Mira's POV
"No."
The word came out stronger than I felt. My legs were shaking so hard I thought I might fall down, but I forced myself to stand tall.
Kael Nightfang's amber eyes flashed with something—surprise? Nobody told this man "no," I could tell. Probably ever.
"I'm not going anywhere with you," I continued, trying to sound brave even though my heart was hammering. "I don't even know where I am. I don't know what's happening. And I'm definitely not following some... some tiger-man just because he says so!"
His jaw tightened. He took another step closer.
I backed up until I hit the cave wall again. Nowhere left to run.
"You misunderstand," he said, his voice dangerously quiet. "That wasn't a request."
"And that wasn't an invitation to kidnap me!" I shot back. Where was this courage coming from? Maybe dying once made you braver. "In my world, you can't just take people!"
"This isn't your world anymore." He stopped right in front of me, so close I had to tilt my head back to see his face. He was massive—at least six and a half feet tall, all muscle and menace. "My sister is dying. My females are dying. You can save them. You WILL save them."
"Your females?" The phrase made my skin crawl. "Women aren't property!"
Something flickered in his eyes. "Here, females are rare. Precious. Protected. My territory has thirty females. Six are pregnant. Two will die in childbirth without your healing magic."
"It's not magic! It's medicine!" I pressed harder against the wall. "And you can't force me to—"
"I can." He leaned down, his face inches from mine. His breath was warm, smelling like mint and danger. "I will drag you to my territory if needed. But I'd prefer you walk. Choose."
My nurse instincts warred with my survival instincts. Pregnant women dying. I could help them. I had the knowledge. But going with this terrifying man to some unknown place?
"How do I know you won't hurt me?" I whispered.
For the first time, his expression softened. Just barely. "I protect what's mine. You'll be safer in my territory than anywhere else in this world. That's my promise."
"I'm not yours."
"Not yet." The way he said it made heat rush to my face. "But you will be. Eventually."
Before I could respond, someone else entered the cave. A younger man with golden hair and honey-brown eyes. And wings. Actual WINGS folded against his back, golden-brown like an eagle's.
"Nightfang," the winged man said smoothly. "The little female looks terrified. Perhaps try not looming over her like she's prey?"
Kael growled—actually growled like an animal. "This doesn't concern you, Windclaw."
"Oh, but it does." The golden man smiled at me warmly. "Hello, sky-fallen one. I'm Soren Windclaw, chief's son of the eagle tribe. Unlike this brute, I'm here to offer you a choice, not a command."
"She's already made her choice," Kael snarled.
"Have I?" I looked between them. "Because I don't remember agreeing to anything."
Soren's smile widened. "I like you already. Smart and brave." He glanced at Kael. "My tribe offers protection, freedom, and respect. You'd be honored among us, not ordered around like a servant."
"She comes with me." Kael's hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. Not hard enough to hurt, but firm. Possessive. "My need is greater."
"Your need doesn't override her will!" Soren stepped closer, his wings spreading slightly. A threat display.
The tension in the cave became suffocating. These two were about to fight. Over me.
"Stop!" I yanked my wrist from Kael's grip. "Both of you, just STOP!"
They both looked at me, surprised.
"I'm a person, not a prize!" My voice rose with anger and fear and frustration. "You can't just fight over me like I'm some trophy! I have rights! I have feelings! I'm not—"
A woman's scream cut through the air. High-pitched, agonized, desperate.
All three of us froze.
"That's Vera," Kael breathed, his face going pale. "My sister."
Another scream, even worse. The sound of someone dying.
Without thinking, my nurse training kicked in. "Take me to her. Now."
Kael's eyes snapped to mine. "You'll help her?"
"I'm a nurse! Of course I'll help her!" I pushed past him toward the cave entrance. "Move!"
He moved.
We ran through the village—if you could call it that. Stone caves carved into a mountainside, bridges made of rope and wood, beastmen everywhere staring at us. I didn't have time to process the insanity of it all.
