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“Alpha-Mate, good to see you back where you belong,” she said as she made her way to the side of the bed.
Marshall started at the title.
“Alpha-Mate? I’m not the Alpha-Mate.”
“Well, true. You and Aaron haven’t claimed each other yet, but that’s just a minor detail. Once you have, you’ll be the Alpha-Mate.” She turned her attention to Aaron. “Hmm, let’s have a look at you, young Alpha.”
Marshall was vaguely aware of her talking with Darcy, but his mind was racing with what Alice had just said. With everything that had happened over the last few days, he honestly had given little thought of the implications of being Aaron’s mate. How was he supposed to be the mate of the West Mill pack Alpha and help him run it when he had his own life and business in the city? He couldn’t just abandon all that to move to Bakersfield. And what about Saint? And what the hell did being Alpha-Mate involve? He wasn’t cut out to host dinners and run the house.
“Don’t worry, it will all work out,” Darcy’s soft voice broke into his thoughts. She laid a hand on his arm. “The most important thing right now is to focus on getting you and Aaron back to health.”
Marshall gave her a weak smile and looked at Alice, who gave him a comforting nod. “She’s right. Now come over here and lie next to your mate.”
“Have you figured out what is wrong with his wolf?” he asked anxiously. He stretched out next to Aaron and twined their fingers together. Aaron squeezed his hand, and a little of the tension eased from Marshall.
“What do you see, Darcy?” Alice asked.
Darcy gently traced a hand a few inches above Aaron’s chest and across to Marshall before retracing the pattern.
“Aaron’s wolf has a minimal energy signature.”
“Yes. Good. What else”
“The soul bond is lighter than it was a few days ago. Almost faded in parts?”
“Why do you think that is?”
Marshall bit back his frustration. He was all for making something a teaching moment, but he really needed to know what was wrong with Aaron and how the hell they were going to fix it.
“Settle, Marshall. I have your answers.” Alice winked at him.
“Alice,” Aaron growled weakly. “Stop stalling and get on with it.”
“Darcy?” Alice threw the question to her granddaughter, who rolled her eyes.
“Really, Gran, you try the patience of a saint!”
“Okay. I think Aaron’s wolf has tried to heal Marshall through the soul bond and, in turn, has completely drained himself,” Darcy said, looking at her grandmother for confirmation.
“Well done. Yes. I believe that is what has happened. Normally, a mating bond would transfer a wolf’s healing ability to you, Marshall.”
Marshall was surprised. “Really? Even though I’m human?”
“Yes. When mates bond, there is a mutual transfer of strengths and weaknesses. Even if one of the pair is human.”
“And because we have a soul bond? What happens then?”
“From the research we’ve done over the last few days, it is like the mate bond, only a lot stronger.”
“How much stronger?” Aaron asked.
“Unfortunately, we don’t know yet. With the variable of Marshall being human, we honestly can’t predict how much stronger either of you is going to be,” Alice admitted ruefully.
“So, why has Aaron’s wolf tried to heal me?”
“The best I can think of is that he sensed you were ill, and even in the few days you have spent together, he has started to imprint on you, even without the bond being completed. His natural instinct is to protect you and heal you. Except, without the mating bond, all he had as a connection is the incomplete soul bond, which has taken everything out of him.”
“How do we heal him and Aaron, then?”
