’s go have a chat, shall we?” He led me back to the house and Tammy, Eric, and Rick followed. I was getting nervous, he dragged me down the hall to Alpha’s office and went inside. Guiding me to a seat and dumping me on it, he stood in front of me, arms crossed, and gazing in wonder. The rest of them came inside and all just kept quiet, not sure what to say.

“What the hell, Victor! You can’t just drag people around, if you’d asked, I would’ve come with you!” He huffed in annoyance and looked up at Rick. I noticed their eyes going foggy, mindlinking.

“Oh, hell no! I don’t think so, you drag my ass in here, and then talk about me behind my back! Or right in front of me!” I stood and tried to take a step towards the door when Victor grabbed my arm again and pushed me back in the chair.

“Damnit, Victor! What the hell is your problem!?” I sat up again and he stood directly over me watching me.

“Sit down and be quiet!” He has never yelled at me before. I reeled back in surprise and gaped at him. I couldn’t help but feel hurt by his actions. His face showed no emotion, but his eyes always revealed. He was scared over what he just saw and didn’t know how to handle it.

“I will not! Just because you don’t understand what’s going on, doesn’t give you the right to be an a**hole to me!” I shoved his arms out of my way and stalked towards the door. I felt a hand wrap my arm and bring me back into a hard chest. Arms wrapped around me tightly and rubbed my back. I hadn’t realized I had tears falling and had become quite anxious.

“I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to yell. We have just never seen anything like that before” Victor stated in shock but held me close and rubbed my back soothing me, and I think for himself as well.

“Tori, do you realize what you just did back there?” Rick asked as he took his seat at a large desk.

“Of course, I do. That is what I do. I’m a nurse, remember dad?” I was flustered why they were so astonished at this. They saw me heal Tyler from his burns. “What is the big deal?” I answered in an exasperated tone.

“Tori, we saw everything you saw.” Victor answered as he leaned back to see my face.

“Oh cool, so now you know what I’m talking about. It’s really a b***h to try and explain it intelligently to someone.” Tammy nodded in agreeance.

“Yeah, when she first healed someone, I watched in awe, almost afraid until she explained it. Never understood it until she needed my help. The only way to understand is to see it for yourself.”

“How many people have you explained this to?” Victor asked, with a hint of jealousy in his voice. I grinned slightly and patted his chest.

“Just Tammy and Eric. Oh, and now you guys as well.”

“Why would you have your hands on her?” Rick asked Eric in what I think was his alpha tone. Eric bowed his head but tensed before answering. Before he could say anything, I intervened.

“I have used Eric on occasion when he’s at the hospital with Tammy to help heal a wolf. Wolves are stronger and definitely more dominant. Male or female wolf doesn’t matter. It takes a lot of life energy. I must do that inconspicuously in the hospital. It would look really weird if all of us were holding the patient’s hands and glowing. Although, today with Ryder, it was harder than any one I’ve ever healed before. I’ve treated artery cuts before, but Ryder’s was….” I trailed looking for the right word.

“Tori?” Rick asked with an expectant look.

“I’m not sure. It didn’t feel normal. Something wasn’t right. His wound felt… sad and disconnected?” I responded in confusion.

Victor sat down and leaned over on his knees. Glancing up at Rick, he nodded and then sighed heavily. Rick stared blankly at his desk and his eyes fogged over a couple of times before returning to normal and looking back at me.

“Tori, I think I know why.” I looked at him excitedly and waited for an answer. “Remember all the clouds were breaking up and dissipating?” I nodded. “That meant his soul was departed.” I scrunched my nose up not understanding his meaning.

“Tori, Ryder was…” I shook my head in denial and felt a strange heaviness creep up my spine.

“No. No. It can’t be. I have never done that before.” I paced the room and was afraid to think about what had just happened. Knowing they were right, I had tears fall from my eyes. Seeing Victor slowly stand and walk to me. He gently grabbed my hands and pulled me to his chest. I leaned back to see his face and saw his eyes peering down at me. Those beautiful blue eyes gazing down at me with all the warm and loving support he could. A look of understanding that this was difficult for me.

“Tori…. Ryder was dead.” I shook my head and the tears fell faster. I can’t believe this!

I brought him back from the dead? This was too much; I can’t handle this. I started to hyperventilate and gasp for air. They were calling my name and Victor held me tighter, but it all faded away. Until I saw only the darkness and silence.