Kael led me to a larger cave where women were gathered around a fur-covered bed. On it, a beautiful woman writhed in pain, her belly huge with pregnancy. Sweat soaked her dark hair. Her skin was gray.
I pushed through the crowd and felt her forehead. Burning hot. Fever.
"How long has she been in labor?" I demanded.
"Two days," an older woman answered. "The cub won't come. She's too weak."
Two days. Oh God.
I felt her belly. The baby was positioned wrong—transverse lie, sideways instead of head-down. Without a C-section or manual manipulation, both mother and baby would die.
"I need clean water. Boiled water. Clean cloth. And privacy. Everyone out except two people to help me."
"You can't order—" someone started.
"OUT!" I roared with every ounce of authority I'd learned from four years in the ER. "Unless you want to watch her die!"
They scattered.
Kael stayed. So did the older woman.
"Can you save her?" Kael's voice cracked. The terrifying tiger-man looked like a scared little boy.
I met his eyes. "I'll try. But I need you to trust me. Even when what I do seems crazy."
He nodded. "Anything."
I got to work.
I'd never done an external cephalic version outside a hospital. Never without ultrasound guidance or pain medication or a surgical team on standby. But I had hands and knowledge and a woman's life in the balance.
I pressed on Vera's belly, feeling for the baby's head, trying to manually turn the infant into the correct position. Vera screamed. Kael's claws extended, but he held himself back.
"Almost," I muttered. "Come on, little one. Turn for me."
Then I felt it—the shift. The baby's head engaged in the pelvis.
"There!" I nearly sobbed with relief. "Now we wait for contractions."
But Vera's breathing was getting shallower. The fever was too high.
I needed antibiotics. IV fluids. A hospital.
I had none of that.
Think, Mira. Think!
"Is there a plant here that reduces fever?" I asked desperately. "Something that fights infection?"
The older woman's eyes widened. "Moonpetal. But it's rare, and—"
"Get it. Now. I don't care how rare it is."
She ran.
I held Vera's hand and whispered, "Stay with me. Please stay with me."
Just like Sarah had whispered to me on the hospital floor.
Vera's eyes fluttered open. She looked at me with the same amber eyes as her brother.
"You're... the healer," she breathed.
"I'm trying to be."
"Thank you." Her grip tightened. "Save my baby. Even if... even if you can't save me."
"I'm saving you both," I said firmly. "That's not negotiable."
The older woman returned with strange purple flowers. I crushed them, mixed them with boiled water, and made Vera drink the bitter tea.
Then we waited.
Minutes felt like hours. The fever began to drop. Contractions started again—strong, regular.
"Push," I commanded.
Vera pushed.
It took another hour. An hour of coaching, encouraging, praying to whatever gods existed in this crazy world.
Then I heard it—a baby's cry. Strong and healthy and beautiful.
"It's a boy," I said, tears streaming down my face. "You have a son."
Vera sobbed with joy as I placed the tiny cub in her arms. He had tiger ears and his mother's eyes.
Kael stood frozen, staring at his sister and nephew like he'd witnessed a miracle.
Maybe he had.
When I finally stumbled out of the cave hours later, exhausted and bloodstained, the entire village was waiting. Kael emerged behind me.
"She saved them," he announced. "Both of them. My sister lives. My nephew lives."
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Kael turned to me. His expression had changed completely—awe, gratitude, something deeper I couldn't name.
"You're not leaving my territory," he said softly. "Ever. I'll give you anything you want, but you stay. These females need you."
Before I could argue, Soren landed beside us with a thunderous flap of wings.
"Impressive, little healer," he said. "But you should know—the Blessed One heard about you. Lyssa."
My blood ran cold. The other human woman. The one who'd arrived three years ago.
"She's sent a message," Soren continued, his face grim. "She wants to meet you. Tomorrow. And refusing her invitation isn't an option."
"Why not?" I asked.
Kael and Soren exchanged dark looks.
"Because," Kael said quietly, "Lyssa doesn't tolerate rivals. And you, little healer, just became her competition."