All Chapters of The Healer's Bond : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Emma had said her goodbyes to Sarah after they had gone back and forth on what was going between her and Steve.“There is something between the two of you, I can feel it.” Sarah had said when they had both stood had the large hall of the sixth floor looking out the walls of the panes that over looked the city.“I do not know what you are talking about, Sarah,” Emma said wearily as she watched the rising sun and its rays as it gleamed on heavily dewed cars and buildings. Her shift was over and she was calling it a day.She had instructed the interns under her to carefully watch and report any changes that happened to the remaining pack members of Steve’s pack.“Oh, come on, Emma!” Sarah exclaimed playfully. “I saw the way he held your hands and the yearning in his eyes, there is something going on.”“Really?” Emma said in slight disbelief. “Yearning in his eyes?”“I know what I saw, Emma, you can deny it as much as you want.” Sarah chuckled and replied.“Or maybe you need some romance

Emma knew that Steve was spent as he laid on his back against the small fence that rose up the edge of the hospital roof. The morning sunlight shine across his battered form, highlighting every wound, every drop of blood that stained his torn clothing. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she watched the Alpha she had just met after five long years accept his impending death with quiet dignity. There was something achingly beautiful about him even now—a wild, untamed spirit that refused to beg or plead, even at the end. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his face. Despite the pain etched into his features, his jaw remained set in defiance, his eyes—those magnificent amber eyes that reminded her so much of autumn forests—still blazed with a fierce determination. The virus that coursed through his veins had weakened him considerably, dark tendrils visibly spreading beneath his skin, but it hadn't broken his spirit. That, Emma realized with a sudden clarity that took her breath

There was resignation in his voice, but also determination—the voice of a leader who had accepted the cost of his choices. Emma's stomach sank with dread, a cold weight settling in her core. "Why?" The question was simple, but loaded with all her fears for the future. "Because as of this moment, we are both very wanted werewolves," Steve replied, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes, when they opened to meet hers, held a mixture of regret and resolve. "And I am willing to bet my furs that they are at your house." Emma shook her head confidently, though doubt began to gnaw at her certainty. "No, they cannot be at my house, Steve. There is a magic barrier that I personally put there. Trespassers cannot see or know where I live unless I want them to." The words came out more defensively than she intended, as if she were trying to convince herself as much as him. In the five years since she had walked away from pack life, she had built protection

It wasn't as if there were any male clothes lying around somewhere, but she knew exactly where to look. In her bedroom, she approached a cedar chest tucked into the corner of her closet. With reverent hands, she lifted the heavy lid, releasing the scent of mothballs and faded cologne. There was a chest full of old clothes that belonged to her father, although she had never met him. It was one of the few tangible connections she had to the man who had died before she was born.Her fingers trembled slightly as she picked out a large jean jacket, a long-sleeved plaid shirt, and jeans, along with a brown towel. She hoped the clothes would fit Steve's large frame. For a moment, she held the plaid shirt to her nose, closing her eyes and trying to imagine the man who had once worn it. Would he have approved of her bringing a werewolf—an injured, wanted werewolf at that—into their ancestral home?She took the clothes to the guest room where she heard water running

Steve's expression suddenly turned troubled, his brow furrowing as his eyes darted to the windows. Emma noticed the change immediately, her own senses heightening in response."What is it?" she asked, her body tensing as she prepared for another threat."I am just a bit surprised that you have the mind to sleep after what we have been through," Steve replied, his voice low and serious. He moved closer to the window, peering out into the darkening forest beyond."You do not believe that we are safe here," Emma stated. It wasn't a question."Are we?" Steve asked skeptically, his shoulders tense as he scanned the treeline.Emma gave him an assured smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nobody can find us here," she told him with more confidence than she felt. "Take my word for it." With that said, she left him alone in the big library, feeling his eyes on her back as she walked away.She was shaking with a nervous tension as she exited