The Healer

Chapter 47

Tori POV

I followed Victor down the long hallway towards the conference room. I could see the heavy double wooden doors that enclosed the large room. Two guards were standing outside, ready to open them as we neared.

“Victor?” He stopped before entering the room.

“Should I be here? I mean, should I be meeting her like this? It might interfere with the process. Remember? I don’t want anyone to know who I am beforehand.” He faced me and grabbed my face in his hands.

“Baby, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. If you don’t want to go in there for fear of jeopardizing the healing, then you can wait out here. Unfortunately, as acting Alpha, I need to meet with her to find out what it is she wants.” I nodded and smiled. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on my lips before grabbing my hand and turning to face the guards.

“Open the doors.” He commanded, and the guards grabbed the handles and slowly opened the wooden doors. He took a deep breath and stepped into the room with me in tow.

As we entered, I saw a beautiful lady who looked no more than twenty-five, standing by the large bay window overlooking the gardens. She turned at our entrance and clasped her hands in front of her as she bowed in greeting.

“Beta Victor” I could feel Victor startled ever so slightly. She knew that he was not the Alpha, but in fact the Beta, but gave nothing away.

“Luna Daria. What brings you to our pack?” Victor squeezed my hand and walked towards the head of the table. He pulled a seat next to his, and I sat down. Pulling his own seat, he sat and motioned for the Luna to take a seat at the large table.

Ever so gracefully, she sat a few chairs down from me and leaned on the table. Glancing between Victor and I, she decided to begin.

“Thank you, Beta Victor, for meeting with me on such short notice. I trust that you have noticed I came alone. I wish for this meeting to remain quiet and in this room only? Do I have your word?” Victor looked down at me, and I shrugged, then nodded.

“Very well, Luna Daria. You have our word. What do you need to talk about?” I studied the lady who sat before me. She held herself with regal poise and with confidence. Although I know inside, she is breaking and mourning over her mate who passed in the fire. My heart goes out to her and her family for losing a loved one. I knew how that felt, and only time could heal that wound.

Luna Daria closed her eyes and dropped her head slightly as I saw a tear run down her cheek. She was trying to hold it together and not break down in front of us. Some may see it as weakness, but it is only a natural response to a loss. To me, I see anything but weakness. Victor shifted in his seat and was about to speak when I placed my hand on his arm, stopping him.

“Luna Daria…. We are so very sorry for your loss. I did not know your mate and Alpha, but losing a loved one is never easy. I lost my mother not so long ago, and I am still living with a heavy heart.”

She lifted her head, showing a stoic face covered in tears. She lifted her hand to her face and dabbed her cheeks with a handkerchief. After taking a deep breath, she spoke.

“I appreciate that, young Victoria, thank you.” I flinched slightly when she said my name, but gave a warm smile, nonetheless.

“I’m sure you are wondering how I know your name?” I just raised my eyebrows at her and waited for her to continue. “You didn’t think that I would come here alone, unprepared, did you?” She chuckled slightly. “I did my research on your pack. Beta Victor, I am quite impressed with your level of loyalty and devotion to your pack and Alpha. I have heard of the Alpha’s plight. Spending the last seventeen years searching for his daughter. His ruthlessness and fierceness towards any outsider. Sending fear into the hearts of those who go against him. Even those who wondered on his territory by mishap ended tragically.” I noticed Victor sat straighter in his chair and lifted his chin. He looked upon her with cautious eyes.

“What brings you to our pack, Luna, and why the secrecy?” She places her hands on the table and a serious look about her face.

“I understand Miss Victoria will be visiting to help my son. Is she a healer?” Victor glances at me, and I nod.

“Yes, she is.” This made her smile and released her heavy breath.

“I am very happy to hear that. I am a healer of sorts myself, but I can not help my son anymore than I have. Your healing abilities go beyond what any normal healer can do. I know of your bloodline through your father’s family. His grandmother is very well known in the healer community. Her accomplishments are legendary.” I feel a slight blush come to my face but an uneasiness about her knowledge of my ancestors.

“I will certainly do all I can to assist in his rehabilitation, Luna. There is only so much that I can do. He will need to put forth his own effort as well. Alpha wolves are….. tricky, to say the least.”

“Yes, they certainly are.” She chuckles, nodding in understanding. “My son can be quite stubborn, but he will come through and realize you are only there to help.”

“So, what is it that we can do for you?” I could feel impatience and reluctance from Victor as he waited for her to explain her purpose.

“The problem is not my son. It is my brother-in-law, Colton.” I release a sigh and roll my eyes.

