"We've searched the coastline and forest edges," Scott offered. "There are a few cave systems along the cliffs that make me nervous because they're impossible to patrol, so we've set up a few security cameras in the area."
"How sure are we that they'd actually dare to come back?" Joe asked, leaning back in his chair.
"It's hard to tell," Samson answered. "We know they want to recruit other wolves, claim territory, and take she-wolves. Ourfour packs are the densest grouping of wolves, which means they have a better chance of finding someone vulnerable or someone disgruntled enough to leave and join them, but we're also probably the best defended and most dangerous packs to mess with because of the alliance. I'd like to think they've moved on, but..." he shrugged one shoulder. "There's no telling, since they're all insane."
Then Joe spoke up, and I bristled at having my business put out there without being consulted first, but I couldn't blame him. It was pertinent to the conversation. "Noah here has some memory loss due to his attack, but he tells me he's confident the rogues have something to do with his injuries and why he was in my territory.'
"I was tracking someone or something," I added. "I don't know if it's connected, but it seems to make sense. There's a big gap of time that I can't recall, but I feel like whatever I was chasing might have been connected to the rogues."
"We'll definitely need to find that out," Jayce said, looking at me. "You're welcome in our territory as a guest, but you need to give us something more before you can be trusted."
"I don't plan on staying. Just until I'm healed, and I'm sure I can make it back to my pack under my own strength. But I'll still keep in touch about anything I remember."
"Good," Jayce nodded, "If that's all the news on the rogues, then let's move on."
***
The meeting lasted a little over an hour, and after having lunch, I was exhausted. I knew I was pushing my healing body harder than I should, but Alphas don't have time to just layaround and wait to be back to 100%. I needed to be moving so I could get home sooner rather than later.
There was one thing I wanted to do before I returned to Silvervine territory, though, and I was afraid I might have already missed my chance. My fear was now that I was self-sufficient, Sage would stop coming by the cabin, and I'd never get a chance to see her again.
Loping through the woods, there were only two things on my mind—Sage and the missing bits of my memory. If it had just been anger connected to those empty spots in my head, it would be
an easy conclusion to guess that I was hunting the rogue wolves for one reason or another. But the echo of heartbreak and sadness had me second-guessing that conclusion.
I was still lost in those thoughts when I came to a stop outside of the cabin, shifting back to my human form painfully. I didn't know I had an audience until after I was on two legs again.
"What are you thinking!? You shouldn't be shifting already."
I whipped around to see Sage, who had just arrived at the cabin, stomping over with her hands on her hips. She was in the same uniform as always, a white button-up shirt and navy blue slacks, but her hair was down, and she had a bag thrown over her shoulder.
"I'm fine. Just a little sore."
Her brows shot up. "A little sore? You were unconscious for days!"
"Well, I'm not unconscious anymore." I swallowed, reminding myself to be careful with her. Sage arriving at the same time I did was a stroke of luck, and I didn't want to runher off now that I was capable of having a real conversation free of the medicine haze. "I'm fine now. Thanks to you, of course." I took a step towards her, and while she didn't back up, she did freeze in place. "Thank you, Sage."
"It's my job, Alpha Aldridge." Sage had gotten over her initial annoyance and was brushing past me to go inside the cabin before I could tell her to stop.
Her formal tone pissed me off, "Is that what we're doing now, pretending to be strangers? Would you like me to address you as healer Williamson now?"
"It wouldn't be a bad idea," she said primly, setting her bag down on the counter inside. "Go ahead and take a seat on the bed, and I'll assess whether you need any magic-based healing today."
I did as she told me, but I wasn't done talking. "I know you feel our bond waking up. This cold, professional facade isn't going to work on me, Sage."
She snapped her bag shut with an angry click, a complicated series of emotions flashing over her face before she spoke again. "You don't get to do this, Noah. You made your choice five years ago, and you should be thanking me for continuing to abide by it even after all this time."
"Can't we just—"
"No. We can't do or discuss anything unless it's related to your treatment. I don't owe you any information about my life since I joined this pack. You aren't going to force it out of me just because the mating bond has you thinking you deserve access to me and what I've been up to. Now, shut up and get undressed before I lose my cool. And no funny business. Keep your boxers on, or I'll call the male healer in to finish the exam."
No matter how cold Sage acted, her telling me to undress, even for medical reasons, had my blood running hot. I did as she commanded, and she looked away, fiddling with her tools until I took my seat on the bed again. Then she turned and approached, keeping her gaze locked on my face and refusing to look lower until the exam started and she was forced to look over my body.
"Don't be nervous," I chuckled, unable to stop myself. "I'm sure you saw all of me when I was first brought in, considering I was beaten basically to a pulp."
"There's a big difference between a knocked-out, gravely injured man and a cocky, conscious one. Mainly, that your mouth works now, which is a distraction, so try and keep it shut, please."
The moment her fingers brushed my skin, my breath caught in my lungs. A desire so powerful that I had to clench my fists to ignore it flared to life within me, and Sage gasped, jerking her hands back like she'd been shocked.
