Chapter 46

Amber’s POV

“Now wait one minute,” Julian said, turning to face Ken while stepping in front of me to block me from Ken’s view. “Amber is a reputable Healer –”

“And you are biased, Alpha,” Ken continued. “We all know this healer is your ex-wife returned from the dead. Can you really tell us that she is the best, most qualified for the job even without your feelings getting in the way?”

Julian’s shoulders straightened. “You are questioning my judgement?”

Ken paused a moment. His voice started to shake with uncertainty as he said, “I-If you can’t see her for what she is...”

Julian stood taller, reaching his full intimidating height.

Though Julian was a considerate Alpha who always seemed to take his pack’s opinions to heart, he was still the Alpha. To question him like this was blatantly disrespectful. Julian would have been within his rights to act against this disrespect.

Yet Julian had to know that Ken was hurting, and that these words were coming from a place of hurt and worry over his father. As such, Julian showed remarkable restraint in this situation, saying only, “You are walking on shaky ground, Ken.”

Ken paled slightly, as if realizing even through the pain that to defy the Alpha was to put his life in his hands. We were all silent, frozen in place, looking from Ken to Julian.

Julian was a reasonable king, and he knew Ken was hurting. But the hierarchy of the werewolf pack could not be questioned.

Ken swallowed hard. “I just think… it’s the wrong decision.”

He’d fully softened his opinion, even lowering his head slightly in reverence to the Alpha.

“Your opinion is noted,” Julian said with finality, saying with only his tone that this conversation was done. “You should not defy me again.”

Ken made himself small, standing there. “Yes, Alpha.”

“I didn’t raise you to speak to the Alpha that way,” said Elder Jeffers from his bed.

In surprise, we all turned to look at him.

Elder Jeffers’s eyes were open and he was glaring at his son. “You will apologize to the Alpha now.”

Ken was shocked, his face pale and his eyes wide. “Dad…”

“Now, Ken.”

Ken swallowed hard, he dipped his head while facing Julian. “I apologize, Alpha.”

“Healer Amber is the one you should apologize to,” Julian insisted. “She is the one you were truly slighting with that kind of talk.”

Ken hesitated.

His father pressed, “Ken.”

Julian stepped to the side, revealing me more fully to Ken, who dipped his head yet again.

“Sorry, Healer Amber.”

While it was nice to have this apology, I didn’t want to waste precious time on it, and tried to drag everyone’s attention back to the matter at hand. Fortunately, Roger and Pete were already on task, moving closer to their father.

Elder Jeffers was happy to see them both, smiling warmly as he looked at them, yet there was something else lingering in his eyes, a glimmer that I recognized from working in hospitals for so long.

The elder was piecing together his situation without me even having to tell him. Being here, surrounded by healers and his family, he must know the questions that we needed to ask. Also, I was certain he could feel the feverfang virus working within him, likely giving him some pain, even though I tried to quell that with the potion.

“How long do I have?” Elder Jeffers asked Roger.

Roger looked at me.

“An hour of consciousness,” I replied, unsure if he meant how long would he be awake, or how long would he be alive. “I’m sorry, but we have a few important questions for you.”

Using my calmest doctor voice, I explained the situation to him, telling him of his condition and the various options to him. When I describe what forcing the shift would entail, he immediately shook his head before I could even explain the risks.

“No,” he said. “I wouldn’t be able to handle that. I haven’t shifted in years.”

“Maybe you should take a minute to think about it,” Roger said. “This is the most effective treatment.”

“When I go out, it’s going to be peacefully in my sleep,” the elder said. “I’m not going to tear myself apart trying to chase a cure I’m not sure if I even want.”

“You don’t want it?” Pete asked. His wife stayed close to him.

“When you get to be my age, boys, you learn not to be afraid of death. I have seen it happen to everyone who came before me, and knew it was only a matter of time before it was my turn.” Elder Jeffers smiled. “I’ve lived a good life. I’ve dedicated myself to the pack. But I am ready to return to the arms of the moon goddess now, and to see your mother again.”

“You don’t know what you are saying,” Ken said. “Healer Amber tricked you somehow.”

“No, son,” the elder said calmly. He held out his hand for Ken, who took it. “You have to let go of this anger within you. I knew this would happen, and I’ve been planning for my end. You simply have to call my lawyer and…”

“I don’t care about the money, Dad,” Ken said. “I want you here with us.”

“I can’t stay forever,” the elder said.

“You don’t want him to be in pain,” Roger said to his brother.

Ken lowered his head. “If the healers did their jobs…”

“They have done their jobs,” the elder said. “They brought me back long enough to tell you each how much I love you and to say goodbye.”

The mood shifted, turning more personal. The other healers, Julian, and I stepped back to give them the room they needed to properly talk to each other.

While we turned our backs, Julian nudged his shoulder into mine, offering me silent support.

These types of situations never really got easier, no many how many times I experienced them.

Hours later, after Elder Jeffers’s wishes were clear and he was asleep once more, his family stayed with him until the end. After the elder returned to the arms of the Moon Goddess and his late wife, Roger, Pete, and Rachel all thanked me profusely.

Ken glared. “My father may be gone but this isn’t over. You’ll pay for your negligence here.”

His brothers pulled him away, apologizing to me behind his back, but I waved them all away, determined not to take any of this personally.

Everyone handled grief differently, some with tears, some with threats. Ken seemed to be an emotional man who dearly loved his father. He needed someone to blame for the death, and I was as good a target as anyone.

I could shoulder this burden, carrying the weight of it for as long as Ken needed me to.

At least I tried to.

When I returned home that night, I hugged Alice extra tightly, finding comfort in her returning hug.

“Hard day, Mom?” she asked me.

I couldn’t lie to her. “Yes.”

The next morning, I decided to take off work to recuperate my own mental health. Alice had to go to school, so I had a whole day planned for myself involving a hot bath, a fluffy robe, and a whole lot of daytime soap opera television.

First thing was first though. After brewing my coffee, I sat with a mug and turned on the news.

I instantly regretted it when Olivia’s face filled the screen.

She was speaking into a microphone held by a reporter.

“It’s just not right, what Healer Amber has done,” Olivia said. “So I’ve decided to use my public influence for some good. I’m standing beside Ken Jeffers as he advocates for his late father. We both believe that Healer Amber neglected Elder Jeffers and his care.”