Taze (Rise of the Pride #11) - Theresa Hissong Page 0,14

footing. The beautiful white wolf patiently waited until Calla gave the nod to let her know she was ready to move.

The inside of Harold’s home clinic was quiet for once, and she could smell the disinfectant Luna had used on the two rooms they used for patching up Guardians. Instead of going to one of them, Luna steered her toward the kitchen and offered her a seat at the table.

“You need sugar,” she fretted, going to the fridge to pull out a large pitcher of tea. After filling the glass, she set it down with a frown. “Drink as much of that as you can.”

Harold entered a few seconds behind and took a seat, folding his arms across his massive chest. The older male had been so gentle with her when she’d arrived after being rescued, and he’d been like a father to her ever since.

“How long have you been having panic attacks, Calla?” Harold was straight business ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time. Very rarely did he drop the doctor mask. Hell, maybe he didn’t have another side to him. Maybe he was like that all the time.

“I’ve always had them,” she admitted as she sipped on her tea. It was sweet and didn’t mix well with the wine she’d consumed right before she blacked out.

“You weren’t having them when you were in training,” he reminded her with a raised brow.

“I really wish everyone would stop reminding me of that,” she scowled. What was it with everyone bringing up her time in the training facility?

“Is everyone giving you a hard time because you changed your mind on being a Protector?” he pressed, finally relaxing enough to drop his hands to his lap. He scooted the chair closer to the table and finally rested his arms on top. It made him look less intimidating.

“Not everyone,” she hedged, but knew she would spill everything to the healer. “Just my brother and Taze are driving me insane.”

“They’re still at it,” he cursed. “I have half a mind to string both of those boys up and beat some sense into them.”

“Healer!” she gasped. She’d never heard him speak like that before.

“Well, it’s true,” he stated matter-of-factly. “You are obviously under a lot of stress.”

“You have no idea,” she mumbled, feeling all of the emotions over the past two years rear their ugly head. “I can’t even be within talking distance of Taze without my brother coming over and voicing his two cents on it. I’m tired of them hating each other, and then they complain about each other to my face. I’m being pulled in two different directions, Harold.”

“There’s more, isn’t there?” he asked, giving her a knowing glance.

“Yes,” she sighed. “It’s possible…well, most likely, we are mates.”

“Ah,” he said, nodding his bald head. “I see.”

“You see?” she scoffed. “What does that even mean?”

“Do you want my advice?” he asked.

“Of course, I do,” she replied. “I’ve always trusted you.”

“Maybe we should check you out first, just to make sure that bump you took to the head is healing okay,” he hedged, standing from his seat. “After that, we can talk about the mating scent all of the Guardians and Protectors noticed at the meeting with Talon.”

“Great,” she drawled and let the healer take a look at the bump on her head.

Taze paced outside his home, watching the healer’s house for any movement from Calla. It’d been an hour since she had been helped over by Harold’s mate, Luna. Was Calla okay? She’d taken a hard hit to the counter when she blacked out.

Gods, he felt like a fucking failure, because he didn’t reach out to catch her. What good would he be as a mate if he didn’t even react as she succumbed to a panic attack?

“Fuck!” he bellowed into the night’s sky.

He hadn’t seen her have a panic attack since she’d first started training. Had it been going on all this time? For six damn years? Six years of anxiety, and he had no clue. He was such a piece of shit sometimes.

It was nearing midnight when she finally emerged from the healer’s home. She walked with her head dropped in shame, wiping away moisture from her eyes. He started for her, but headlights stopped him from going as Noah pulled up in front of his house. Taze stood there until Calla was safely in her home.

As soon as he opened the passenger door, Noah’s head turned and he looked concerned. “You know you are allowed to take a night off, right?”

“I’m not