Chapter 15
Rowan
“So, when are you going to start seeing patients?” Nina asked excitedly, sitting next to me at breakfast, a bowl of bacon and eggs in her hand.
I’d slept well last night, which was a surprise in and of itself, but I was starting to feel like there was some type of rhythm here, and that was even more curious.
Rory was improving, something I was incredibly grateful for.
Even Griff was ready to get out of his bed, itching to move because he was “going stir-crazy.”
His words.
We were now sleeping in rooms next to each other instead of the same room. Griff had wanted me to stay with him, but Ma had mentioned it might be better for his safety if we didn’t piss off the Alphas any further.
I was sitting in the same spot I’d been taking for the past few days, eating the same breakfast. Ma was as much a familiar, comforting presence to me as she was to anyone. It was… nice.
Still, I wasn’t about to let myself completely relax. Staying in one place was a terrible idea, I knew that. The dragon who’d tried to kill me was still out there, and I wasn’t about to risk this horde because I enjoyed feeling comfy.
Nina leaned in, peering into my eyes as I swallowed a bite of oatmeal. Several horde members were looking over at us curiously, no doubt having heard her declaration.
“I… Uh…” I struggled to find my words. I’d planned to grab my food and get the hell out of here, to avoid this very conversation, but she’d been fast.
“Come on!” Nina pouted, clapping her hands together as she pleaded. “We could really use the help.”
“I don’t want to step on your healer’s toes,” I said cautiously. “I’m already on Jenkins’s list.”
A delicate snort escaped the dragon. “I hardly think any of us care about that. Jenkins can get lost. The grumpy old bastard does more harm than good. You did an amazing job of stitching up Kellan’s hand. There are others who could use an exam by a trained pair of eyes.”
Ma came striding over with a steaming basket, not bothering to ask before placing a fresh muffin in front of me.
“Here you go, my dear.” She smiled warmly, and I couldn’t find it in me to refuse her.
“Ma! Where’s my muffin?” Nina gasped, holding up her hands in exaggerated offense.
The older dragon shook her head good-naturedly. “Of course, you can have one. Rowan gets first pick, though.”
Nina cocked her head to the side. “Is that because she’s a healer or because she’s human?”
Ma chuckled. “Honestly, a little of both. Rowan is our guest—one we are very happy to have—and she’s also human. If I let you savages raid the food before her, there would be none left. Speaking of…”
She turned to her left, where a dragon no older than sixteen was standing, staring excitedly at the basket of treats, a grin on his face.
“Go on.” She smiled, handing him one.
Treat procured, he walked off with a garbled thank you.
“Is there much need for an extra healer here?” I asked, even though the moment the words left my lips, I was already regretting my words.
Of course they could use another healer. Everything I’d seen from Jenkins had screamed wrong. While part of me never wanted to judge a fellow healer, a larger part of me wanted to condemn the old coot for giving bad medical advice.
Potentially deadly medical advice.
“There is!” Nina nodded enthusiastically. “I know so many dragons who would love a second opinion. Especially from someone who was trained by a legendary healer! Ma told me it was the Southern Dust Lands Horde healer, Kiki, who trained you.”
“But I don’t have a fancy doctorate,” I pointed out with a wry smile, taking a bite of my fruit. “Jenkins is the one who—”
Nina scoffed, cutting me off. “You and I both know that, while medical school is impressive, they learn about human healing there, not shifter. You learned from a tried-and-true shifter healer. And your advice has already helped Rory so much!”
“I do usually see patients,” I agreed. “But those hordes don’t have a healer of their own, especially one like yours.”
“Lucky them,” Ma said dryly, making Nina choke with laughter. I couldn’t help but duck away to hide my grin.
“I’ll… I’ll think about it.”
Nina beamed, bouncing in her seat as her smile stretched from ear to ear. “Yay!”
What did I just get myself into?
After breakfast, I still had my rounds to do, regardless of what I’d decided.