“Alpha Colton. I have had the displeasure of meeting him the other day. It was quite….. uncomfortable, to say the least.” The Luna frowned at my words.

“I’d use that term loosely. He is a difficult man. Self-entitled, arrogant, selfish, petulant child! I’d have him thrown out of the pack and back to the rock he crawled out from under if it were up to me. Unfortunately, the council stepped in after the fire and appointed him as a temporary alpha until the conclusion of the investigation and Ronin can step up to the position.”

“He is an Alpha wolf. They are, by nature, arrogant and somewhat self-entitled. Comes with the territory.” Victor stated as a matter of fact. I thought about what he said and compared it to my father. He may be a little arrogant. He is responsible for hundreds of lives and their safety and well-being. Maybe a little controlling, again, comes with the title. I get the feeling it’s more than that by the look on the Luna’s face.

“Although I agree with you, it’s way more than your basic Alpha attitude. I heard the other day an argument between Colton and Ronin about taking over the pack. Colton won’t relinquish the title until Ronin can prove he is a hundred percent ready and has found his mate.”

“Sounds like he is doing his due diligence for the pack. He wouldn’t want to hand it over to incapable hands.” Victor stated easily.

“Yes, but…. Colton is placing impossible demands on him. Ronin is still mourning the loss of his father. He is learning how to cope slowly and in his own way, but Colton sees it as weakness. Colton and Damon never really saw eye to eye on anything. Colton still holds a grudge at the fact that he didn’t get the Alpha title from their father. He challenged Damon and lost. I’m afraid now that he is in the position, he won’t release it to Ronin. He has all the control. The pack is feeling strained and fearful.”

“Forgive me, Luna, but I sense your nervousness of being here. Rest assured, you are safe here. No harm will come to you. There is something more that troubles you. Please tell me what weighs your heart so painfully.” Luna Daria sat with a solemn face. Slowly, I noticed her eyes turn red and a tear fell. Then, two, then, a steady stream of anguish flows down her cheek.

“Oh dear!” I couldn’t stand to sit here and watch a mother cry for her son. The pain and uncertainly showed in her eyes as she tried to compose herself in front of us. “Luna!” I jumped up from my seat and ran over to her. Sitting next to her, I took hold of her and wrapped her in my warm embrace. I let her release all the emotions she obviously held inside in the attempt to hide from her pack and especially her son. “Let it out. You are safe here. Just let all your feelings go. No judgment here. You cry for your son. Something any mother would do no matter who they are.” She sobbed quietly on my shoulder. I glanced over at Victor, who was sitting at attention, but a look of understanding covering his face. This woman had made the clandestine trip to our pack in search of assistance in her dilemma. The courage it takes to ask for help in the first place is admirable. But to travel alone to a rival pack to inform them of the dangers within her own are immeasurable. This tells me that she would do anything for her son. Both commendable and concerning. How far will she go? Right now, I need to help her through her immediate suffering.

I leaned back and took hold of her hands. I cooed softly to her to calm her erratic sobs somewhat and ease the pain. As covertly as I could, I let Mystic come forward and warm her heart and soothe the pain of the loss of her mate and her fear of the unknown for her son. No bond was created, so she wouldn’t feel anything. I have no idea how Mystic accomplished this, but I will ask her about it later. I could feel her breathing even out, and her sobs disappeared. With a deep, cleansing breath, she lifted her head and gazed at me. I smiled in return and squeezed her hands.

“You truly are a gifted healer.” I see eyes of comfort and gratification at my ministrations.

“We only eased the burden of loss just a bit. It is part of life to live through love and loss, I won’t take that away, but I can lessen the intensity somewhat so that you can function coherently in your troubled times.”

“Thank you, Victoria! I am forever grateful! I know you will do right by my son. He will be difficult, but with your caring heart and perseverance, he will come out stronger than before!” I smiled in return.

“Luna, I can tell there is something else that worries you. You can talk with us. There is nothing to fear from us. We may not have an alliance, but we have never had any issues between our packs. Please share with us so we can help you.” I was surprised by Victor’s invitation, but I was happy that he was willing.

Wiping her eyes and patting her cheeks, she took a couple of shaky breaths ready to voice her concern.

“I feel that Colton may be planning something against my son.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“I feel he may try to kill Ronin so that he can take over as alpha.” My eyes widened, and Victor jumped up at that.

“That is a serious accusation, Luna. Do you have any proof?”

“Not exactly, but with your help, I can prove he has plans for a takeover of the pack.”