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“What? What is it?” Luna asks, her face paling at my reaction.
“Salem. What’s wrong?” Orion snaps, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Your son has a hole in his heart,” I tell them gently.
Luna sucks in a sharp breath, tears leaking down her cheeks.
“Most children born with a hole in their heart have surgery and live a long and happy life,” I tell her as she turns into Orion’s chest.
Halo stands with a still-sleeping Ruby in his arms. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. Her scan isn’t until next week, you said, right? Did you have one at twelve weeks?”
“Eleven.”
I nod, looking up at Oz. He closes his eyes in resignation.
“Food, rest, snuggles,” I remind him, making him shake his head even though I can see his worry.
“I’ve got you, sweetheart.”
I turn to look at Orion and find the man himself watching me. “I can heal him. When Luna goes for her checkup next week, it will be like there was never an issue. If they had spotted anything in the earlier scan, they would have told you. But if you want me to do it, it needs to be before the scan so they don’t ask too many questions.”
“What happens when you heal him?”
“He will carry on growing big and strong in his mama’s belly like nothing was ever wrong with him.”
“And what happens to you?” he grunts.
“I get a hole in my heart for a little while, but my guys will look after me while I heal.”
Zig’s hand squeezes my shoulder in support. I know he hates this part, but he’d never hold me back.
Orion looks like he might puke, but that’s his son in there. I think he gets it now—everything I was saying before and the extremes people will go to to have me heal someone they love.
“Thank you. We’ll forever be in your debt.”
“Families take care of each other, right?” My smile is wobbly, and I hope this is the start of a tentative friendship with a man who scares the bejesus out of me.
“Damn straight, they do. Now tell me what you need.”
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE
Zig
“Hey.” Both Oz and I look at the door and see Orion standing in it with his hands in his pockets. “Is she okay?” He gazes down at Salem, asleep on the bed between us, her usually tan skin looking pale as hell.
“She will be. It takes a lot out of her, and she’s done a lot of healing lately. How’s Luna?”
“She’s fine. Listen, I want to thank you both.”
“Not us you need to thank,” Oz tells him.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be thanking Salem when she wakes up. Seeing what this did to her…” He shakes his head. “I get it. I don’t know if I could stand by and watch Luna put herself through that over and over.” He rubs his hand over his face, suddenly looking tired.
“Everyone is gathered in the basement. They want to talk to you both. If you’re okay with it, I’ll stay here and watch over Salem. I swear to God she’ll be safe with me. What she just did for my son… There are no words.”
I look at Oz, who turns to face me. I leave it up to him. As protective as I am of Salem, I don’t doubt Orion’s words. He doesn’t trust easily, which, given his history, is hardly surprising, but once he does, he’s loyal as fuck.
