THE ALPHA'S HEALING MATE; BONDED TO THREE

say?" Celeste mu

her skirt, stained with dirt and

wed by the warmth of her power surging into him. She had d

asn't wo

eded t

toward the edge of the village, awa

nd familiar, a sanctuary she'd

egan to ease. The air was cooler here, the world quieter. She sank to

" she whispered, h

mply stood, ancient and silent,

e to keep Celeste safe, to keep her hidden. And now, wit

t she quickly wiped them away.

her grandmother, and how to survive the questions a

part of her knew there was no going back. Her sec

sound of people and pi

give out any moment, but she kept ru

osing in on her. Her skirt tangled around her legs, the dampness of the

ut, her voice raw, bre

and

tuary, her only safe place. The wooden door creaked open before she even r

what on

apsed to her knees at her grandmother's fee

-I didn't m

bled as she reached down to lift Celeste's face. Her eyes scanned th

t, her chest heaving. "They were chasing me!

her jaw tightening as she pulled

, dimly lit room. The familiar smell of dried herbs and wood smoke hit her, groun

h practiced precision. She grabbed the heavy curtain and pulled i

pointing to the old wood

n her lap as her grandmother moved around the room, muttering under her br

r, arms crossed. "You're going to tell

the well. He was... he was dying, Grandma. I didn't mean to

randma said flatly,

ed, her hand

but this time... everyone saw. They're calling me a he

hrough the room like a blade, s

any idea what

ice rising with a mix of anger and fear.

do," Grandma snapped, her voice low and furiou

ve on? No, Celeste. They'll use you. They'

welling in her eyes. "I d

in front of Celeste, her hands gripping the younger woma

idden. Your gift...it's a blessing, yes, but to them

he weight of her grandmo

o we do

ll room. "First, we lay low. No leaving this h

And you..." She turned to Celeste, pointing a finge

se needs help?" Celeste

Grandma said firmly. " You can't save everyone, Ce

nds, the faint warmth of her

ted hi

hispered, her voic

n her shoulder. "I know, child. I know. But from now o

thought. The life she had always known felt li

uare was tense, thick wit

lutching their aprons, others with w

had only grown. They formed tight-knit circles, their voices

out of nowhere!" one woman exclaimed, h

nd with a wrinkled for

hole time. I saw her standing in the back, quiet as

er as if whispering made the moment more real. "Her hands were

right there. There was no glow. She just pressed her hand

artha cut back in, nodding vehement

her baby, said softly. "Maybe she's just..

waited for a healer in this village? Decades! And you'r

r voice steady and authoritative. "I've seen death, and that boy was knocking

the gravity of her words sinking i

ly?" someone muttered

for sure," another replied.

lied. "I've never seen her at the market, never se

trange..." Mar

ories, Martha," the

y is a healer, why hide it? Why live like that? Un

ike she never

're too sharp for

quiet. Like she's