Page 51 of Lightning Strikes

I spend the rest of my shift cleaning and sterilizing the patient rooms that were used today. Even with such a large population in the community, I really only have seen one or two patients per day. Which is way less than my vet clinic and I’m actually bored out of my mind.

No one in the pack has any pets, so that wouldn’t be an option to pass the time to offer vet services.

Carter leans up against the wall in Ronnie’s – my – office and he smirks at me. “Ready to head out? It’s after five.” I check my phone and wince as I pack up my purse and toss it over my shoulder, following him down the hall.

“I hope that Deacon can get some more healers here so I don’t have to sit around by myself bored out of my mind all day.”

He scoffs and sends me a playful glare. “What do you mean alone? We’re here with you all damn day, every day.”

I mock frown and shrug. “But you guys are so boring. Watching the doors, perimeter checks, doing surveillance. What happens if you get sidetracked and a scary person walks through the doors to scare us?” I snicker when he rolls his eyes, opening up the door to the SUV for me.

“Just because no disappearances have happened here in the community doesn’t mean theywon’t.I’m sure the Alpha would have offered a guard detail to you even if you weren’t pregnant… That was probably his ‘in’ to get you to accept it. You’re special, anyway,healer.So it all works out.”

I chew on my lip as he and Ryan begin talking about some human sport they like to watch as I think about how much Deacon knows about my family… If he was able to make one ten-minute phone call to someone about Melissa… Would that person know more about me? Something to ask him tonight if he shows up.

After Carter parks and we head up to the front porch, I hear Ella and Tom making their way over. I give them both a tight hug and kiss their cheeks.

“Hey guys, how was your day?”

Tom grunts at me and leads me through the front door. “Ella is trying to spend all of our money already.” I chuckle and wink at Ella.

“Have to spend money to make money, right? Just enjoy the ‘vacation’ here before she opens up shop. How long will it take for the renovations to the clinic once I’m out?”

Ella wraps her arm around mine and pulls me to the living room. “Probably a few weeks. I want a little store in the front where the reception area is now. I’ll head into one of the cities and pick up some cheap dresses at a Goodwill and then work my magic on them to make them spectacular. People can visualize better with those up or even buy them.” I smile at her as we relax and talk while Tom helps Mac in the kitchen. My four guards hang out on the back porch drinking beers, tossing out insults to each other and bonding like always.

It’s truly a blessing getting to know the four of them. They’re all close with their families, but don’t talk about them much in front of me… Probably because they all know about what happened to my parents.

“I’m going to call Deacon, be right back.” I kiss Ella’s cheek and grab my phone from my purse before heading back to my room to wash my face and change out of my scrubs. I want to be in more comfortable clothes anyway, especially as my stomach is starting to soften and grow.

“Hello, Angela, how are you?” Margaret answers Deacon’s phone and I freeze. Has she been going through his emails and messages about what’s been going on in the pack and me mentioning my… services I can offer? Shit.

“Hey Margaret! I was calling to see if you and Alpha Deacon would like to come to dinner?”

She hums and I hear a door slam in the distance on her end of the phone. “We’re busy tonight, Ms. Miller. Goodbye.” She hangs up and I frown. I really need to sit down with her and have a chat. She probably thinks I want her husband.

He’s a good-looking man, and even as ‘promiscuous’ as I am, I don’t touch mated men. Ever.

I change into a long sleeve shirt, sweatpants, and leave my feet bare before padding back down the hall, finding Ella in the kitchen. Looks like she kicked the guys out to take over.

“Go relax outside, Ang. I’m almost done.” She shoos me out and I chuckle as I head to the back patio and sit on Mac’s lap with a loud sigh. He wraps his hands around me, kisses my neck, and his chest rumbles against my back as he continues his conversation with his dad.

I close my eyes and relax as I listen to all of thementalk about sports, work, Mac’s issues with the guys he was grouped with, and what he can look forward to if he’s chosen for guard duty to someone in the pack. I must have fallen asleep, waking up when someone places Scout against my chest and she nibbles on my chin with her sharp teeth.

I blink my eyes open and frown at the little demon. “I take it you’re hungry, killer?” I murmur to her and groan as I sit up and look around.

“Dinner is about to be done, go deal with Scout.” Ella pats my head and I scowl at her as I walk inside and get the formula ready. At least Melissa sent me another full box and it should be enough to finish up while I wean her to kitten food. I also have her full set of shots in the fridge for the next year, so at least I don’t have to drive to a vet clinic in a random human town and deal with the humans.

This is the good life.

While the bottle is warming, I sniff and check out the dinner for tonight and moan when I find her famous jalapeno popper chicken casserole in the oven. No wonder she kicked the guys out – they would have messed it up.

I sit down at the island to feed Scout as I mull over my conversation with Margaret. She’s been lately, and it’s making me damn nervous. I can tell she’s jealous… that will eventually lead to lashing out. Can she kick us out of the pack?

The kitten falls asleep in my hand and I toss the bottle in the sink, heading back out to the porch. I sit beside Mac and lean my head against his shoulder, while I listen to their conversation.

“Was Deacon able to make it tonight?” Ella asks as I close my eyes again.

I frown as I shake my head and explain the conversation I had with Margaret after I called Deacon’s phone. “I’m nervous that she has access to his emails and text messages about the… pack matters…” I glance over at Ella and Tom and rub my fingers over my mouth. They have no idea about my magic and I’m not announcing it while we’re sitting outside.

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