Page 56 of Pack: Posy 3

Alpha Thaddeus Quake stood on the front porch waiting for us. He was about Jay's height and size and had rich, dark skin and a soft-looking halo of black hair. I guessed his age to be close to fifty, a little older than most alphas, who usually handed the job off to their sons as soon as they reached eighteen or so.

King Julian said their son, Kayvon, was twenty and more than capable of taking over the pack. Unless I found something to the contrary, he was to be installed as the next alpha.

Mase told me that Alpha Quake was unaware that his beta had asked for our help, but hedidknow we were coming. In true Mase style, he'd called and made an appointment.

"Alpha Barlow." Alpha Quake held out a hand and I shook it. "It's a pleasure to finally meet one of the famous alphas of Five Fangs, but I don't know why you requested this meeting."

"Alpha Quake." I inclined my head. "Beta Napoleon Brooks contacted us to see if we might know of a way to help his luna."

Way to throw his beta under the bus, boss, Topaz groaned.

Oh. Yeah. Did not think of that.

Alpha Quake's thick black eyebrows flew up.

"He did?"

"Yes, sir. My condolences on your mate's ongoing illness."

"Thank you. I appreciate it. What help do you think you can provide? I've had every shifter doctor I know or could hire, including the royal one, look at Norah to see if they knew of a cure."

"These are Maria Rose and Ariel Harrington, mates to two of our betas." I waved my hand at the girls standing behind me. "They're healers and powerful witches. We think magic may be at play since no shifter doctor can identify what's wrong."

"Oh! I never considered that!" His eyes lit up with hope. "Come on in and meet my Norah."

The alpha led us through the front door and into a spacious living room, where a young man sat on one of the couches and stared at a woman huddled in a recliner in the corner.

"This is our son, Kayvon. He'll be the next alpha as soon as he finds his mate," Alpha Quake told me what I already knew.

I studied Kayvon as he stood. It was easy to see his father in his face, although he was a lot taller, about my height, but lean as a whip. His eyes were honest and his demeanor serious, but not aggressive.

"Alpha Cole Barlow of Five Fangs," I introduced myself as we shook hands. "Just out of curiosity, is that a personal preference or a Cold Moon tradition?"

"Tradition." Kayvon shrugged. "Although I see the wisdom of it. An alpha needs a luna to hold him together, right?"

"He surely does," I agreed. "Without a luna, an alpha falters and so does his pack."

"Exactly." Kayvon's black eyes bore into me.

He knows something, I linked the witches.I'll try to get him alone and ask.

Okay, alpha,they said in sync.

"And this is my Norah." Alpha Quake went over to the recliner and crouched in front of it. "Dear, can you say hello to our guests?"

"Pops, she hasn't spoken for two years." Kayvon ran a hand down his face. "What makes you think she's going to say hello now?"

"Hush, Von." Alpha Quake waved a hand at him. "She'll hear you. Don't hurt her feelings."

As they muttered at each other, my eyes swept over Luna Norah Quake and knew we were too late. Whatever was wrong with her, she was gone. Her lungs might still be breathing and her heart beating, but nobody was home in those brown eyes.

She sat limply on the chair, not moving. A cloth doll sat on the chair next to her, but she didn't pay any attention to it. Her hands rested on the chair arms as ifshewere the doll and someone had posed her that way.

The witches went right over to her. Ariel stood next to her and held a hand over her head while Maria crouched in front of her and lifted up both hands. The air shimmered with magic.

"It's not hurting her, is it?" Alpha Quake asked as he and his son sat on the closest couch.

"No, sir," I assured him.

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