Chapter 200

Amber’s POV

“What are we thinking here?” Julian asked, as he, Rafael, and I followed Bill and Jessica to the river. Our usual guard followed behind, though they now held their guns in a more relaxed way than before. “The water is making people sick?”

“It’s possible,” I said. “The symptoms would align with a kind of poisoning, and if all the fish have died off, that could be a sign.”

“This area never had trouble with water before,” Rafael said.

“It could be some kind of run-off from a mine or a factory,” Julian added.

Rafael considered this. “I would have to check. We thought this place abandoned, so we would not consider the inhabitants when building factories in the area.”

I was pleased to have them with me, providing ideas and insights and not immediately dismissing my idea.

Jessica and Bill were ahead of us a ways, speaking with each other. They hadn’t been thrilled about my wanting to leave the clinic, but I had insisted. If I didn’t know the cause, I’d only be treating symptoms. That wouldn’t cure anything. People would just get sick again in time.

We needed to find the root of the sickness and squash it.

“Your shoulder alright?” I asked Julian.

He nodded. “Don’t worry about me. I’m doing fine.”

“Okay. Good.”

We approached the docks that led out into the water. Even as we came closer, I could see people collecting the river water into containers for their personal use.

Frowning, I looked into the water. It was murky and somewhat reddish.

Not a good sign.

I lifted the cup I had been carrying, walked to the water’s edge, and collected a sample. Lifting it away from the river, I could see that it was clearer in my cup, but there was still sediment within it. And it smelled… sour.

Mine run-off then, most likely. Sulfur in the water.

To Jessica, I said, “You will want to have your people stop drinking from this water for now.”

“We don’t have a choice,” she said. “There are no other water sources.”

“Can you build a well?” I asked.

“Where? How?” she replied.

I turned to Rafael.

“Don’t look at me,” he said. “This isn’t my issue.”

“You are the Alpha of these lands,” I told him. “This water needs to be cleaned, or these people will continue to suffer.”

“They aren’t my people, Amber. They are rogues.”

“Typical of you to deny responsibility,” Jessica scoffed.

Rafael winced like she slapped him, even though he never looked away from me, as if he was trying to ignore her but couldn’t.

“If the water isn’t drinkable, then perhaps their leader should move them somewhere more habitable,” Rafael said.

“Rafael, you are such an ass,” Jessica replied.

Rafael looked at her. “Then what does that make you?”

“What are you implying? All I have ever tried to do is keep these people alive!”

“You betrayed me, Jessica. You could have had everything, but you didn’t want it!”

“I didn’t do anything! You are the one who turned your back on me!”

“Jessica,” Bill said, stepping between them. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she seemed to calm down.

Seeing this, Rafael huffed, and turned his back to the both of them.

I still didn’t fully know what had happened between them, but in this moment, none of that matter. What did matter was finding a way to solve this so that these people didn’t continue to suffer.

“They are rogues, cast out from your pack,” I said, “But they are still people. They don’t deserve this fate, not if there is something that can be done to stop it.”

Rafael’s POV

Seeing Jessica after all this time – when I had been so certain that she had died – was a definitely shock to my system. After losing her – after she betrayed me – I had sworn off love of all kinds, instead focusing on my family and my pack.

I was ready to be a bachelor for life. I didn’t even care about it anymore.

Seeing Jessica again brought an influx of emotions, like a torrent inside of my chest. I felt like I was awash at sea, barely breaching the surface as my feelings threatened to overwhelm me, to pull me down and drown me.

I had never considered myself an emotional person, but this was my breaking point. My damn had burst, and I didn’t know if I would ever be the same again.

Perhaps that was why, when my sister spoke, it struck me like an arrow through the chest.

“Rafael, please,” Amber continued. “You are a good man, a good leader. This river is on your land. You have a responsibility to keep it clean. And the children…”

I glanced around, at the people still pulling water from the river.

“If they aren’t sick yet, they soon will be,” Amber said. “Could you live with yourself, knowing that? Knowing you could have stopped this, but didn’t?”

“She’s right, Rafael,” Julian said. He smiled at my sister, his eyes soft and in love. “She’s right about most things.” Looking at me, his expression hardened. “My pack can offer support if you need it.”

What kind of insult was that? My pack didn’t need anyone’s support, especially his.

But… he had saved my life only earlier today, taking a silver bullet that had been meant for me.

And then there was the matter that my sister was in love with him. He seemed in love with him too.

I supposed I could do worse in a brother-in-law.

“Fine,” I said, and closed my eyes. “I will clean up this river.”

“We will need medical supplies,” Jessica said.

“Don’t push it,” I growled.

“Rafael,” Amber said gently. “Some antibiotics would drastically improve the situation here.”

“They are rogues,” I said.

“They are people,” Amber countered. Julian inched closer to her, seemingly giving her strength just by being beside her. The two together were a force to be reckoned with.

If I had thought Amber stubborn before, it was even worse with Julian backing her up.

“Fine,” I said. “We will send antibiotics, and fresh water to hold you over until the river can be cleaned.”

“And toiletries,” Jessica added.

I groaned in frustration. “Why not just make a list!”

I hadn’t been serious, but Jessica brightened at that idea. “We will.”

Gods, what did I get myself into?

As I rubbed my forehead, a headache coming on, Jessica came closer. To Amber, she asked, “Is this the problem then? The reason my people are sick?”

“I believe so,” I said. “I will need to run a few tests to be absolutely certain but it appears to be this, yes.”

“Then you have held your end of the bargain,” she said. “So I will hold up mine. Any packages delivered to the city are sent to the same address. This is a front. We collect them at the edge of the city and take them where they are needed. I know who ordered the package you seek.”

“Who?” I asked.

“A worried grandmother and her afflicted grandchild,” Jessica said. “I won’t say more without their permission, but I will tell you where you can find them. It’s up to them whether they will speak to you or not.”

“I understand,” I said.

Jessica gave us an address, then added, “Be kind. They are suffering too.”