“I don’t know exactly. It isn’t on the bonds I first touched. The ones you said were to your council or whatever.” She paused. “I’m sorry. I’m really out of my element here. I don’t deal with werewolves—other than you guys—and never with the fey. I’ve got enough supernatural problems without borrowing from your kind.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt. But I’ll take any guess you have.” I laughed, but it was a sad, helpless whimper of a laugh. “I’ll take anything at this point. Any hint of what you think could be wrong or if you have an idea on how to fix it. This is literally the most useful bit of information that I’ve gotten since Tessa was taken.”
Samantha licked her lips and then took a breath as if she were considering her words very carefully. “I think—and I don’t know, and I hate to get anyone into trouble—but I really, really think that one of the werewolves you’re connected to must be a traitor. I can’t explain it, but it feels like someone let the fey magic infect your pack bonds. The fey would need a way in, and the only way in—as far as I can tell—is through another werewolf. The fey magic snakes through the pack bonds like a trail leading back to a person. I could only grasp at the more solid bonds, but there were finer ones there that were also infected. I don’t know who that person is. It’s not one of the people that called, but I have no way of knowing who else you’re tied to and—”
I was suddenly very thankful that Michael had shoved that candy bar at me. I was going to need every ounce of control. “Someone in my pack let the fey into my bonds? Is that what you’re saying?” I squeezed my hands into tight fists.
“I think so. Or a related pack. Like something looser tied to you than those who called. Does that makes sense?”
“It does.” We’d been betrayed by one of our own. How did I not see it? “Are you sure?”
“I can’t explain it or tell you who, but I think you have to take out the bad apple in your pack. I don’t know that it will bring Tessa back, but…you need to break through the magic on your bonds, and clearly I’m not strong enough to do it. So…” She licked her lips again as she thought. “So, I’d start questioning your wolves.”
That was something. Wolves I could hunt. That was something I could fight. “Thank you. I’m so sorry you got hurt.”
I’d already paid her medical bills in full. There were some outstanding ones, and I paid those, too. When I did, I talked to Michael. We were going to see what we could do to help her. If she’d accept the help. I would’ve done anything to help her regardless, but she’d gotten hurt because of me, and she’d given me a clue.
This was still a debt I needed to repay.
I wasn’t sure if I should touch her, but I reached for her hand. She took it, giving it a squeeze.
“I don’t know how to thank you, but I’m grateful for your help.”
“I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about me.” She let go of my hand. “Will you keep me updated? Let me know what you find or when you find her?”
“I will. And thank you. This is more information than we’ve had before.” I turned to go, but she called out to me.
“There’s one more thing.” She looked down at her hands and started messing with the blanket. “I’m not sure if I should tell you this. If it’ll help you or just make it worse or—”
“Anything would help.” I stepped closer to the bed. Samantha had already given me so many answers, and I was grateful for them. But if she had more, I’d take that, too. Even if it made it worse. Although I wasn’t sure how that could be possible. “Anything helps.”
“I’m not sure how—because it didn’t happen with any of the other bonds. I never ever saw anything when I touched them. But for the second I held your mate bond before I went flying, I could see Tessa.”
I sat down at the end of her bed and held her hands—gently. Gently and with every ounce of control I had left. “What did you see? Is she…was she hurt?”
Her misty gray eyes met mine. “She’s okay. She’s not hurt. It was quick—just a flash of an image really—but I saw at least that muc
h. She was reading. She seemed okay.”
I took a breath. Tessa was fine. Wherever she was, she wasn’t hurt. That was everything. I gripped her hands tighter for a second before letting go. I wanted to hug her, but I didn’t want to make her head hurt worse. “Thank you. If you ever need anything…I will do anything for you.”
“I’m going to take you up on that. You’ll probably regret it, so—”
“I won’t!” The words snapped out. I took a breath. I needed that control back. “Sorry. I’m a mess right now, but please call me. I gave your phone to your mother earlier, but I added my number to it. If you hear anything else or have any ideas, just call me. And if anything comes up and you need my help, I’ll come. I promise. Anything at all.”
“You got it.”
I walked out of the room and barely stopped myself from running back to Michael. Running in the hospital would get too much attention, so I forced myself to walk.
When I reached the waiting room, Michael saw me and immediately stood up.
I waved him forward and started moving toward the exit.
“What did she say?” Michael said as he came up beside me. He sounded hopeful, and this time, there was a good reason for him to be hopeful.
I had a lead. A good, solid lead.
“Time to go hunting.” My wolf was close, making my voice a half-growl, but I couldn’t shove it down.