Free Healing the Clan: Alaskan Tigers: Book Ten by Marissa Dobson Page A

If Reece wasn’t training, he was either at the gatehouse or sleeping.
    Ryder stood a little ways off in the distance talking to Carran and Larry, an electrician from the West Virginia Tigers. They were part of the team that would give a facelift to the living quarters. Ryan from the Alaskan Tigers was busy drawing up plans in the dining hall, while the others began discussing building plans. Everyone was coming together to get David and the clan on the right footing lifted her heart. After everything they had been through, she never expected this, but here they were, lending a helping hand. This is why Tabitha was here—to unite everyone and form a better world for future generations.
    “Victoria, I need to talk to you,” Ryder called as he jogged toward her.
    “Everything okay?” Unease crept into her muscles. She wasn’t used to being the Alpha’s mate, and having people need her attention. She had always been the wallflower and stayed out of everyone’s way as they went about their business. Another change she would have to accept.
    “Depends on how you look at it.” He stopped in front of her, glanced around, and leaned in a bit closer. “Carran let it slip that Mira’s arriving today.”
    “What?” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “He specifically told her to stay away when he spoke to her. Things are too dangerous for her here, and having her mate by her side wouldn’t make things easier. The clan was brainwashed to believe he’d come and kill them for disobeying Frank. To have him show up here is only going to cause chaos.”
    “I know, but they are already on their way. A helicopter will be landing in twenty minutes. The question is, how are we going to handle it and who’s going to tell David?”
    “You’re the Lieutenant. I think it’s your job.” Trying to wiggle out of it, she smirked at him. “Come on. You don’t want to have to deal with an Alpha who killed his mate in a fit of anger, do you?”
    “Oh, and being down a Lieutenant is no big deal, is it?” He shook his head. “Let’s compromise and tell him together. We’ll have each other’s backs, and if he goes ape shit, we run for it.”
    “Let’s do this, but you owe me one.” She turned on her heels and headed back in search of their Alpha.
    “What can I do for you?” he asked, falling into stride with her.
    “I need you to find out what happened to Tim. The last time anyone saw him is when you were escorting me to David. Did Reece see anything? Does anyone know where he might have gone?”
    “I’ve already spoken to my brother. Tim was still outside the gate when Reece drove your car through. He parked it, shut off the engine, and got out. By then, Tim was gone. At the time, he assumed he followed us to bitch more, but my guess is he never came back in. It’s not really a secret that Tim was a supporter of Frank’s and that he wants David to run the clan differently. Isn’t it possible he just had enough and walked out?”
    “Yes, if we knew he did it willingly, but the unknown has to be weighing on David. I wonder how Mira is going to handle this. He said she’s been demanding to come back and see both of them.”
    He nodded. “It got worse once she realized Tim was avoiding her calls. He blames her for what happened that night. If anyone was to blame it was Frank, or even Shelly.”
    “I never asked what happened to Frank’s son? Was he killed, or did he leave?”
    “He’s dead.” He held open the door that would lead back up to the Alpha’s quarters and allowed her to enter before adding, “Fifteen members alive. Two in the hospital area are being attended to, and their fates unknown.”
    “There were three…”
    “Another one gave up on life this morning.” Sadness coated his words.
    A shifter healed quicker than humans and could survive most everything except a blow to the heart or head. No matter their rank within a clan or how fast they could heal, those were killing blows. The only exception