The Pack's Doctor by Cooper

Chapter 146

Warren

I’ve never been to Quirin’s pack. I’ve never been invited to come for a visit, a meeting, a battle, nothing. When we stepped out of the car, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Now that I’ve gotten a taste for the feel of this pack, I’m even more worried about

anything BUT likeable. But being here, I realize just my daughter. I know she’s always liked Quirin, which is odd, siner he what a struggle it must be for her.

I’m not sure how I feel about their scents being so strong on each other. On the one hand, I’m glad that they seem to be getting along together. After barely smelling them on each other last weekend, I was concerned. On the other hand, she’s my little girl and I’m struggling to come to terms with the fact that she’s now a grown woman.

Quirin has always been closed off, a dark, depressed man. But seeing him now, he seems almost happy. Well, as happy as a man like Quirin can be. I’m pretty sure he actually smiled, or it seemed like he smiled. It was the closest thing that I’ve ever seen to a smile on his face. My daughter, on the other hand, seems much more muted than I’m used to her being.

I’ll be anxious to get Yara’s assessment of our daughter after spending time with her today. I don’t get the impression that she wants to leave or to reject Quirin, but if she does, I’ll do everything in my power to get her away from him.

It suddenly dawns on me that I don’t have the force of the pack behind me any longer. I mean, I probably do, but effective six days ago, my son took over as Alpha. The pack is his, it’s no longer mine. It would be up to him if he would choose to use the pack’s resources to protect his sister.

As I walk into Quirin’s office, I remember all those years ago when Yara saved my leg. At the time, I’d had no idea what I would do or who I was if I wasn’t an Alpha. Today, while I definitely have more titles such as mate and father, no longer being the Alpha to a strong pack makes me feel uneasy in my own skin. I haven’t had to ask anyone for assistance to protect my family. I always knew I had the pack for that. Now, however, that choice would be Connor’s. I expect that he would choose to protect his sister, even if it meant going to war with Quirin, but it would be his choice and I would be bound to accept it.

As we sit in Quirin’s office, my son turns and frowns at me. He must feel the tension in me, the struggle within myself that I no longer know who I am. My life is changing and it’s going to take me more than a week to adjust to that. Maybe I’ll take some time to talk to Harold while we’re here to see how he managed it. Henry’s been Alpha of their pack for over a decade and somehow, Harold adjusted.

I shake my head at Connor, letting him know that we can talk later. I’m thankful that I’ve raised him to the kind of Alpha that I was, but it’s a bit unnerving to be on the receiving end of an Alpha who is monitoring your emotions and is concerned about them. That was my job for so long that it feels strange coming from someone other than Yara.

“So, as I mentioned to Luna Yara before, it was Kennedy who figured out what was happening. And while I can’t confirm that she’s completely accurate in her assessment, I’d bet a substantial amount of money on the fact that she’s right,” Quirin begins.

“You’d win that bet,” Connor says without hesitation. “My sister is smart and intuitive. So, what did she figure out?”

I have to fight a smile of pride. My son has taken to his role of Alpha as if he was made for it, and I guess he was. It makes me feel like I did a good job preparing him for his role and to be the amazing Alpha that I know he will be.

‘You did a great job, Dad, and thanks,‘ his voice floats into my mind. I refocus on Quirin.

“Alpha Jasper has been using silver powder to injure my pack members and weaken my pack,” Quirin says.

you in a fair fight, so

Kennedy figured it out. Didn’t your warriors know that they

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Fri, Feb 21

Chapter 146

and looks at me. They did not. The powder was fine enough that it was coating the wounds and keeping them from healing but not enough that they felt more

pack doesn’t go to the hospital when they’re injured?” Connor asks, remembering what Quirin said to Yara

“That’s correct,” he says.

find it?” Harold asks

pup. He was injured and the injury

get injured during a battle?” I ask, concerned that they aren’t even using their safe

Jasper and his pack are putting this powder on their claws, some of that silver is getting onto my pack lands. My pack lands are contaminated

if you clean it up, it will just be there again when he attacks again,” Henry says.

you going to do once you find

half–smile and looks at his

Jasper’s pack lands,

have pups that would get injured, just like yours,” Connor says, looking thoughtful. Then he

a lot of silver. They could use it on us and weaken us during the battle It’s a risk I’m not willing to take,” Quirin says. I have to admit, not

can we help?” I ask, glancing at Connor, thankful that he seems willing to

his supply of silver and then eliminate

contaminated soil.

I say. “I was just reading about a new approach to removing heavy metals from soil. It’s some chemical process that draws the metal out of the soil during a filtering process. It’s

Quinton was wealthy before he died. If I’d been so inclined, I could have come here and taken everything that I could find and kept his money for myself. But greed is what got Quinton killed and I never

you’re interested, I’ll get the information and send it

he feels like he’s going to choke on the words, but he’s being more friendly to me

days of retirement with some light reading

that I’m struggling with the transition