Rory needed to be checked on, and Griff would come after that, if everything went smoothly.
When I stepped inside, I noticed Leah at Rory’s bedside, but the color was back in her cheeks, and she looked much more rested.
After chatting for a bit, I was happy enough with Rory’s progression that I turned my attention to Leah.
“Why don’t you go grab a bath?” I suggested. “I’ll stay with Rory until you’re back. He won’t be on his own.”
Leah’s eyes widened, and she looked between us several times. I knew she was hesitant to leave him, but he really was doing better. She deserved the time to take care of herself.
“Oh, Rowan. If you don’t mind… I probably stink,” she said, scrunching her nose, embarrassment making her cheeks pink.
A bubble of laughter escaped me. “Maybe a little, but a healing room is always full of weird smells. Once, I spent three weeks helping an old, grumpy dragon who had ignored the sores on his feet until they were repulsive. That will haunt my nightmares, so compared to that, you smell fucking divine!”
“That sounds horrible.” Leah laughed, and I was pleased I’d managed to make her smile, even for a moment.
“Go.” I gently pushed her toward the door. “I don’t want you back here until you’re bathed, fed, and rested!” I knew the moment Leah set foot in the den, Ma would be plying her with food and drawing her a bath. It really did take a village, and she had a good one.
Also, I may have been about to shoot Ma a warning text to let her know. After taking my phone out of my back pocket, I glanced once more at Rory to ensure he was still deeply asleep before texting.
Rowan
Leah is coming to the den to shower and change. Make sure she rests and eats, please. She needs it.
Ma
Trust me, she will be FED. Thank you for the heads-up.
While she was off getting fed and hopefully taking a bath, I filled my time organizing the small collection of fresh herbs I had picked.
Between the supplies I had brought with me, what I had been able to pick from the garden, and what had been procured from the health store in town, I now had a decent supply.
Eventually, I would need to get my hands on a few more specialty herbs, but I had set up gardens and greenhouses for several hordes. I would contact one of them and ask for help.
After a good chunk of time, when I had managed to label and organize everything while checking on Rory, I heard footsteps outside the door. In came Leah, looking so much fresher.
“Hey, Rowan.” Leah smiled as she shuffled into the room, wearing a fresh sweatshirt and pants. Her face was pinker, her hair clean and brushed into a smooth braid.
“Well, you look like a new dragon!” I smiled.
She grinned, shaking her head before glancing up at Rory. “How’s he been?”
“Sleeping mostly,” I assured her. “He woke up and wanted some water, but he fell back asleep before I could convince him to have anything else.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. Sleep is the way the body heals.”
Leah stared at her son with that particular mom look. “He’s improving… I know he is, but I feel so…”
“Lost?” She nodded back at me. “I think anyone would in your situation. But I can assure you that you’re doing everything that you should be.”
Leah bobbled her head again. “You know, if what they’re saying about you is true, then the Alphas are really lucky. The whole horde is really lucky.”
My face flushed at the praise, not to mention the proof that word about me being their mate was spreading.
“Thank you. Everything is still… being sorted out. I’m here until Rory is back to full health, though, no matter what.”
“I will never be able to thank you enough for all that you’ve done.” Leah stepped up to me, took my hands, and squeezed. “This horde would do well with you, but you should always trust that gut of yours. It’s what helped my Rory.”
My mouth dropped open slightly. I wasn’t used to truth bombs being dropped so effortlessly, so early in the morning. But Leah had a point. I needed to trust my gut. It didn’t often steer me wrong.
So that’s what I was going to do.
As I left the doctor’s office, I paused at the sight of Bastian leaning against a nearby tree, hands in his pockets, looking as casual as ever, except for the steely expression on his face. When he noticed my approach, he pushed off the tree with one foot.
His dark hair was tucked behind his ears in messy waves as he stared at me with those eyes that were such a deep brown, they were almost black.
Everything about this dragon screamed shadowed and closed off.
