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“What happened?” Galen asked.

“Her heart gave out,” Bell said with a sniffle. “She came out of the coma, her adrenaline spiked harder than ever before, and no one could catch it in time.”

Galen closed his eyes. He wished he could hold her in his arms and offer her his support.

“Her heart was already weak; she was on borrowed time before bringing her in.”

“Bell–” Galen began.

“Don’t say you’re sorry,” Bell quickly interrupted. “I hate that.”

“I know,” Galen smiled sadly. “I was going to say, if you need anything from me or our facilities, all you need to do is ask.”

Bell was surprised.

“From your facilities?” she asked. “What do you mean?”

“With the autopsy, I thought we might be able to help.”

“Why would I do an autopsy on my friend, Galen?” Bell asked with a wave of anger in her voice that made him nervous.

“I just thought–”

“That I would want to cut open my dead friend when I already know what she died from?!” Bell spat.

Galen took a deep breath. All his time with a temperamental Alpha seemed to prepare him for this woman.

“You were concerned that Renee had been exposed to the same thing Ashleigh was, right?” Galen asked._.

“Yes, but–”

“If she were, those chemicals would still be found in her brain,” Galen said softly. “If she wasn’t exposed, then you don’t know why this happened to her. I just thought it would help you process her death if you had solid answers instead of theories.”

Bell felt like an idiot. Of course, he wasn’t being cruel. This big puppy didn’t know how to be malicious.

“I’m sorry,” she sighed.

Galen smiled.

“It’s easier to feel anger than sadness,” he replied, “I get it.”

***

When Ashleigh woke up, the call was still connected.

She gasped when she realized she had fallen asleep on the phone with Caleb.

“Ashleigh?”

A warmth settled over her as she heard his voice coming from the receiver. She picked it up and brought it to her ear.

“Caleb?”

“Hey…” he smiled.

“Hey,” she smiled back.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked.

Ashleigh remembered the night before, getting the call from Bell that Renee’s body had finally given out from the strain of whatever it was that happened to her. Ashleigh had been devastated, filled with pain and sadness so intense that she couldn’t breathe.

And then Caleb had called.

He had soothed her, made her feel like he was lying in bed beside her with no motives, no expectations. Just being there with her as her heart broke.

This is what it was to truly feel the bond between mates. She had never felt anything like this with Granger.

“Yea,” she whispered. “Thanks to you.”

“I didn’t do anything,” he said quietly.

They were both quiet, neither wanting to end the call nor knowing what to say. Finally, Caleb sighed.

“I guess I should–”

“Do you want to train together?” Ashleigh blurted out.

She didn’t know what she was saying. She just didn’t want him to go.

“What?” he asked, honestly confused by her suggestion.

Ashleigh laughed.

“Sorry,” she said, “I still owe you. The Berserker training, I mean. I know you are back in Summer; I don’t expect you to come all the way back.”

She hoped he would say he would.

“No,” he said softly, “I don’t think that is something I can do right now.”

Ashleigh heard the sadness in his voice.

“Of course not!” She laughed.

“Yea..” Caleb murmured. “So, I guess I’ll just go–”

“We could video chat!” Ashleigh suggested.

Caleb didn’t respond. Ashleigh felt nervous.

“We could find a time that works for us and go to our gyms. Then video chat for the sessions,” she offered. “It’s not ideal. Pretty difficult to teach proper grappling and throwing techniques without physical contact….”

A flush crept onto her face at the words.

“But it’s something…” she finished out quietly.

Caleb was still quiet on the other end of the line. Ashleigh felt the pulse racing in her throat. Her palms were sweating, and her stomach was twisted in knots.

“Ashleigh,” Caleb began softly, “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

His voice was quieter than she was used to. It was painful.

“I have to go.”

Ashleigh sucked her lips between her teeth, biting down to keep from making a sound.

“Mmhmm,” she replied quickly.

“But, I’ll think about it,” Caleb added before hanging up the phone.

Ashleigh was stunned. She fell back on her bed with a smile and a squeal. She hugged the phone to her chest and wrapped herself in the blankets remembering the warm feeling they had shared all night.

She wondered if this was what it felt like to be a human girl, hoping their crush would go with them to dance.

‘Maybe I will ask Renee about–’ Ashleigh’s thought was interrupted by the realization that she could never ask Renee anything ever again.

***

In the three days that followed, Ashleigh and Caleb had talked on the phone twice and had three video training sessions. In addition, they sent each other text messages randomly throughout each day.

Caleb smiled to himself as he read her last message. Their conversation had turned to the places he had visited. He sent her a picture from his trip to Italy.

She told him about a few of the places she hoped to visit. Including the Eiffel Tower, it was special to her now. A place that Renee had mentioned wanting to go to many times.

There was a knock at the door. Caleb quickly set his phone down and picked up the report on his desk.

“Come in,” he called out.

Galen entered the room. After some basic reporting and housekeeping, they discussed the situation in Winter.

“Bell is convinced that there is a connection between Ashleigh’s heart stopping at the full moon and the cause of Renee’s death.”

“Did you tell her we are willing to offer whatever aid we can to help her solve this?” Caleb asked, setting down the report he had been ‘reading’ before Galen entered the room.

“Yes,” Galen answered. “She got approval to perform an autopsy. It will provide the answers she is looking for with any luck.”

“I would like to see them as well.”

“She already agreed to forward all her findings,” Galen replied.

Galen looked at the floor. He shuffled his hands and straightened his shirt for the sixth time since he started talking.

“Is there something you want to say?” Caleb smiled at his friend.

Galen smiled.

“Bell didn’t request it, but I thought it might move things along if we sent one of the MA Stations,” he suggested, adding, “and, of course, someone who knows how to use it.”

“Of course,” Caleb smiled.

A thought occurred to Caleb suddenly. He grabbed his phone and scrolled down to a message he had received a few days before. He looked at it carefully, considering its meaning.

He looked back up at Galen with a nod.

“I think you’re right,” he said.

Galen’s eyes lit up.

“I’ll get it arranged right away!” Galen said with enthusiasm.

“Galen?” Caleb called his attention.

“Hmm?” Galen asked, looking at his phone as he had already begun filling out the request forms.

“There are a few other things that will need to be prepared for your trip.”