Any sane person would have avoided him, but all I wanted to do was run my hands through his hair and stick my face into his neck and just breathe in that rich scent that followed him everywhere.
Again, my brain and my instincts were of two very differing opinions.
“Come with me,” he said, jerking his head in the direction of the trees.
I eyed him with extreme suspicion. “Asking me to follow you into the woods. Am I about to be chopped into itty bits?”
I was joking—kind of.
He laughed dryly, shaking his head. “I’m a dragon, remember? No need for itty bits when there would be nothing left but ash.”
I cocked my head to the side, swallowing hard. “Fair point.”
“Come on.” His expression softened. “I promise, no maiming.”
Bastian slowly led me to a small woodland cabin not far from Jenkins’ office. The entire place was old and covered in dust, looking like it might collapse at any moment. Still, the area was beautiful, and I couldn’t deny that it offered a quiet spot away from the bustle of the horde.
“What is this place?” I asked as Bastian led us inside, and I eyed all the dusty cabinets and sheet-covered furniture.
“The old healer’s house,” Bastian explained with a grimace. “This is where our healer before Jenkins saw his patients.”
“So, why isn’t Jenkins using it?” I frowned, thinking of all that could be done with the expansive space.
“Because it’s ‘too old and rudimentary.’ Once he got his medical degree, he insisted he needed a state-of-the-art office to help the horde.” As he spoke, Bastian ran a finger through the thin layer of grime covering the counter next to him.
I snorted. “And how’s that worked out?”
Bastian shot me a withering glare. It should have scared me, but a giggle escaped. I shrugged, holding up my hands in mock surrender. “Sorry. It’s just tragic that you pay so much for such crap medical care.”
He pinned me with a stern glare. “If Jenkins is to be believed, you’re the lesser healer.”
I rolled my eyes, folding my arms over my chest. “Well, you know you’re welcome to believe him if you want to. I think my work will prove otherwise.”
“I think so too.” He didn’t blink as he responded, holding my stare, his tone even and relaxed.
“And Ma basically cornered me today and told me you needed a place to see patients. The obvious option would be giving you a room in the same building as Jenkins…” a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Great. Grumpy dragon was amused at the idea of me suffering Jenkins’s company.
I scrunched my face in disgust. “Yeah, no. I’d do my best to play nice, of course, but I have a feeling he’d end up with a scalpel jammed into his hand—if not somewhere worse.”
“I’m sure he’d deserve it,” Bastian muttered, making me smile. “Still, I think we should avoid the bloodshed for now. This place needs a good cleaning, but would it suit your needs?”
I glanced around. This cozy, rustic clinic was so different from the sterile, bleach-scented medical facility that Jenkins ran. It smelled musty, but I could open a few windows, scrub away the grime and cobwebs.
I hummed to myself, walking up to a cabinet and prying it open.
The door stuck, but inside, I found dozens of sealed glass jars and bottles of unknown tinctures.
I picked up each one, turning them this way and that to read the labels.
As I rummaged through cabinets, I found a number of useful herbs, shocked that Jenkins had left them all to rot.
Most of them would need to be tossed and regathered, but if the old healer had them, they likely grew nearby, and I could get more.
“I think this place will suit nicely,” I announced, straightening and beaming at Bastian, who stood in the doorway. It was a project, but I did want to help the dragons here who only had Jenkins to turn to, and this would be the best way to do that.
“Good. Because we—I—really want you to stay for a while. For the horde, if not…”
Bastian’s words evaporated, his gaze dipping as he cleared his throat. I knew exactly what he meant, though, and my stomach clenched, my heartbeat suddenly too loud in my ears.
If not for the fact I was their mate.
“Well. I guess I’d better get cleaning, then,” I said, resting my hands on my hips, distracting us both with a curt nod.
“I’m sure Ma already has a swarm of volunteers ready to help.”
I chuckled at that, staring at the Alpha a few feet from me, unable to look away as I managed to get out, “Perfect.”